ABSTRACT
Background: The role of the screening protocol for viral hepatitis and human immuunodeficiency virus [HIV] infections among infertile couples were seldom investigated
Objective: The present study was performed to assess the prevalence of hepatitis B virus [HBV], hepatitis C virus [HCV] and HIV infections among infertile couples referring to infertility clinic of Royan Institute
Materials and Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was performed on 21673 infertile couples referring to infertility clinic of Royan Institute between 2009 and 2014. Serological findings for viral hepatitis B, C and HIV infection were gathered herewith demographic data of the study participants through the study checklist. Ultimately, 302 couples who had at least one positive result in their serological tests were included in the statistical analysis
Results: The HBV and HCV infections prevalence among study participants were 0.57% and 0.148% respectively; only two cases had HIV infection. HBV and HCV infections prevalence had significant association with the gender of participants, but there was no significant relationship between these infections and infertility types
Conclusion: Viral hepatitis infections screening among infertile couples undergoing assisted reproductive techniques needs more attention
ABSTRACT
Identification of molecular markers which can predict the outcome of sperm retrieval non-invasively in patients with non-obstructive azoospermia [NOA] are valuable in clinical andrology. Jumonji domain-containing 1a [JMJD1A] is a significant epigenetic regulator during spermatogenesis, which plays an important role in the differentiation of post-meiotic germ cells into mature spermatozoa. We therefore aimed to examine the potential association between JMJD1A expression and the outcome of sperm retrieval in patients with NOA. Testicular biopsy specimens from 50 NOA patients with either successful sperm retrieval [sperm+, n=22] or failed sperm retrieval [sperm-, n=28] were collected and then examined for JMJD1A expression by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction [RT-qPCR]. In addition, conventional clinical parameters including luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, testosterone, age, and testicular volume were compared between the two NOA groups. The expression of JMJD1A in the sperm+ group was significantly higher than in the sperm- group [P<0.001], however, no significant difference was observed between the two groups in clinical parameters. The receiver operating characteristic [ROC] curve of JMJD1A expression in predicting the sperm retrieval outcome showed a sensitivity of 90.91% and a specificity of 89.29% with significant discriminatory ability between the sperm+ and sperm- groups [area under the ROC curve [AUC]= 0.91]. This study demonstrates a significant association between the expression of JMJD1A and the success of sperm recovery in patients with NOA, and thus suggests that JMJD1A expression quantification in testicular biopsies may be a valuable biomarker along with conventional parameters in predicting the presence of spermatozoa
ABSTRACT
Background: The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of varicocelectomy on serum testosterone levels and semen quality in infertile men who suffer from varicocele
Materials and Methods: This prospective study enrolled 115 subjects with clinical varicocele grades II and III and 240 fertile men as the control group. Total volume of testosterone serum level [ng/dl] and semen quality were com- pared before and after microscopic varicocelectomy. We normalized testosterone serum levels for age, grade, and testis size basis. SPSS 20 software was used to analyze the data. All results of continuous variables were reported as mean +/- SD. Statistical significance was set at a P<0.05
Results: The mean ages of individuals who participated in the treatment [32.2 +/- 5.23] and control [32.8 +/- 5.27] groups were similar. There were similar mean values for adjusted testosterone levels between the varicocele [567 +/- 222 ng/ml] and control [583 +/- 263 ng/ml] groups. In the varicocele group, the adjusted testosterone levels insig- nificantly increased to 594 +/- 243 ng/ml. Among semen parameters, only mean sperm concentration significantly increased after varicocelectomy
Conclusion: Despite increases in sperm concentration, adjusted testosterone levels did not significantly improve after varicocelectomy
ABSTRACT
Objective: This study evaluated the effects of exogenous testosterone molecule-1 [CADM1] pathological defect during early and chronic periods of spinal cord injury [SCI]
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, testosterone was administered immediately or after one week of SCI induction. Along with quantification of CADM1 gene expression and its immunoreactivity, we evaluated sperm parameters and serum testosterone level post-SCI
Results: Different grades of abnormalities in sperm parameters and testis architecture were observed along with significant reductions in the level of CADM1 expression and its immunoreactivity in the seminiferous tubules of both acute and chronic SCI groups. Exogenous testosterone, by compensating the serum testosterone level. reduced the percentage of apoptotic and both short head and abnormal sperm froms in the caudal epididymis. Importantly, the beneficial effects of immediate administration of testosterone were prominent. Increases in the level of CADM1 transcription and its immunoreactivity in the testis of SCI mice treated with testosterone were accompanied by improvement of sperm motility as well as testicular Johnsen's and Miller's criteria
Conclusion: Since immediate testosterone treatment improved the immunoreactivity and transcription level of CADM1, the observed beneficial effect of exogenouse testosterone can be attributed to its effect on CADM1 dynamics
ABSTRACT
Background: Teratoasthenozoospermia [TA] is a severe form of male infertility with no clear etiology
Objective: To compare the level of intracellular anion superoxide [O[2]-], heat shock protein A2 [HSPA2] and protamine deficiencies in ejaculated spermatozoa between teratoasthenozoospermic and normozoospermic men
