International journal of andrology最新文献

It has been demonstrated that intracavernous injection of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) had beneficial effects on improving erectile function in type-1 diabetic rats. This study was designed to investigate the neurotrophic effect of BM-MSCs for type-1 diabetic rats. Streptozocin-induced type-1 diabetic rats were randomly divided into three groups: diabetic group, BM-MSCs-treated group and BM-MSCs-conditioned medium-treated group. At the 3d, 1 and 2w time points after BM-MSCs injection, three randomly selected rats in MSCs group were sacrificed and penile samples were harvested to detect BM-MSCs in penile tissue. Four weeks after intracavernous injection of BM-MSCs or BM-MSCs-conditioned medium, intracavernous pressure (ICP) was assessed to evaluate the erectile function. Immunohistochemistry was used to track labelled BM-MSCs in penile tissue and to detect neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and neurofilament (NF) positive fibres in penile dorsal nerve. Enzyme lined immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure the concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in BM-MSCs-conditioned medium. BM- MSCs secreted detectable levels of VEGF, BDNF and NGF. Intracavernous injection of BM-MSCs improved erectile function in diabetic rats. The functional improvement was accompanied by promoted nNOS and NF positive nerve fibres within penile dorsal nerve in type-1 diabetic rats. Histological data revealed a time-dependent decrease in the number of BM-MSCs in the corpus cavernosum following injection. Furthermore, the beneficial effect of BM-MSCs was partially repeated by BM-MSCs-conditioned medium. Intracavernous injection of BM-MSCs is effective in improving nerve regeneration in diabetic rats. Paracrine effects of BM-MSCs are probably involved in the improvement.

Nitric oxide (NO) plays crucial roles in several physiological and pathological conditions. The iNOS isoform produces high levels of NO independent of intracellular calcium and, in the testis, which is expressed in Sertoli (SC), Leydig (LC) and germ cells. The testicular roles of NO are unclear, but it can inhibit LC testosterone production. Our aim was to evaluate the effects of iNOS deficiency on testis development in mice from late fetal life through early puberty. Therefore, testes from wild type (C57BCL/6) and iNOS^−/− mice (B6.129P2- Nos2^tm1Lau/J) were sampled at various ages between e18.5 and Pnd20 and evaluated by histological and stereological analyses; proliferating cells were labelled with ³H-thymidine. At all ages, testis weight and anogenital index, a measure of fetal androgen exposure, were greater in iNOS-deficient mice than in wild type mice. At all ages after birth, iNOS-deficient mice exhibited increased (p < 0.05) SC number per testis, and this was accounted for by a higher SC proliferation index (p < 0.05) in iNOS-deficient mice, especially on Pnd1 and Pnd5. Similarly, LC number per testis was higher (p < 0.05) in iNOS^−/− mice than in wild type at all post-natal ages. Highly positive and significant correlations were observed between the proliferation index for SC, LC and peritubular myoid cells on e18.5 and post-natally. Although lumen formation was slightly advanced in iNOS^−/− mice, no obvious other effects on pubertal testis development were observed. These results imply that NO may normally constrain testis somatic cell development, especially SC, perhaps by limiting testosterone production. Removal of this constraint results in normal, but larger, testes with greater sperm production. Our data pinpoint the window of iNOS (NO) action on SC proliferation and raise the possibility that experimental manipulation of NO in early post-natal life could be used to enhance SC proliferation if this was deficient for any reason.

With the motile sperm organelle morphology examination (MSOME), spermatozoa morphology may be assessed directly on motile spermatozoa at high magnification (up to 6600×). This procedure describes more precisely spermatozoa abnormalities, especially head vacuoles. However, no consensus has been established concerning normal or abnormal MSOME criteria. The aim of our study was to define MSOME vacuole criteria assessed objectively with a digital imaging system software to establish a potential relationship between conventional semen parameters. A total of 440 semen samples were obtained from males consulting in Rouen University Hospital Reproductive Biology Laboratory. Conventional semen analysis (volume, sperm concentration, progressive motility, vitality and morphology) and MSOME assessment {sperm head length, width and area as well as vacuole number, vacuole area and relative vacuole area to sperm head [RVA (%) = [vacuole area (μm²)/head area (μm²)] × 100)]} were performed for each semen sample. Among our 440 males, 109 presented normal conventional semen parameters and 331 abnormal ones. Sperm head vacuoles were significantly larger in abnormal semen samples (p < 0.0001). RVA was the most discriminative MSOME criterion between normal and abnormal semen samples according to ROC curves analysis, and was negatively correlated with poor sperm morphology (r = −0.53, p < 0.0001). We concluded to (i) the normal occurrence of vacuoles in sperm head whatever the normality or abnormality of semen parameters, (ii) the discriminative function of the RVA to distinguish semen samples with normal and abnormal parameters, and (iii) the strong correlation between high RVA and poor sperm morphology.

