NO RELATIONSHIP OF TESTICULAR SIZE AT ORCHIOPEXY WITH FERTILITY IN MEN WHO PREVIOUSLY HAD UNILATERAL CRYPTORCHIDISM

PURPOSE: We determined whether testicular size at orchiopexy is predictive of fertility potential and whether size correlates with sperm parameters, hormone levels or testicular volume in adulthood. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Testicular size obtained from the operative notes of patients who underwent unilateral orchiopexy was classified as normal, small or large for age. These data were compared with outcome data. Paternity data were included on 166 men who reported achieving or unsuccessfully attempting paternity for 12 or more months. Of the men 49 provided blood for hormone level measurement, 43 underwent semen analysis and in 29 testicular volume was determined. RESULTS: In the 166 men, including 98, 65 and 3 with small, normal and large testes for age at orchiopexy, respectively, there was no difference in paternity based on testicular size. Of those who achieved paternity time to conception did not differ based on size. Mean age at surgery also did not differ, nor did the percent of small versus normal testes in the age categories 0 to 2, 3 to 5, 6 to 8 and 9 to 11 years. There was no difference in men with small or normal testicular size at surgery in mean luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, testosterone or inhibin B. Sperm density, motility and morphology, and volume in adulthood of a previously undescended testis, previously descended testis or previously undescended and descended testes did not differ in these 2 groups, although the previously undescended testis was smaller than the contralateral testis. CONCLUSIONS: In men with a history of unilateral cryptorchidism small testicular size at orchiopexy is not associated with decreased paternity (89.8%), abnormal hormone levels, a lower sperm count or decreased testicular volume in adulthood.     

Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester Protects Kidneys against Acetylsalicylic Acid Toxicity in Rats

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) on acetylsalicylic acid (ASA)-induced renal damage in rats. Materials and methods: A total of 40 rats were randomly divided into five groups, with eight rats in each group—group 1: control, not receiving any medication; group 2: ASA (50 mg/kg/day); group 3: ASA (50 mg/kg/day) + CAPE (20 μg/kg/day); group 4: ASA (100 mg/kg/day); and group 5: ASA (100 mg/kg/day) + CAPE (20 μg/kg/day). ASA and CAPE were given via orogastric gavage for 5 days. The total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activity of the blood samples and kidney tissues were determined. Histopathological examinations of the kidneys were performed using light microscopic methods. Results: The TOS level in the serum of rats and kidney tissues given ASA (groups 2 and 4) significantly increased, but the levels of TAC and PON-1 in these tissues significantly decreased in group 4 when compared with the control rats (p < 0.05). The levels of TAC and PON-1 in the kidney tissues increased and the levels of TOS decreased in the CAPE treatment groups (groups 3 and 5) when compared with the rats in the no CAPE treatment groups (groups 2 and 4). The PON-1, TAC, and TOS values reverted to normal levels in group 5 when compared to group 4 (p < 0.05). These results were supported by histopathological observation. Conclusion: Oxidative stress plays an important role in ASA-induced nephrotoxicity, and CAPE may protect against ASA-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.     

咖啡酸苯乙酯对大肠癌SW480细胞生长和周期的影响

目的　探讨咖啡酸苯乙酯 (CAPE)对体外培养的大肠癌细胞SW 4 80增殖和细胞周期的影响。方法　不同浓度CAPE处理体外培养的大肠癌SW 4 80细胞后 ,采用MTT法检测细胞的增殖活性 ;流式细胞仪检测细胞周期分布。结果　CAPE处理SW 4 80细胞后 ,SW 4 80细胞的生长抑制率明显升高 ,抑制作用表现为剂量依赖性和时间依赖性。流式细胞仪细胞周期分析表明CAPE作用 2 4h后 ,细胞G0 /G1期比例上升 ,S期比例下降。同时发现CAPE作用后 ,细胞出现胞浆混浊 ,胞体缩小、变圆、皱缩 ,核固缩粹裂等凋亡形态学特征。结论　CAPE对大肠癌SW 4 80细胞株具有明显的生长抑制作用 ,其作用机制与阻滞细胞周期G1期和诱导细胞凋亡有关。     

Development of Diabetic-Infertility induced by Streptozotocin in the Male Rat

Diabetes was induced in male rats by streptozotocin (60 mg/kg BW). Rats were sacrificed at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 11 and 14 weeks after induction of diabetes. On autopsy the prostate, coagulating glands, seminal vesicles, epididymides and testes were isolated and weighed. Sperm isolated from the epididymis were characterized. The endocrine function of the testes was evaluated by counting number of Leydig cells per testes, testicular and serum testosterone and the testosterone production by the isolated Leydig cells.
The following changes were found; testicular and serum testosterone decreased significantly starting the 2nd week of the diabetes, the atrophy of the accessory glands began shortly after diabetic induction and reached maximal values after 8 weeks, testicular weight began to decrease from the 8th week of the diabetic induction as well as the Leydig cells, the function of the epididymis was depressed as reflected in its weight and sperm quality.
It can be concluded that the axis LH – Leydig cells is much more sensitive than FSH – tubuli to the block of LHRH secretion following streptozotocin induced diabetes.     