Materials and Methods: In this case- control study, semen samples of 20 infertile men, with TA [with normal morphology lower than 4%_ and total motility lower than 40% ] as the case group and 20 normozoospermic fertile men as the control group were evaluated for intracellular O[2] - and HSPA2 by flow cytometry and protamine deficiency by Chromomycin A3 [CMA3] test
Results: The rate of CMA3+ spermatozoa in the case group was higher than controls [p=0.001]. The percentages of HSPA2[+] spermatozoa in the cases were significantly lower than controls [p=0.001]. Also, intracellular O[2] - levels in the case group were significantly higher than controls [p=0.001] and had positive correlations with sperm apoptosis [r=0.79, p=0.01] and CMA3 positive sperm [r=0.76, p=0.01], but negative correlations with normal morphology [r=-0.81, p=0.01] and motility [r=-0.81, p=0.01]. There was no significant correlation between intracellular O[2] - and HSPA2 in the case group [r=0.041, p=0.79]
Conclusion: We suggest that the increase in intracellular O[2] -, decrease in spermatozoa HSPA2[+], and high percentages of spermatozoa with immature chromatin might be considered as etiologies of infertility in TA patients
ABSTRACT
Objective: Toll-like receptors [TLRs] on Sertoli cells are thought to have essential roles in sperm protection. This study was conducted to investigate the expression of TLR2 and TLR3 in Sertoli cells of men with azoospermia
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, testicular biopsies were taken from ten azoospermic men. Following enzymatic dissociation, the samples were moved to lectin coated petri dishes. After a few passages, all cells were cultivated and Seroli cells were sorted by flow cytometry. To confirm Sertoli cell purification, alkaline phosphatase activity [ALP] and immunohistochemistry assays were employed. The expression of TLR2 and TLR3 at the transcript and protein levels was examined with real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction [RT-QPCR] and western blot, respectively
Results: Isolation, purification and cultivation of human Sertoli cells were performed successfully. Efficacy of purification of Sertoli cells by fluorescence-activated cell sorting [FACS] sorter was 97%. The type of cultured cells was confirmed by vimentin and follicle-stimulating hormone [FSH] receptor markers. Furthermore, the existence of anti- Mullerian hormone in culture was confirmed. RT-PCR showed that both genes were expressed in Sertoli cells. Consistently, proteins of both were also expressed in Sertoli cells. Moreover, QPCR showed that the relative expression of TLR3 transcripts was significantly higher than TLR2 in Sertoli cells. Although both genes are expressed in fibroblast cells, their level of expression was significantly lower than in Sertoli cells
Conclusion: This study confirmed expression of TLR2 and TLR3 in human Sertoli cells. This may be an indicator of their roles in developing immunity against pathogens as well as allo- and auto-antigens or viral antigens in seminiferous tubules
ABSTRACT
Objective: Microdeletions of the Y chromosome long arm are the most common molecular genetic causes of severe infertility in men. They affect three regions including azoospermia factors [AZFa, AZFb and AZFc], which contain various genes involved in spermatogenesis. The aim of the present study was to reveal the patterns of Y chromosome microdeletions in Iranian infertile men referred to Royan Institute with azoospermia/ severe oligospermia
Materials and Methods: Through a cross-sectional study, 1885 infertile men referred to Royan Institute with azoospermia/severe oligospermia were examined for Y chromosome microdeletions from March 2012 to March 2014. We determined microdeletions of the Y chromosome in the AZFa, AZFb and AZFc regions using multiplex Polymerase chain reaction and six different Sequence-Tagged Site [STS] markers
Results: Among the 1885 infertile men, we determined 99 cases of Y chromosome microdeletions [5.2%]. Among 99 cases, AZFc microdeletions were found in 70 cases [70.7%]; AZFb microdeletions in 5 cases [5%]; and AZFa microdeletions in only 3 cases [3%]. AZFbc microdeletions were detected in 18 cases [18.1%] and AZFabc microdeletions in 3 cases [3%]
Conclusion: Based on these data, our results are in agreement with similar studies from other regions of the world as well as two other recent studies from Iran which have mostly reported a frequency of less than 10% for Y chromosome microdeletions
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Young Adult , Adult , Infertility, Male/genetics , Gene Deletion , Azoospermia/genetics , Oligospermia/genetics , Cross-Sectional StudiesABSTRACT
Background: RNA-binding motif gene on Y chromosome [RBMY], a germ cell-specific nuclear protein, is known as a key factor in spermatogenesis and disorders associated with this protein have been recognized to be related to male infertility. Although it was suggested that this protein could have different functions during germ cell development, no studies have been conducted to uncover the mechanism of this potential function yet. Here, we analyzed the expression pattern of RBMY protein isoforms in testis compared to NT2, a testicular germ cell cancer derived cell line, to test probability of differential expression of RBMY protein isoforms at different spermatogenesis stages
Methods: full length and a segment of RBMY gene were cloned and expressed in E. coli. Anti-human RBMY antibody was produced in rabbit using the recombinant proteins as antigen. Western-blot and immunofluorescence were conducted for detection and comparison of RBMY protein isoforms
Results: selected segment of RBMY protein resulted in producing a mono-specific antibody. As results shows, only the longest isoform of RBMY was expressed at protein level in NT2 cell line, while three isoforms of this protein were detected in the whole testis lysate
Conclusion: the results imply that different alternative splicing may happen in testis cells and probably difference of RBMY function during spermatogenesis is due to the differential expression of RBMY protein isoforms. These results and further experiments on RBMY isoforms can help to obtain a better understanding of the function of this protein, which may increase our knowledge about spermatogenesis and causes of male infertility. Iran. Biomed. J. 17[2]: 54-61, 2013