Heat shock protein and heat shock factor expression in sperm: relation to oligozoospermia and varicocele.

Purpose: Varicocele may be associated with normozoospermia or oligozoospermia. Much controversy still exists regarding the diagnosis, management and pathophysiology of spermatogenesis alterations associated with varicocele. The increased temperature induced by varicocele and stress in general may activate heat shock proteins and heat shock factors with a protective function in cells.

Clinical and prognostic significance of human papillomavirus DNA in the sperm or exfoliated cells of infertile patients and subjects with risk factors.

Objective: To evaluate human papillomavirus (HPV) sperm infection and its correlation with sperm parameters in infertile patients and subjects with risk factors.

Design: Cross-sectional clinical study.

Setting: Andrology and microbiology sections at a university hospital.

Testicular contrast harmonic imaging to evaluate intratesticular perfusion alterations in patients with varicocele.

Purpose: To determine whether changes in intratesticular microcirculation perfusion affect spermatogenesis in patients with left varicocele we performed testicular contrast harmonic imaging.

Materials And Methods: A total of 90 patients with left varicocele (oligospermia in 50 and normozoospermia in 40) and 36 controls without varicocele (oligospermia in 16 and normozoospermia in 20) were enrolled in the study. Before contrast harmonic imaging all participants were evaluated by clinical examination, hormonal analysis, semen sample and scrotal ultrasound.

Relaxin stimulates osteoclast differentiation and activation.

Relaxin is a pleiotropic hormone with actions in reproductive and non-reproductive tissues, and has a role in tumor biology. It can promote growth, differentiation and invasiveness of different tumors, especially those that give bone metastases, and relaxin serum concentrations are increased in patients with bone metastasis. In osteolytic metastasis the destruction of bone is mediated by osteoclasts that are multinucleated cells derived from hematopoietic progenitors.

Association of testicular germ cell tumor with polymorphisms in estrogen receptor and steroid metabolism genes.

It is generally assumed that the development of testicular germ cell tumor (TGCT) is under endocrine control. In particular, unbalanced androgen/estrogen levels and/or activity are believed to represent the key events for TGCT development and progression. Furthermore, recent evidence has suggested a strong genetic component for TGCT.

The effect of pyridoxal-5-phosphate on serum alanine aminotransferase activity in dogs suffering from canine babesiosis.

Accurate measurements of serum aminotransferase (ALT) activity in dogs relies on the endogenous pro-enzyme pyridoxal 5-phosphate (P5P). The purpose of this study was to determine whether the exclusion of P5P from the analytical method causes an underestimation of serum ALT activity in dogs suffering from babesiosis and in those manifesting evidence of hepatocellular damage, and to determine if anorexia causes sufficient P5P depletion to affect in vitro serum ALT activity. One-hundred-and-twenty healthy control dogs and 105 Babesia-infected dogs were included in the study.

Role of relaxin in human osteoclastogenesis.

Recently, we have demonstrated that INSL3 is important for bone metabolism, and in this study we analyzed the possible role of the cognate hormone relaxin on human osteoclasts. In fact, previous studies showed an effect of relaxin on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), the precursors of osteoclasts. Analysis of the expression of the relaxin receptor RXFP1 and RLN-2 mRNA in primary cell cultures of human osteoclasts obtained from PBMCs showed by reverse transcriptase PCR and immunofluorescence only the presence of RXFP1 transcripts.

INSL3 plays a role in the balance between bone formation and resorption.

We have recently demonstrated that the disruption of the INSL3 hormonal system, as observed in humans with mutations in the RXFP2 gene and in Rxfp2-deficient mice, might affect the equilibrium of the osteoblast-osteoclast system, resulting in an imbalance between bone formation and bone resorption that may result in reduced bone mass. In the present study we have better characterized the in vitro effects of INSL3 on human osteoblasts. Stimulation of human primary osteoblasts with INSL3 at serial concentrations (1 pM, 1 nM, and 1 microM) induced a dose-dependent increase in osteoblast proliferation and expression of specific osteoblast genes.

New roles for INSL3 in adults.

Insulin-like factor 3 (INSL3) is produced primarily by testicular Leydig cells and acts by binding to its specific G-protein-coupled receptor, RXFP2 (relaxin family peptide 2). INSL3 is involved in testicular descent during fetal development, and mutations in the INSL3 and RXFP2 genes cause cryptorchidism. The physiological role of INSL3 in adults is not known, although substantial INSL3 circulating levels are present.

Mutations in INSL3 and RXFP2 genes in cryptorchid boys.

Mutations in the INSL3 and RXFP2 genes have been associated with human cryptorchidism but with contrasting data. We analyzed the frequency of mutations in these genes in 600 newborns with cryptorchidism (396 unilateral and 204 bilateral) and 300 noncryptorchid subjects. We found five RXFP2 mutations in five bilateral cryptorchid boys, one INSL3 mutation in a unilateral cryptorchid boy, and one INSL3 mutation in a boy with unilateral cryptorchidism at birth and spontaneous descent during the first month of life.

RXFP1 is expressed on the sperm acrosome, and relaxin stimulates the acrosomal reaction of human spermatozoa.

The function of relaxin in human reproductive processes remains poorly understood. Nevertheless, relaxin is produced by the prostate in men and by the corpora lutea of ovaries and endometrium in women. Previous studies with contrasting results have suggested a possible role of relaxin on sperm function and fertilization.

Recombinant FSH in the treatment of oligozoospermia.

Background: FSH plays a crucial role in human reproduction. Treatment with gonadotrophins has been shown to be effective in males affected by hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism. The success of this treatment has brought about the utilization of the same therapy in infertile oligozoospermic subjects, aimed at obtaining increased sperm count.

Insulin-like factor 3 as a marker of testicular function in obese men.

