Strawberry Notch 1 (SBNO1) promotes proliferation of spermatogonial stem cells via the noncanonical Wnt pathway in mice.

While it is known that spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) initiate the production of male germ cells, the mechanisms of SSC self-renewal, proliferation, and differentiation remain poorly understood. We have previously identified Strawberry Notch 1 (SBNO1), a vertebrate strawberry notch family protein, in the proteome profile for mouse SSC maturation and differentiation, revealing SBNO1 is associated with neonatal testicular development. To explore further the location and function of SBNO1 in the testes, we performed Sbno1 gene knockdown in mice to study the effects of SBNO1 on neonatal testicular and SSC development. Our results revealed that SBNO1 is required for neonatal testicular and SSC development in mice. Particularly, in vitro Sbno1 gene knockdown with morpholino oligonucleotides caused a reduction of SSCs and inactivation of the noncanonical Wnt pathway, through Jun N-terminal kinases. Our study suggests SBNO1 maintains SSCs by promoting the noncanonical Wnt pathway.

Impact of Volume Management on Volume Overload and Rehospitalization in CAPD Patients.

Heart failure due to volume overload is a major reason for rehospitalization in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients. Strict volume control provides better cardiac functions and blood pressure in this population. Volume management, which is a volume control strategy, may decrease volume overload and related complications. Using a quasi-experimental design, 66 continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients were randomly assigned to the intervention group ( n = 34) and control group ( n = 32). The patients were followed up for 6 months with scheduled clinic and/or telephone visits; the intervention group adopted volume management strategy, while the control group adopted conventional care. Volume overload and cardiac function were compared between the two groups at the baseline and at 6 months. At Month 6, the intervention group resulted in significant improvement in volume overloaded status, cardiac function, and volume-overload-related rehospitalization. Volume management strategy allows for better control of volume overload and is associated with fewer volume-related readmissions.

[Sperm chromatin structure assay versus sperm chromatin dispersion test in detecting sperm DNA integrity and correlation of sperm DNA fragmentation with semen parameters].

OBJECTIVE: Sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) is widely used to predict male infertility and the methods of detecting SDF are varied. This study aimed to compare two methods of SDF detection and investigate the correlation between SDF and sperm quality. METHODS: Using sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) and sperm chromatin dispersion test (SCD), we detected SDF in 108 semen samples collected in the Center of Reproduction and Genetics of Suzhou Municipal Hospital. We compared the results of the two methods and analyzed the correlations of SDF routine semen parameters, sperm morphology and the age of the patients. RESULTS: A significant consistency was found in the SDF index (DFI) between the two methods (P<0.01). The DFI was correlated negatively with sperm motility, the percentage of progressively motile sperm, and that of morphologically normal sperm (P <0.01), but positively with the teratozoospermia index (P <0.01 in SCSA and P <0.05 in SCD). The DFI measured by SCSA showed a significantly positive correlation with the patients' age (P <0.01), but not that obtained by SCD. CONCLUSIONS: The results of both SCSA and SCD play an important role in predicting sperm quality. As a clinical index, the DFI has a predictive value for male infertility. However, the results of different detecting methods vary widely, which calls for further studies on their standardization.

[Ultrastructural observation of morphologically abnormal sperm: Advances in studies and application].

Sperm ultrastructural abnormalities are often associated with sperm motility, the integrity of genetic material, and the fertilization potential. The investigation of sperm ultrastructural abnormalities is based on the evolution of microscopy techniques. In his paper, we review the improvement of the microscopy techniques and the ultrastructure of several specific morphological defects and he apoptotic spermatogenic cells in order to expound the significance of sperm ultrastructural observation in clinical practice. We deem it necessary to analyze the sperm ultrastructure before exploring the pathology and adopting assisted reproductive technology for some special patients with teratozoospermia.

Protective effect of Rhodiola rosea polysaccharides on cryopreserved boar sperm.

Cryopreservation brings sublethal damage to sperm, resulting in reduced fertile life of sperm. Rhodiola rosea polysaccharides (RPs) have antiviral, antioxidant and antitumor activities. In the present study, the cryoprotective effect of RPs on boar sperm quality parameters after frozen-thawed process was investigated. Boar sperm was cryopreserved in the extender with RPs added at concentrations of 0 (used as control), 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10mg/L and their effects on the quality of frozen-thawed boar sperm were assessed. Addition of RPs significantly improved sperm motility, mitochondrial activity, acrosomal integrity, plasma membrane integrity, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activity and decreased sperm malonaldehyde level (p<0.05). The results indicated that the addition of RPs to the freezing extender decreased the cryodamage to the boar sperm.

[Relationship of sperm morphology with the outcomes of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer].