Information concerning the clinical characteristics in elderly men with varicocoele is relatively limited. This study was assessed to evaluate the differences in clinical characteristics between young and elderly patients with varicocoele by retrospective chart review. Between June 2003 and February 2011, 169 young (18–30 years) men and 156 elderly (45–55 years) men with varicocoele, and 30 age-matched men without varicocoele were recruited for this study. All the patients were divided into six groups. Thirty-one infertile patients were assigned to Group 1, 138 fertile patients to Group 2, 35 infertile patients to Group 3 and 121 fertile patients to Group 4. Group 5 (15 young) and 6 (15 elderly) were control groups. The parameters for comparison included body mass index (BMI), semen quality (sperm motility, morphology and density) and pH value, serum concentration of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormones (LH), testosterone, testicular volume, grade of varicocoele and peak retrograde flow (PRF) and maximal vein diameter (MVD) by colour Doppler ultrasound (CDS). Elderly men with varicocoele had a higher incidence of bilateral varicocoele (25.5% vs. 14.8%), but a lower incidence of unilateral right varicocoele (2.6% vs. 7.7%) than young patients with varicocoele. In addition, patients with varicocoele had lower BMI than those without, and infertile young patients with varicocoele had the lowest levels of BMI. Furthermore, infertile patients (Groups 1 and 3) with varicocoele had significantly lower testicular volume and semen pH, lower levels of testosterone, higher levels of FSH and LH and higher PRF than fertile men with varicocoele (Groups 2 and 4). In conclusion, infertile elderly patients with varicocoele had significantly lower levels of testosterone and higher levels of FSH and LH than infertile young men with varicocoele. In addition, infertile elderly patients with bilateral varicocoele (Group 3, n = 8) had the lowest levels of testosterone.

The following article from the International Journal of Andrology 33: 88–94, 2010, ‘Effects of exposure to a mobile phone on testicular function and structure in adult rabbit’ by Nader Salama, Tomoteru Kishimoto and Hiro-omi Kanayama, published online on 9 December 2008 in Wiley Online Library (http://www.wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been withdrawn at the request of the author and agreed with the journal’s current and past Editors-in-Chief, Ewa Rajpert-De Meyts and Jorma Toppari, and Blackwell Publishing Ltd. The retraction has been agreed due to lack of approval of the article by co-authors, lack of evidence to justify the accuracy of the data presented in the article and overlap of data and figures between this article and two others, Systems Biology in Reproductive Medicine, 55:181–187, 2009 ‘The Mobile Phone Decreases Fructose but not Citrate in Rabbit Semen’ by Nader Salama, Tomoteru Kishimoto, Hiro-omi Kanayama, and Susumu Kagawa and International Journal of Impotence Research 22: 127–33, 2010, ‘Effects of exposure to a mobile phone on sexual behavior in adult male rabbit: an observational study’ by Salama N, Kishimoto T, Kanayama HO, Kagawa S.

Ewa Rajpert-De Meyts

Editor-in-Chief

International Journal of Andrology

Andrology is the study of health issues specific to men, with a focus on basic aspects of their reproductive system (gonads, endocrine and accessory organs), and diagnosis and treatment of medical problems associated with infertility, sexual dysfunction and urological problems. In medicine, the development of Andrology as a specific specialty is rather recent; it had often been considered a subspecialty of urology or endocrinology. The field of Andrology, emerging over the last 40 years, has produced several specialty journals covering both the basic scientific and clinical areas. The International Journal of Andrology (IJA) began publication in 1978 and became the official journal of the European Academy of Andrology (EAA) in 1992. The American Society of Andrology (ASA) launched the Journal of Andrology (JA) in 1980. These two Journals have been the leading journals in the field of Andrology with current impact factors of 3.6 (IJA) and 3.1 (JA).

Andrology remains a small and specialized field, and the size of both journals has been modest, each publishing about 600 pages per year. With the goal of increasing the visibility, impact and prominence of both journals, and to better promote the field of Andrology the EAA and ASA have decided jointly to create a single, even more prominent journal, Andrology. The international spirit of cooperation between the two societies and the enhanced availability of worldwide electronic communication has made it possible to jointly publish this new journal. The two societies will share equally in the management and editorial decisions of Andrology and in profits and losses from journal revenues and expenses.

The two original journals will actively continue to publish throughout 2012, with the last issues being published as November/December 2012 issues. New papers submitted to these journals will be accepted for review through the 31 March 2012. We encourage members of the two societies to continue to send their best work to JA or IJA so that we can keep the journals strong as we go into the merger. It is possible that some papers submitted to the original journals that need to be sent back to authors for significant revisions might not be accepted in time. If they are accepted later, they will appear in Andrology. Starting in late 2012, the back issues of both JA and IJA will be hosted on-line at the Wiley Online Library.

