[A possible therapeutic improvement of the antibacterial effect by monitoring the production of leukocyte free oxygen radicals during antibiotic treatment of infertile patients with chronic bacterial prostatitis].

In the male chronic accessory gland bacterial infections (AGBI), antibiotic treatment (AT) efficacy usually evaluates the antimicrobial outcome through one or more spermiocolture (SC) become negative. Recently, bacterial olipeptide fMPL has been used to detect a specific Radical Oxygen Species production by leukocytes (L-RLO), even when they are present at low concentrations in sperm fractions specimens. In the male AGBI could be present endogenous fMLP at sufficient levels to produce L chemiotaxis in the semen, and secondly active their specific L-RLO production, till when bacteriospermia remained positive.

Effectiveness of long-acting gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist treatment in combination with conventional therapy on testicular outcome in human orchitis/epididymo-orchitis.

A group of 24 patients suffering from acute post-pubertal orchitis/epididymo-orchitis were prospectively randomized to treatment over a total period of 3 months with a combined conventional plus long-acting gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogue (GnRHa) (leuprolide, 3.75 mg every 27 days) therapy (n = 13, group A) or conventional therapy alone (n = 11, group B) respectively, in order to verify any differences in clinical and sperm outcome during treatment and follow-up. Seven patients affected by uncomplicated mumps (group C), receiving GnRHa for 3 months, served as an additional control group.

[Abnormal production of oxygen free radicals by low leukocytospermia in purified fractions of semen from infertile patients].

Seminal leucocytes (WBC) play an important role, whereas this is still unknown. Quantitative normal threshold-value for leucocytospermia (Ls) (WBC < or = 1 million/ml) seems not to be a safety predictive marker of male accessory gland infection (MAGI) and/or MAGI-related adverse effects on semen quality and/or fertility because several drawbacks: a) inadequate staining techniques are responsible of an underestimated WBC concentration in spermatic fractions (100%) obtained from high-density Percoli gradient (Pc 100%); b) Ls could be correlated far better to the clinical findings and/or outcomes if some biochemical data on L metabolism are also studied (Radical Oxygen Species-ROS-generation, phagocytosis, leucotoxins). In order to point out importance about an joint morphological/biochemical analysis about Ls, we recruited 76 selected infertile (from 2-7 yrs) patients (aged 32-45 yrs) who, in their 50% Percoli fractions, had previously produced WBC-ROS > 95th percentile values registered from our control group (n = 28, fertile men).

Involvement of corticotropin-releasing hormone and endogenous opioid peptides in prolactin-suppressed gonadotropin-releasing hormone release in vitro.

Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) has been shown capable of inhibiting hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) release through activation of an endogenous opioid peptide (EOP)-dependent mechanism. Recently, we have shown that prolactin (PRL) stimulates CRH release and inhibits GnRH release by hypothalami explanted from male rats. Thus, the present study was undertaken to investigate whether the inhibitory effect of PRL on GnRH release in vitro is mediated by CRH and/or EOP.

Effect of acetylcarnitine treatment in oligoasthenospermic patients.

Acetylcarnitine (AC), present in human spermatozoa and seminal fluid, plays an important role in sperm metabolism. To further investigate the effect of AC on sperm quality, AC (4 g/day) was given to 20 patients with idiopathic oliogasthenospermia for 60 days. AC had no effects on sperm density and total motility, but it did significantly increase progressive sperm motility (mean +/- SEM: 21.