OBJECTIVE: To study the application value of normal sperm morphology on the outcomes of classic in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET). METHODS: This study included 659 infertile couples admitted to our center for IVF-ET. Based on the percentage of morphologically normal sperm (MNS), we divided the patients into groups A (n = 112, MNS < 2%), B (n = 180, MNS > or = 2 - < 4%), C (n = 74, MNS > or = 4 - < 5%), and D (n = 293, MNS > or = 5%), and compared the rates of fertilization, normal fertilization, embryos obtained, biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, implantation, and live birth among different groups. RESULTS: The mean fertilization rate was significantly higher in groups C (71.90%) and D (72.89%) than in A (57.97%) and B (63.29%) (P < 0.05), with no remarkable differences either between A and B (P > 0.05) or between C and D (P > 0.05). The normal fertilization rate was also significantly higher in group D (57.16%) than in A (46.52%) and B (50.89%) (both P < 0.05) as well as in C (54.67%) than in A (P < 0.05). The rate of embryos obtained, too, was markedly higher in group D (55.62%) than in B (45.75%) (P < 0.05), but none with remarkable difference from other groups (all P > 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences among the four groups in the rates of biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, implantation, abortion, and live birth (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The rate of MNS had some influence on IVF-ET, and 5% MNS exhibited a higher value than 4% MNS in predicting the outcomes of IVF.

[Dysplasia of the fibrous sheath in human sperm: an update].

The ultrastructural abnormalities of human sperm flagella can cause sperm movement disorders. Dysplasia of the fibrous sheath (DFS) is an autosomal recessive genetic disease. The affected sperm in 95-100% of the patients display short, thick and irregular tails. Transmission electron microscopy can be used to confirm the diagnosis, which reveals gross abnormal flagella, with hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the fibrous sheath, without orderly disposition in longitudinal columns and transversal ribs. The axoneme shows variable distortion or almost complete obliteration. Microtubular doublets may exhibit partial or total lack of dynein arms. The genetic etiology of DFS is not yet clear. DFS does not affect the rates of fertilization and clinical pregnancy in ICSI, but due attention should be paid to the genetic risks in the offspring of the patient.

[The value of histopathologic examination of testis tissue from testicular sperm aspiration].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate histopathologic examination of the testis tissue from testicular sperm aspiration (TESA). METHODS: We analyzed the results of inverted microscopy and histopathologic examination of 96 samples of testis tissue from TESA, and compared the accuracy of the two methods in detecting sperm in the testis tissue. RESULTS: Among the 11 cases in which sperm was found by inverted microscopy, 9 were confirmed by histopathologic examination, and among the 57 cases in which sperm was not detected by inverted microscopy, 11 (19.3%) were found with sperm by histopathologic examination. Histopathologically, the cases in which sperm was not found by inverted microscopy included Sertoli-cell-only syndrome (n = 34), maturation arrest (n = 12) and hypospermatogenesis (n = 11). CONCLUSION: Histopathologic examination may reveal sperm in the TESA testis tissue proved to be sperm-absent by microscopy, and thus offer valuable information for a second testicular sperm retrieval.

[Analysis of GJB2 gene and mitochondrial DNA A1555G mutations in 16 families with non-syndromic hearing loss].

OBJECTIVE: To screen for genetic mutations in families featuring non-syndromic hearing loss. METHODS: Sixteen families with non-syndromic hearing loss were interviewed to identify medical histories by a questionnaire. Audiological and neurological examinations were conducted for all families. Coding regions of GJB2 and 12S rRNA genes were amplified and sequenced. RESULTS: Of the 17 patients with sensorineural hearing loss, 3 were homozygous mutation for GJB2 235 delC, 1 was 235 delC heterozygous mutation, 1 was 235 delC+299_300 delAT compound heterozygous mutation, and 6 were 79G>A+341G>A heterozygosis in cis mutation. No 1555A>G mutation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was found in the 16 families. CONCLUSION: The incidence of mtDNA 12S rRNA 1555A>G mutation in Jiangsu province may be lower than the average across China. Mutations of GJB2 genes may account for as much as 64.7% of non-syndromic hearing loss in this study. Screening for such mutations and genetic counseling may play an important role in the prevention of hereditary hearing loss.

[Establishment and application of an orthotopic murine bladder cancer model].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: The recurrence rate of superficial bladder cancer is still high even the patients received postoperative intravesical infusion of chemotherapeutic drugs, such as mitomycin C (MMC). Some studies showed that intravesical infusion of small interfering RNA (siRNA) could suppress the growth of bladder cancer in nude mice. This study was to establish an orthotopic animal model bearing human bladder cancer, monitor tumor progression by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and observe the synergistic effect of survivin short hairpin RNA (shRNA) in combination with MMC for intravesical treatment using this animal model. METHODS: Human bladder cancer cell line T24 was inoculated into the bladders of 25 BALB/c nude mice to establish orthotopic bladder cancer model. MRI was performed to monitor tumor progression, using Gd-DTPA as contrast agent. The pathologic morphology of the bladders was observed. Eighteen mice bearing bladder cancer were randomized into 3 groups: untreated group, MMC group, and combination group. The bladders were weighed after 6 intravesical infusions. RESULTS: All the 25 mice developed bladder cancer after T24 cell inoculation. On MRI, no change in the bladders was observed at 7 days after inoculation, filling defect in the bladders, accordant to actual tumor size, was detected at 14, 21, and 28 days after inoculation. Pathologic examination showed that tumors grew in mucosa of the bladders at 7 days after inoculation, infiltrated into muscle layer at 14-28 days after inoculation, and invaded serosa at 35 days after inoculation. The inhibition rate of tumor growth was significantly higher in combination group than in MMC group (56.34% vs. 33.45%, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: We successfully established an orthotopic bladder cancer model, which could simulate the progression of human bladder cancer approximately. MRI is a reliable way for dynamic detection of murine orthotopic bladder tumor. Down-regulating survivin expression by RNA interference could enhance the antitumor effect of MMC.