DNM3OS Enhances the Apoptosis and Senescence of Spermatogonia Associated with Nonobstructive Azoospermia by Providing miR-214-5p and Decreasing E2F2 Expression.

Background: Nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) is a complex disease characterized by the spermatogenic dysfunction of testicular tissues. The roles played by long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in NOA pathogenesis have not been extensively studied.

Methods: Microarray assays were performed on samples of testicular biopsy tissue obtained from patients with NOA for the purpose of identifying differentially expressed lncRNAs and messenger RNA (mRNA) transcripts, and the results were verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Testis cell pyroptosis mediated by CASP1 and CASP4: possible sertoli cell-only syndrome pathogenesis.

Background: Sertoli cell-only syndrome (SCOS) is the most serious pathological type of non-obstructive azoospermia. Recently, several genes related to SCOS have been identified, including FANCM, TEX14, NR5A1, NANOS2, PLK4, WNK3, and FANCA, but they cannot fully explain the pathogenesis of SCOS. This study attempted to explain spermatogenesis dysfunction in SCOS through testicular tissue RNA sequencing and to provide new targets for SCOS diagnosis and therapy.

Culture and purification of SD rat corpus cavernosum endothelial cells by enzymatic digestion combined with mechanical extrusion and fixed-point digestion.

To explore a new method of in vitro culture and purification of rat corpus cavernosum endothelial cells (CCECs). Male Sprague-Dawley rats' penile tissue were digested with elastase or collagenase combined with mechanical extrusion to isolate and culture the CCECs. The fixed-point digestion method was used to purify the primary cells.

MicroRNA-449a Suppresses Mouse Spermatogonia Proliferation via Inhibition of CEP55.

At present, infertile patients with maturation arrest (MA) are difficult to obtain mature sperm. Spermatogenesis and its molecular mechanism are still not clear. Patients with MA and normal spermatogenesis (NS) were collected.

Whole-exome sequencing of a large Chinese azoospermia and severe oligospermia cohort identifies novel infertility causative variants and genes.

Rare coding variants have been proven to be one of the significant factors contributing to spermatogenic failure in patients with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) and severe oligospermia (SO). To delineate the molecular characteristics of idiopathic NOA and SO, we performed whole-exome sequencing of 314 unrelated patients of Chinese Han origin and verified our findings by comparing to 400 fertile controls. We detected six pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants and four variants of unknown significance, in genes known to cause NOA/SO, and 9 of which had not been earlier reported.

[CEP55 may be a potential therapeutic target for non-obstructive azoospermia with maturation arrest].

Objective: To explore the effect of small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated CEP55 gene silencing on the proliferation of mouse spermatogonia.

Methods: Six patients with azoospermia diagnosed to have maturation arrest (3 cases) or normal spermatogenesis (3 cases) based on testicular biopsy between January 1 and December 31, 2017 in our center were examined for differential proteins in the testicular tissue using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ), and CEP55 was found to differentially expressed between the two groups of patients. We constructed a CEP55 siRNA for transfection in mouse spermatogonia and examined the inhibitory effects on CEP55 expressions using Western blotting and qPCR.

Erectile Dysfunction and Associated Risk Factors in Chinese Males of Infertile Couples.

Background: Knowledge on the occurrence of erectile dysfunction (ED) and timely ovulatory intercourse failure (TOIF) in Chinese men of infertile couples is limited.

Aim: To obtain representative estimates of ED and TOIF in Chinese men of infertile couples and to analyze potential risk factors associated with ED.

Methods: 4,299 Chinese men of infertile couples with an average age of 32.

Scrotal hemorrhage after testicular sperm aspiration may be associated with phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor administration: a retrospective study.

Background: Scrotal hemorrhage after testicular sperm aspiration (TESA) is uncommon in clinical operation. Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE5i) are commonly given to men who have difficulty providing a sperm sample for assisted reproductive technique such as in vitro fertilization. In this study, we examine the incidence of scrotal hemorrhage after TESA in men who received a PDE5i.

Relationship of genetic causes and inhibin B in non obstructive azoospermia spermatogenic failure.

Background: Chromosomal disorders in non obstructive azoospermia (NOA) may have an important influence on spermatogenesis, which may be reflected by the serum inhibin B levels. Till now, few studies have concerned the relationship of genetic causes and inhibin B in NOA.

Methods: In this retrospective study, 322 men with NOA in Center for Reproductive Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University were collected.

Immunotherapy against metastatic bladder cancer by combined administration of granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor and interleukin-2 surface modified MB49 bladder cancer stem cells vaccine.

In previous studies, it has been shown that the granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) or interleukin-2 (IL-2) surface modified MB49 bladder cancer stem cells (MCSCs) vaccine could induce a specific antitumor immunity and against bladder cancer in mice model respectively. However, whether combined administration of GM-CSF and IL-2 could produce specific immune responses to cancer stem cells (CSCs) was uncertain. MCSCs were established and characterized.

Development of a therapy against metastatic bladder cancer using an interleukin-2 surface-modified MB49 bladder cancer stem cells vaccine.

Introduction: In previous study the streptavidin interleukin-2 (SA-IL-2)-modified MB49 vaccine was effective against bladder cancer in a mouse model. However, a small portion of tumors regrew because the vaccine could not eliminate MB49 bladder cancer stem cells (MCSCs). Accordingly, we developed a SA-IL-2-modified MCSCs vaccine and evaluated its antitumor effects.