The EAA and ASA are pleased to announce that a contract has been signed with Wiley-Blackwell, publisher of the IJA, for publication of Andrology. The Journal will be published both in print and on-line, bimonthly, with accepted articles published on-line shortly after acceptance. We believe that there will be cost savings to both societies by eliminating duplications of effort in publishing and that the merged journal will result in increased profitability and income for the benefit of both societies. Ewa Rajpert-De Meyts M.D., Ph.D. of the Rig

Vitamin D (VD) is important for male reproduction in mammals and the VD receptor (VDR) and VD-metabolizing enzymes are expressed in human spermatozoa. The VD-inactivating enzyme CYP24A1 titrates the cellular responsiveness to VD, is transcriptionally regulated by VD, and has a distinct expression at the sperm annulus. Here, we investigated if CYP24A1 expression serves as a marker for VD metabolism in spermatozoa, and whether CYP24A1 expression was associated with semen quality. We included 130 men (53 healthy young volunteers and 77 subfertile men) for semen analysis and immunocytochemical (ICC) detection of CYP24A1. Another 40 men (22 young, 18 subfertile) were tested for in vitro effects of 1,25(OH)₂D₃ on intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca²⁺]_i) and sperm motility. Double ICC staining showed that CYP24A1 and VDR were either concomitantly expressed or absent in 80% of the spermatozoa from young men. The median number of CYP24A1-expressing spermatozoa was 1% in subfertile men and thus significantly (p < 0.0005) lower than 25% in spermatozoa from young men. Moreover, CYP24A1 expression correlated positively with total sperm count, -concentration, -motility and -morphology (all p < 0.004), and the percentage of CYP24A1-positive spermatozoa increased (15 vs. 41%, p < 0.0005) after percoll-gradient-centrifugation. We noticed that the presence of >3% CYP24A1-positive spermatozoa distinguished young men from subfertile men with a sensitivity of 66.0%, a specificity of 77.9% and a positive predictive value of 98.3%. Functional studies revealed that 1,25(OH)₂D₃ increased [Ca²⁺]_i and sperm motility in young healthy men, while 1,25(OH)₂D₃ was unable to increase motility in subfertile patients. In conclusion, we suggest that CYP24A1 expression at the annulus may serve as a novel marker of semen quality and an objective proxy for sperm function.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is an early manifestation of arteriosclerosis associated with endothelial damage/dysfunction and to a blunted ability of cultured mononuclear circulating cells (MNCs) to differentiate circulating angiogenic cells (CACs), putatively involved in endothelial damage repair. Here we explored effects of human serum (HS) from patients with ED and cardiovascular risk factors (VRFs) but no clinical atherosclerosis, on cultured MNCs of healthy men to differentiate CACs and to form colonies. Effect of HS on number of CACS and of colony forming units (CFUs) was correlated with circulating markers of endothelial damage and with angiogenic modulators. MNCs from healthy men were cultured in standard conditions or with 20% HS from 35 patients with ED and from 10 healthy men. CACs were identified after 7 days of culture by uptake of acetylated low-density lipoprotein with concomitant binding of Ulex europaeus agglutinin I. CFUs were counted after 5 days of culture. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays assessed plasmatic soluble (s) form of E-selectin, Endothelin (ET)-1, tissue type plasminogen activator (tPA), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)₁₆₅ and sVEGF receptor (R)-1. The number of CACs and of CFUs from healthy men was reduced after culturing MNCs with HS compared to standard medium. The inhibitory effect was significantly higher with HS from ED patients with higher or lower VRF exposure compared to healthy men. Inhibition was positively correlated with VRFs exposure, with ED severity, with common carotid artery intima media thickness measured using B-mode ultrasound, and to a lesser extent with plasmatic sE-Selectin, sET-1 and sVEGFR-1. Dysfunction of cells involved in vascular homoeostasis is induced by soluble factors still unknown and already present in a very initial systemic vascular disease in men with ED and VRFs.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals are believed to play a role in the development of the testicular dysgenesis syndrome. Many pesticides are known to have endocrine disrupting abilities. In a previous study, sons of women who were occupationally exposed to non-persistent pesticides in early pregnancy showed signs of impaired reproductive function (reduced genital size and altered serum hormone concentrations) at three months of age. To assess the possible long-term effects of prenatal pesticide exposure, the boys were re-examined at 6–11 years. The 94 boys (59 exposed, 35 unexposed) underwent genital examinations including ultrasound of testicular volumes, puberty staging (Tanner), anthropometry, and blood sampling. Only a few of the boys had reached puberty (n = 3). Among prepubescent boys, testicular volume and penile length (age- and weight-adjusted) were reduced if mothers were exposed to pesticides. The effects were associated with the maternal exposure levels, so that high-exposed boys had smaller genitals than medium-exposed boys, who had smaller genitals than those who were unexposed. Boys of mothers in the high exposure group (n = 23) had 24.7% smaller testes (95% CI: −62.2; −10.1) and 9.4% shorter penile length (95% CI: −16.8; −1.1) compared with the unexposed. The testicular volume and penile length at school age could be tracked to measures from the same boys made at 3 months, e.g. those that had small testes at school age also had small testes at 3 months. Pituitary and testicular hormone serum concentrations did not differ between exposed and unexposed boys. Eight prenatally exposed boys had genital malformations (no unexposed). These boys had smaller testis, shorter penile length and lower inhibin B concentrations than prepubertal boys without genital malformations. The findings support the results obtained at three months of age and indicate that prenatal pesticide exposure has long-term effects on reproductive function in boys.