The Effect of Libyan Date Palm Pollen and Flax Seed on General and Specific Properties of Testicular and Breast Cancer Cells By Yasmein Omran Alshibani A dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Magister Scientiae Department of Medical Biosciences Faculty of Natural Science Supervisor: Prof. Thomas K. Monsees May 2016 DECLARATION     I, Yasmein Omran Alshibani, hereby declare that “The effects of Libyan Date Palm Pollen and Flax seed on General and Specific Properties of Testicular and Breast Cancer Cell Lines” is my own work and has not been submitted for any degree or examination in this or any other university. All the resources that I have used have been indicated and fully acknowledged by complete references. Full name........................................ Date............................................. Signed............................................. I DEDICATION     This work is dedicated to my father OMRAN ALSHIBANI and my husband ESAM   ELMKAHIL. Thank you both for your endless support and care that you have provided. II ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS     Thank you ALLAH, the omnipotent, to give me the strength and ability to finish this   work. Say: 'Lord, grant me an entrance of sincerity and an exit of sincerity, and give me from yours a victorious power. '. Surat Al-Esra Aya (81) ‘Quran’. My supervisor Professor T. K. Monsees: thank you for your guidance, patience, encouragement and understanding for the different situations that I passed through. Many thanks go to Professor David Fisher and Dr. Mervin Meyer for allowing me to work in their laboratories. Mr. Abdallah Elgenaidi: thank you sincerely for all of the things that you helped me with. To my mother and my mother in law: no words can explain what you have done and do for me. Your kindness and love strengthen me in every step of my way and your Doaa opened all the closed doors. Many thanks for everyone that gave a hand during my study: Fathya Alshibani, Shireen Mentor, Mustafa Dra, Fatima Alatraq, Habeeb and Nicole. For my sisters, thank you for your insistence to finish my study and not to quit whatever the obstacles. III PUBLICATIONS     Part of the thesis “Effect of Libyan Date Palm Pollen Extract on the Function of TM4   Sertoli Cell Line” was presented as a poster at UWC Science Faculty Research Open Day (2015). IV KEY WORDS     Medicinal plants   Infertility Date Palm Pollen (DPP) Flax seed TM4 Sertoli cells MCF-7 Breast cancer cells Cytotoxicity E-SCREEN assay Inhibin - B hormone V LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS     Abbreviation Full Name   ALA Alfa linoleic acid ALCs Adult Leydig cells AMH Antimullarian hormone ABP Androgen binding protein APH Atypical prostatic hyperplasia ANOVA Analysis of variance ALA Alfa linolenic acid ATCC American Type Cell Culture BTB Blood testis barrier Bcl2 B-cell lymphoma 2 CO2 Carbon dioxide CD-FBS Charcoal dextran stripped fetal bovine serum cAMP Cyclic adenosine monophosphate CYP19 Aromatase enzyme CYP11A1 Cholesterol side chain cleavage enzyme CREM cAMP-responsive element modulator DMEM Dulbecco’s Modified Eagles Medium DMSO Dimethylsulphoxide DPPH 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid DHT Dihydrotestosterone DPP Date palm pollen ERE Estrogen receptor element ER Estrogen receptor EGF Epidermal growth factor EDTA Ethyl Diamine Tetra Acetic acid VI EIA Enzyme immunoassay   FACS Fluorescence-activated cell sorting flowcytometer FSH Follicular stimulat ing hormone FGF Fibroblast growth  factor Fig Figure FBS Fetal bovine serum GDNF Glial cell derived neurotrophic factor GGT Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase enzyme GPER G protein coupled estrogen receptors GnRH Gonadotropin hormone-releasing hormone HPLC High-performance liquid chromatography HSD17B3 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type III IGF-I Insulin – like growth factor I JAMs Junctional adhesion molecules LH Luteinizing hormone MTT 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide MTP Microtiter plate reader mRNA Messenger ribonucleic acid MAT Matairesinol MCF-7 Human breast adenocarcinoma cell line NGF Nerve growth factor OD Optic density PBS Phosphate Buffered Saline PNA P-nitroanilide PCR Polymerase chain reaction R Ohmic resistance SCF Stem cell factor SD Standard deviation SDG Secoisolariciresinol StAR Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein VII TEER Transepithelial electrical resistance   TJs Tight junctions TM4 Mouse Sertoli cell  line TNFα Tumor necrosis fac tor-α WHO World health organization ZO-1 Zonula occludens1 VIII TABLE OF CONTENTS   DECLARATION ................................................................................................................ I   DEDICATION .................................................................................................................. II   ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................. III PUBLICATIONS ............................................................................................................ IV KEY WORDS ................................................................................................................... V LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .......................................................................................... VI TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................ IX LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................... XIV ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................. XVI Chapter I: Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1 1.1 An overview of the male reproductive system ......................................................... 1 1.2 Anatomy of the testes ............................................................................................... 2 1.3 Histology of the testes .............................................................................................. 3 1.3.1 Seminiferous Tubules ........................................................................................ 4 1.3.2 Spermatogenesis ................................................................................................ 5 1.3.3 Sertoli cells ........................................................................................................ 6 1.3.3.1 Structure of Sertoli cells ............................................................................ 6 1.3.3.2 Function of Sertoli cells ............................................................................. 8 1.3.4 Interstitial compartment ................................................................................... 13 1.3.4.1 Leydig cells .............................................................................................. 13 1.4 Hormonal control of testicular function ................................................................. 13 1.4.1 Gonadotropin hormone-releasing hormone (GnRH) ....................................... 13 1.4.2 Gonadotropins ................................................................................................. 14 IX