Differences and similarities between extremely severe oligozoospermia and cryptozoospermia in intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Patients with extremely severe oligozoospermia (ESO) and cryptozoospermia (CO) are suitable using intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) as an infertility treatment. However, some andrologists are confused to distinguish ESO and CO in clinic diagnose. This study was designed for the first time to evaluate and compare patients with ESO and CO to determine whether these are useful clinical distinctions.

[Combined evaluation of serum follicle-stimulating hormone, inhibin B, chromosome karyotyping and AZF microdeletion of Y-chromosome for predicting outcomes of testicular sperm aspiration in azoospermic patients].

Objective: To assess the value of combined evaluation of serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), inhibin B (INHB), chromosome karyotyping and AZF microdeletion of Y-chromosome (AZF-MD-Ych) in predicting the success of testicular sperm aspiration (TESA) in azoospermic patients.

Methods: A total of 262 azoospermic patients were divided into two groups with normal (n=162) and abnormal (n=100) serum FSH levels. INHB levels, INHB/FSH ratio, chromosome karyotype patterns of the peripheral lymphocytes, and AZF-MD-Ych were compared between the two groups.

[Effect of spermatozoa from different sources on normal fertilization of oocytes and embryo quality and development in intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles].

Objective: To evaluate the impact of spermatozoa from different sources on normal fertilization of oocytes, embryo quality and embryo developmental potential in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted among 197 patients undergoing ICSI cycles in our center. The patients were classified into 3 groups according to the sources of semen, namely ejaculated spermatozoa group (n=102), percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration (PESA) group (n=68), and testicular sperm aspiration (TESA) group (n=27).

[Serum follicle-stimulating hormone in combination with serum inhibin B evaluates spermatogenesis of azoospermic men].

Objective: This study is in an attempt to evaluate the diagnostic significance to predict the spermatogenesis of azoospermic men in examination of serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) combination with serum inhibin B (INHB).

Methods: Quantitative examination of serum FSH and INHB was performed in 95 case of azoospermic men. According to their classifications of testicular biopsy with histopathological examination, there were 20 patients of Sertoli cell only, 25 of hypospermatogenesis, 18 of spermatogenic maturation arrest (complete or incomplete), and 32 of normal spermatogenesis.

[Computer-assisted sperm analysis for assessing sperm mobility parameters in in vitro fertilization].

Objective: To evaluate the association of sperm mobility parameters assessed by computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) with the rates of normal fertilization, oocyte cleavage and excellent embryos in in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles.

Methods: A total of 288 infertile women undergoing IVF cycles patients were divided into two groups according to the normal fertilization rate (≥50% and <50%), cleavage rate (≥90% and <90%), or excellent embryo rates (≥50% and <50%). The means of the sperm motility parameters analyzed by CASA twice before oocyte retrieval were recorded and analyzed using t-test in relation to the rates of normal fertilization, cleavage and excellent embryos in IVF cycles.

[Embryo development potential after intracytoplasmic injection of sperm from azoospermia patients with different spermatogenic functions].

Objective: To analyze the embryo development potential after intracytoplasmic injection of sperm from azoospermia patients with different spermatogenic functions.

Methods: We performed ICSI with sperm retrieved from azoospermia patients with different spermatogenic functions using percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration (PESA) and testicular sperm aspiration (TESA). Then we recorded and analyzed the rates of normal fertilization, cleavages, excellent embryos and pregnancies.

[Differentially expressed genes in asthenospermia: a bioinformatics-based study].

Objective: To study the differentially expressed genes in asthenospermia to gain a deeper insight into the molecular mechanisms of the disease.

Methods: We analyzed the differentially expressed genes in asthenospermia using GATHER, PANTHER and ToppGene online bioinformatics tools.

Results: Our bioinformatics mining and analyses revealed that the differentially expressed genes in asthenospermia played important roles in the cellular protein and macromolecular metabolism, protein modification, cell death, cell apoptosis and apoptosis induction.

[Expressions of cysteine-rich secretory protein 2 in asthenospermia].

Objective: To investigate the mRNA and protein expression levels of cysteine-rich secretory protein 2 (CRISP2) in the sperm of asthenospermia patients, and explore their relationship with sperm motility and related molecular mechanism.

Methods: We collected 78 semen samples from adult male patients with asthenospermia and another 70 from healthy volunteers as controls. We extracted total RNA and total protein from the sperm following purification of the sperm by Percoll gradient centrifugation, and detected the relative expressions of CRISP2 mRNA and protein in the two groups by RT-PCR, SYBR Green real-time PCR and Western blot.

S-allylcysteine, a water-soluble garlic derivative, suppresses the growth of a human androgen-independent prostate cancer xenograft, CWR22R, under in vivo conditions.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of S-allylcysteine (SAC) on CWR22R, a human androgen-independent (AI) prostate cancer xenograft, in nude mice. Despite extensive research worldwide there is no effective way to control the growth of prostate cancer, and we previously reported that SAC and S-allylmercaptocysteine (SAMC), two water-soluble derivatives of garlic, inhibit cancer cell invasion through restoration of E-cadherin expression in vitro.

Materials And Methods: The effects of SAC on tumour cell proliferation markers such as Ki-67 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen, and apoptotic regulators including Bcl-2 and cleaved caspase-3, were assessed by immunohistochemical staining.

A novel anticancer effect of garlic derivatives: inhibition of cancer cell invasion through restoration of E-cadherin expression.

Metastatic cancer is one of the main causes of cancer-related death since they rarely respond to available treatments. Recently, certain compounds isolated from the dietary supplement, garlic, have shown anti-proliferation effect on cancer cells. The aim of this study was to investigate whether certain garlic derivatives had any effect on the potentially invasive androgen-independent prostate cancer (PCa) cells.