Relationship between serum vitamin D concentration and parameters of gonadal function in infertile male patients.

Background: Vitamin D (vitD) deficiency could affect male reproductive function. Our objective was to investigate the relationship between serum vitD concentrations and hormonal and seminal parameters in infertile patients and to compare the results with those in healthy controls.

Materials And Methods: Infertile patients (n 29) and normozoospermic healthy donors (n 27) were recruited for the study.

Reversible effects of the SARS-CoV-2 on semen parameters.

Despite that the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has been controlled, it has affected a large proportion of the population, raising some concerns about potential sequelae in men at reproductive age. To contribute to the clarification of this issue, we performed a retrospective study comparing semen parameters values before and after confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in a large cohort of infertile men, compared to a control group that did not undergo SARS-CoV-2 infection. Wilcoxon test on paired samples and general linear regression model showed that SARS-CoV-2 infection has a detrimental effect on semen volume values ( < 0.

Lactoferrin affects in vitro and in vivo fertilization and implantation in rats.

Lactoferrin (LF) is present in the oviduct, reduces in vitro gamete interaction, and affects sperm capacitation parameters in humans. Our aim was to investigate LF actions on further stages of the reproductive process in the Wistar rat model. Motile sperm were obtained from cauda epididymis to assess LF binding by direct immunofluorescence and LF effect on acrosome reaction (AR) using a Coomassie blue staining.

Single-embryo transfer: a key strategy to reduce the risk for multiple pregnancy in assisted human reproduction.

In the early days of assisted reproductive technology (ART), the main target was achieving gestation. Success rates were low, and multiple embryo transfers became common practice, with multiple pregnancies being 20 times higher than in natural conception. Multiple pregnancy is associated with a higher risk of complications for the mother and the baby than a singleton pregnancy.

Lactoferrin levels in cervical fluid from in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients - correlation with IVF parameters.

Since our previous results suggest that lactoferrin (LF) might have roles in the reproductive process and that its levels might change in the female tract as a response to various factors, the aim of this investigation was to assess whether LF levels in cervical secretions correlate with reproductive parameters from in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients. Cervical fluid samples were obtained from 34 women under 40 years old enrolled for assisted reproduction techniques, and LF concentration was measured. The mean total protein concentration in all cervical fluid samples was 842.

S100 A9 is expressed and secreted by the oviduct epithelium, interacts with gametes and affects parameters of human sperm capacitation in vitro.

Our previous findings demonstrate that some oviductal secretion proteins bind to gametes and affect sperm physiology and gamete interaction. One of these proteins possesses an estimated molecular weight of 14 kDa. The objective of this study was to isolate and identify this 14 kDa protein, to localize it in the human oviduct, to detect gamete binding sites for the protein, and to evaluate its effects on sperm capacitation parameters and gamete interaction.

Effects of lactoferrin, a protein present in the female reproductive tract, on parameters of human sperm capacitation and gamete interaction.

In a recent study, lactoferrin (LF) was detected in human oviductal secretion. The protein was able to bind to oocytes and sperm, and modulated gamete interaction. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of LF on parameters related to human sperm capacitation and sperm-zona pellucida interaction.

Relationship between genotoxic effects of breast cancer treatments and patient basal DNA integrity.

Radiotherapy and chemotherapy cause genotoxic side effects that are highly variable among patients. In this study, we evaluated DNA integrity using the comet assay in peripheral blood lymphocytes from breast cancer patients before ("pre-treatment patients"; n=47) and after ("post-treatment patients"; n=24) radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy treatment and from healthy donors (n=15). Comet evaluation was made by visual (types 0-4) and digital (percentage of DNA remaining in the comet head=% head DNA) analysis.

A protein isolated from human oviductal tissue in vitro secretion, identified as human lactoferrin, interacts with spermatozoa and oocytes and modulates gamete interaction.

Study Question: Is lactoferrin (LF) (detected in oviductal secretion) able to bind to oocytes and sperm and modulate gamete interaction?

Summary Answer: LF binds to zona pellucida (ZP) and spermatozoa (depending upon the capacitation stage and acrosome status) and inhibits gamete interaction in vitro.

What Is Known Already: Proteins from human oviductal tissue secretion modulate gamete interaction and parameters of sperm function in vitro and some of them bind to sperm, but they remain to be isolated and identified.

Study Design, Size, Duration: Proteins were isolated from human oviductal tissue secretion using their sperm membrane binding ability.

Detection of mammaglogin A in blood from breast cancer patients, before and after treatment, using a one-tube nested PCR protocol. Association with the absence of tumor estrogen receptors.

Objective: A one-tube nested RT-PCR protocol was set up and used to detect mammaglobin A (MGA) expression in blood samples from breast cancer patients. The correlation of MGA detection with prognostic factors was analyzed.

Design And Methods: Total RNA from nucleated blood cells was extracted from 65 breast cancer patients (before surgery and after the treatments) and 18 healthy subjects and used to detect MGA expression by a modified nested RT-PCR.

Proteins from human oviductal tissue-conditioned medium modulate sperm capacitation.

Background: Spermatozoa acquire the ability to fertilize an oocyte when they become capacitated. Capacitation takes place when sperm pass through the female reproductive tract, interacting with female fluids. Both tyrosine phosphorylation of sperm proteins and the ability to respond to acrosome reaction (AR) inducers have been associated with sperm capacitation.

Effect of human oviductal in vitro secretion on human sperm DNA integrity.

Purpose: In the female genital tract spermatozoa interact with the oviductal secretion. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of conditioned media (CM) from cultures of human oviductal tissue, on sperm DNA integrity. The effect of H(2)O(2) on sperm DNA integrity, before and after incubation under capacitating conditions, was also investigated.

Effects of human oviductal in vitro secretion on spermatozoa and search of sperm-oviductal proteins interactions.

It has been suggested that oviductal proteins could be involved in modulating sperm function and fertilizing ability through as yet not well-known mechanisms. The objective of the study was to investigate the pattern of proteins secreted by human oviductal tissue cultures and the effects of their conditioned media (CM) on sperm function under capacitating conditions and in phosphate buffered saline (PBS). In addition, interactions between spermatozoa and oviductal proteins were examined.