Specific immune cell and cytokine characteristics of human testicular germ cell neoplasia.

Study Question: Which immune cells and cytokine profiles are characteristic for testicular germ cell neoplasia and what consequences does this have for the understanding of the related testicular immunopathology?

Summary Answer: The unique immune environment of testicular germ cell neoplasia comprises B cells and dendritic cells as well as high transcript levels of IL-6 and other B cell supporting or T helper cell type 1 (Th1)-driven cytokines and thus differs profoundly from normal testis or inflammatory lesions associated with hypospermatogenesis.

What Is Known Already: T cells are known to be the major component of inflammatory infiltrates associated with either hypospermatogenesis or testicular cancer. It has previously been reported that B cells are only involved within infiltrates of seminoma samples, but this has not been investigated further.

Autoantibodies against protein disulfide isomerase ER-60 are a diagnostic marker for low-grade testicular inflammation.

Study Question: Is there a non-invasive biomarker for the diagnosis of testicular inflammatory lesions?

Summary Answer: In sera from infertile azoospermic patients with histologically confirmed low-grade testicular inflammation, significantly elevated titers of autoantibodies against disulfide isomerase family A, member 3 (ER-60) were found.

What Is Known Already: Infection and inflammation of the genital tract are supposed to be responsible for up to 15% of cases among infertile males. However, specific seminal or serological markers are not available to assess subacute or chronic inflammatory conditions in the testis.

The sperm protamine mRNA ratio as a clinical parameter to estimate the fertilizing potential of men taking part in an ART programme.

Study Question: Could the protamine-1 to protamine-2 mRNA ratio serve as a biomarker to estimate the fertilizing capacity of sperm from men taking part in an IVF/ICSI programme?

Summary Answer: The protamine mRNA ratio clearly discriminates between fertile and subfertile men and sperm with a normal protamine mRNA ratio exhibit a higher fertilizing capacity in IVF/ICSI.

What Is Known Already: Aberrant sperm protamine ratios are associated with male factor infertility and mRNA ratio is comparable with protein ratio (due to transcriptional stop in elongating spermatids).

Study Design, Size, Duration: The study population was drawn from subfertile men, whose female partners participated in IVF or ICSI programmes between September 2010 and February 2012.