Objectives: Testicular function declines with obesity as a result of central and peripheral mechanisms, including a primary dysfunction of the Leydig cells. The levels of insulin-like factor 3 (INSL3), a sensitive marker of Leydig cell impairment, have never been evaluated in obese men. To better evaluate the hormonal function of the testis in obese men, we analysed their INSL3 plasma levels and compared them with the obesity status and the other reproductive hormones.

Hematology and serum clinical chemistry reference intervals for free-ranging Scandinavian gray wolves (Canis lupus).

Background: Scandinavian free-ranging wolves (Canis lupus) are endangered, such that laboratory data to assess their health status is increasingly important. Although wolves have been studied for decades, most biological information comes from captive animals.

Objectives: The objective of the present study was to establish reference intervals for 30 clinical chemical and 8 hematologic analytes in Scandinavian free-ranging wolves.

Human papillomavirus found in sperm head of young adult males affects the progressive motility.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) sperm infection and its correlation with sperm parameters in a cohort of young adult males.

Design: Cross-sectional clinical study.

Setting: Andrology and Microbiology sections at a university hospital.

Effect of vardenafil on endothelial progenitor cells in hypogonadotrophic hypogonadal patients: role of testosterone treatment.

Context: Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are bone marrow-derived cells required for endothelial repair. Circulating EPC concentration is low in conditions characterized by endothelial dysfunction but their number can be increased by treatment with phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitors. EPCs are also reduced in hypogonadal men and testosterone (T) treatment restores their concentration.

Inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) infection in human peripheral blood leucocytes-SCID reconstituted mice by rapamycin.

The capacity of the immunomodulatory drug rapamycin (RAPA) to inhibit replication of the CCR5 strain of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in vitro prompted us to test its effects in a murine preclinical model of HIV infection. RAPA (0.6 or 6 mg/kg body weight) or its vehicle were administered daily, per os, to SCID mice reconstituted with human peripheral blood leucocytes (hu-PBL) starting 2 days before the intraperitoneal challenge with the R5 tropic SF162 strain of HIV-1 (1000 50% tissue culture infective dose/ml).

Cavernous artery intima-media thickness: a new parameter in the diagnosis of vascular erectile dysfunction.

Introduction: A precise characterization of erectile dysfunction (ED) of vascular origin has not yet been achieved. Although cavernous peak systolic velocity (PSV) is generally considered a major parameter, it has many false positives and negatives because of anatomic variations of the cavernous artery course, challenging site of sampling, insufficient caracterization of an early phase of vascular disease, and significant influence of adrenergic tone.

Aim: We performed a high magnification ultrasonographic study in order to compare functional and morphological parameters of the cavernous artery to PSV and their relation with penile and systemic atherosclerosis.

Genetic alterations associated with cryptorchidism.

Context: Cryptorchidism is the most frequent congenital birth defect in male children and represents an important risk factor for infertility and testicular cancer. Major regulators of testicular descent are the hormones insulin-like factor 3 (INSL3) and testosterone, and disruption of these pathways might cause cryptorchidism.

Objective: To determine the frequency of genetic alterations in cryptorchidism.

Follicle-stimulating hormone treatment in oligozoospermic patients.

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) plays a crucial role in human reproduction. Already, in the fetal and neonatal developmental stages, FSH activates the proliferation of the Sertoli cells and successively, in the pubertal phase, induces the mitotic activity of the spermatogonia and supports cellular differentiation to the round spermatid stage. This physiological role in spermatogenesis has induced various attempts to treat idiopathic oligozoospermic men with FSH.

Gonadotropin administration after gonadotropin-releasing-hormone agonist: a therapeutic option in severe testiculopathies.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) plus human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) on seminal parameters and pregnancy rate in severe testiculopathies after high FSH plasma concentrations have been suppressed.

Design: Prospective, controlled, randomized clinical study.

Setting: Infertility center at a university hospital.

Preventive and curative effects of cyclophosphamide in an animal model of Guillain Barrè syndrome.

The immunosuppressive agent cyclophosphamide (CY) was tested in rat experimental allergic neuritis (EAN), a preclinical model of Guillain Barrè syndrome (GBS). CY prophylaxis (day 0 and 14 post-immunization [p.i.

Role of hormones, genes, and environment in human cryptorchidism.

Cryptorchidism is the most frequent congenital birth defect in male children (2-4% in full-term male births), and it has the potential to impact the health of the human male. In fact, although it is often considered a mild malformation, it represents the best-characterized risk factor for reduced fertility and testicular cancer. Furthermore, some reports have highlighted a significant increase in the prevalence of cryptorchidism over the last few decades.

Mutations in the insulin-like factor 3 receptor are associated with osteoporosis.

Introduction: Insulin-like factor 3 (INSL3) is produced primarily by testicular Leydig cells. It acts by binding to its specific G protein-coupled receptor RXFP2 (relaxin family peptide 2) and is involved in testicular descent during fetal development. The physiological role of INSL3 in adults is not known, although substantial INSL3 circulating levels are present.

In vitro inhibition of enterobacteria-reactive CD4+CD25- T cells and suppression of immunoinflammatory colitis in mice by the novel immunomodulatory agent VGX-1027.

VGX-1027 is an isozaxoline compound that has recently been found to primarily target the function of murine macrophages but not of T cells, inhibiting secretion of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha in response to different Toll-like receptor agonists in vitro and in vivo. The well-defined role of innate immunity in inflammatory bowel diseases prompted us to consider the use of VGX-1027 in these diseases leading us to in vitro and in vivo test the drug in related experimental conditions. These consist, respectively, of the proliferation assay of CD4+CD25- T cells to enterobacteria, and the acute inflammatory colitis induced in mice by intracolonic challenge with dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid.