Archives of andrology最新文献

Mammalian spermatozoa contain some of the most highly compact chromatin. This is due to the DNA binding proteins, the protamines, which replace most of the histones during spermiogenesis. This chromatin, however, shares some features with somatic cell chromatin. One of these is the organization of DNA into loop domains attached at their bases to a proteinaceous nuclear matrix. Several groups have shown that the sites at which DNA associates with the sperm nuclear matrix contain chromatin structures that are linked with specific functions. Recent data also suggest that the sperm nuclear matrix plays essential roles in the paternal pronucleus of the newly fertilized oocyte, suggesting that the sperm cell provides more information to the new embryo than solely the genetic material it delivers. Here, we will review these data which together give insight into the functional significance and requirements of sperm nuclear structure.

This investigation was conducted to evaluate the presence of estrogen and androgen receptors in penile tissues of patients with hypospadias. The biopsy specimens from prepuce, glans, and urethral plate were sampled during the hypospadias surgery in five patients and were analyzed immunohistochemically. Twelve specimens were investigated for the presence of estrogen or androgen receptors (n: 24); the result was negative in 9 (37%) and positive in 15 (63%). Estrogen receptors were present in 10 specimens (42%) (prepuce: 5, glans: 3, and urethral plate: 2). Androgen receptors were present in 5 specimens (21%) (prepuce: 3, glans: 1, and urethral plate: 1). There was expression of both estrogen and androgen receptors in 5 specimens and only estrogen receptors in the remaining 5. Dominant expression of estrogen receptors in penile tissues of children with hypospadias may be the postnatal finding of disrupted estrogen and androgen receptor interaction during the intrauterine development of external genitalia.

Hormonal responses were assessed in men with prostate cancer (T2-4, Nx, Mx) who were randomized to receive either a single injection of goserelin 3.6 mg or leuprolide 3.75 mg. Testosterone increased over the first week, with a significantly higher mean rate of change of total testosterone (day 3) and free testosterone (days 3 and 7) with leuprolide. Following the initial rise in luteinizing hormone (LH), the rate of decrease in LH levels was significantly greater with goserelin by day 28. There are significant differences in endocrine response to goserelin and leuprolide in the 4 weeks following administration.

This study developed quantitative real-time PCR assays for the DAZ and RBMY1 genes to determine the copy number of RNA extracted from testicular biopsies from a cohort of normospermic controls (n=6) and azoospermic males (n=17) including two males with Y-chromosome microdeletions (AZFc and AZFb + c). All patients underwent testicular sperm extraction (TESE) for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Forty percent of the azoospermic cohort showed a significant reduction in the copies of at least one of the genes (DAZ P=0.003; RBMY1 P=0.009). The histopathology of these patients ranged from Sertoli cell only (SCO) to severe hypospermatogenesis with interstitial fibrosis. The patient with the AZFb + c deletion lacked expression of DAZ and RBMY1 and had a histopathology of SCO. The patient with the AZFc deletion had reduced expression of RBMY1 and no DAZ expression with a histopathology of spermatocyte arrest. The quantitative real-time PCR assays for DAZ and RBMY1 gave positive predictive values of 78% and 70%, respectively for the recovery of sperm from testicular biopsy.

The aim of this study was to immunohistochemically examine the effects of orchidectomy and administration of testosterone hormone on leptin production in the rat anterior pituitary. Twenty-one male Wistar rats were divided into three groups. Group I and group II were designated as control (sham-orchidectomized) and orchidectomized rats, respectively. Rats in group III were orchidectomized and injected daily with testosterone propionate for 1 month. At the end of the experimental period, all animals were sacrificed by decapitation. The pituitary glands of all rats were removed and processed for semi-quantitative evaluation of immunohistochemical leptin staining. Intensity of immunostaining was determined on a scale between 0 (no staining) and 5 (heavy staining). Immunostaining of leptin was moderate (3+) in control rats, heavy (5+) in orchidectomized rats, and low (1+) in testosterone-treated orchidectomized rats, respectively. These findings indicate that orchidectomy increases leptin secretion in anterior pituitary cells, and this increase of leptin synthesis can be prevented by administration of testosterone propionate. Thus, testosterone seems to affect leptin production in the anterior pituitary of male rats.

Male rats were immunized with prostate tissue homogenate supernate (PTHS) of male rats with complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) intra dermal in the multiple points and simultaneously immunized with 0.5 ml Pertussis-Diphtheria-Tetanus (PDT) vaccine intra peritonea on 0 and 30th day. At the 45th day after first immunization, animals were sacrificed and a series of examinations such as HE stain, assay of TNF-alpha by ELISA and assay of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA by in-situ hybridization (ISH) were taken. We observed that there was a remarkable up-regulation of TNF-alpha expression in the high dosage model group. The results of macropathology, histopathology and iNOS ISH also revealed the same tendency. This experimental procedure is effective to induce chronic abacterial prostatitis (CAP).

The objective of this study is to compare the influence on erectile function between urethral cystoscopic realignment and early end-to-end anastomosis treating ruptured bulbous urethra. 58 cases were selected, 32 had urethral cystoscopic realignment (group I) and 26 cases had urethral end-to-end anastomosis (group II). The parameters of P-CDU (Penile Color Duplex Ultrasound), NPT (Nocturnal Penile Tumescence), and IIEF-5 (International Index of Erectile Function) were compared between the two groups 6 months after operation. Group I was higher than group II in IIEF (21 vs 14) with significant differences. With P-CDU we observed an improvement in penile vascularization in group I as confirmed by the detection of an increase in peak systolic velocity (PSV) (26 cm/s vs 16 cm/s, p<0.01) and a decrease in end diastolic velocity (EDV) (3 cm/s vs 6 cm/s p<0.05), resulting in an increase in resistive index (RI) (0.85 vs 0.56, p<0.05). The parameters of NPT showed a significant increase compared to group II (p<0.01) in satisfactory erection number (5 vs 1.5), maximum rigidity (80% vs 42%), and total time that the increase in circumference was greater than 30% of baseline during sleep (100 sec vs 30 sec). Urethral cystoscopic realignment treating ruptured bulbous urethra can reduce the incidence of erectile dysfunction [ED]. A long term follow-up should be studied.

146 MD-TESE procedures were performed in 74 patients presenting with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA). Five of the 74 patients displayed a history of chemotherapy. Etiology of chemotherapies included testicular cancer, osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, and malignant lymphoma of the stomach. Post-chemotherapy duration was 2.5-18 years. All patients underwent MD-TESE using local anesthesia with spermatic block and sedation. Extracted sperm was cryopreserved for ICSI. Histopathologic examination revealed Sertoli cell-only syndrome in all five patients; however, sperm were retrieved in 3 subjects. Post-chemotherapy MD-TESE and ICSI can be applied successfully in some patients with NOA. However, freezing semen prior to chemotherapy is recommended.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether administration of the regimen of gossypol at 12 mg/kg/day combined with methyltestosterone at 20 mg/kg/day and ethinylestradiol at 100 microg/kg/day for a long term of twenty-four weeks could affect the existence and differentiation of rat spermatogonial stem cell. This was assessed by conducting TdT-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling detection, spermatogonial stem cell transplantation and fertility recovery evaluation. Our results showed that spontaneous apoptosis was observed in normal rats' testes from the control group with an apoptotic index (AI) average of 10.24+/-1.52. In the regimen-treated group, the predominant apoptotic cells were spermatocytes and spermatids in the seminiferous tubules. Spermatogonia were not apoptotic (AI averaged 113.42+/-13.24). Two to three months after transplantation of spermatogonial stem cells isolated from regimen-treated rats into recipient nude mice, elongated rat spermatids were identified in the seminiferous tubules of recipient nude mice. Six weeks after withdrawal of the administration, fertility of the regimen-treated rats was recovered compared with that of the control group. The number of litters produced by females mated with regimen-treated males averaged 9.88+/-0.166 matched 10.30+/-0.171 of control group and the litters of the first generation appeared to be normal. These results indicated that the administration of this regimen did not affect the existence and differentiation potential of spermatogonial stem cells of the regimen-treated rats.