Oxidative stress in testicular tissues of rats exposed to cigarette smoke and protective effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester

Aim： To show the oxidative stress after cigarette smoke exposure in rat testis and to evaluate the effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester （CAPE）. Methods： Twenty-one rats were divided into three groups of seven. Animals in Group Ⅰ were used as control. Rats in Group Ⅱ were exposed to cigarette smoke only （4 × 30 min/d） and rats in Group Ⅲ were exposed to cigarette smoke and received daily intraperitoneal injections of CAPE （10 μmol/kg.d）. After 60 days all the rats were killed and the levels of nitric oxide （NO） and anti-oxidant enzymes such as superoxide-dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px） and the level of malondialdehyde were studied in the testicular tissues of rats with spectrophotometric analysis. Results： There was a significant increase in catalase and superoxide-dismutase activities in Group Ⅱ when compared to the controls, but the levels of both decreased after CAPE administration in Group Ⅲ. GSH-Px activity was decreased in Group Ⅱ but CAPE caused an elevation in GSH-Px activity in Group Ⅲ. The difference between the levels of GSH-Px in Group Ⅰ and Group Ⅱ was significant, but the difference between groups Ⅱ and Ⅲ was not significant. Elevation of malondialdehyde after smoke exposure was significant and CAPE caused a decrease to a level which was not statistically different to the control group. A significantly increased level of NO after exposure to smoke was reversed by CAPE administration and the difference between NO levels in groups Ⅰ and Ⅲ was statistically insignificant. Conclusion： Exposure to cigarette smoke causes changes in the oxidative enzyme levels in rat testis, but CAPE can reverse these harmful effects. （Asian J Andro12006 Mar; 8： 189-193）     

Effects of chronic angiotensin II receptor antagonist and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor treatments on neurohormonal levels and haemodynamics during cardiopulmonary bypass

Background. Chronic treatment with renin-angiotensin system(RAS) antagonists frequently causes deleterious hypotensionduring anaesthesia. We compared the effects of angiotensin IIreceptor antagonists (ARA) and angiotensin-converting enzymeinhibitors (ACEI) on neurohormonal levels and haemodynamicsduring cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Methods. Forty-four patients undergoing mitral valvular surgerywho were treated with either ARA (ARA group, n=14) or ACEI (ACEIgroup, n=15) over 12 weeks or who were not treated with anyRAS antagonist (control group, n=15) were enrolled. The plasmalevels of epinephrine, norepinephrine, arginine vasopressin(AVP) and angiotensin II, and haemodynamic variables were measuredbefore (T1) and 15 min after (T2) the start of CPB, before aorticunclamping (T3) and at skin closure (T4). Mean arterial pressure(MAP) was maintained above 60 mm Hg with phenylephrine administrationduring CPB. Results. The plasma epinephrine, norepinephrine, AVP and angiotensinII levels increased during CPB in all groups. Compared withthe control group, the AVP level was lower at T1 in the ARAgroup and at T2 in the ARA and ACEI groups. The angiotensinII level was higher at T1, T2 and T3 in ARA group compared withACEI and control groups. There were no significant differencesin the epinephrine and norepinephrine levels among the threegroups. The amount of administered phenylephrine during CPBwas greater and MAP was lower in the ARA group compared withthe ACEI and control groups. Conclusions. Chronic ARA treatment resulted in more profoundhypotension than ACEI treatment during CPB, and this may beassociated with the blockade of angiotensin II receptors byARA.      

Nonfunctioning Adrenal Cortical Cancer and Analysis of the Steroidogenic Activity of the Tumor: A Case Report

An adrenocortical cancer was detected by a CT scan in a 37-year-old woman, which did not have an excessive secretion of steroids or catecholamines. The tumor was enhanced inhomogeneously by the bolus injection of contrast medium, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed that the tumor was hypointense compared to the liver on a T1-weighted image and was diffusely hyperintense on a T2-weighted image. Histologically, the tumor consisted predominantly of compact cells with marked cellular and nuclear pleomorphism, but no capsular or vascular invasion were observed. An analysis of the steroidogenic activity of the tumor revealed that the activity of mitochondrial P450c11j8 was extremely reduced in the tumor.     

Fertility of the Streptozotocin-Diabetic Male Rat

Die Fertilität der Streptozotoxin-Diabetes männlichen Ratte
Bei juvenilen (30 Tage alt) und erwachsenen (über 120 Tage alt) männlichen Ratten wurde mit Streptozotoxin ein Diabetes induziert. Dieser Diabetes verursachte eine Reduzierung der Fertilitätsrate in 82% bei den juvenilen und in 57% bei den erwachsenen Tieren. Der Rückgang der Fertilitätsrate war begleitet von einem Abfall des Blut-Tes-tosterons und einer Atrophie der ventralen Prostata, der Koagulationsdrüsen und der Samenblasen.
Histologisch ergab sich ein rückläufiges Bild der unterdrückten Organfunktion ein-schließlich einer Reduktion der Hohe des Epithels; die meisten Lumina waren leer von Sekretion. In den Koagulationsdrüsen war die Fruktosesynthese gehemmt. Das Gewicht der Hoden und der Hypophyse war dagegen unverändert. Die Tubulis seminiferi zeigten einen reduzierten Durchmesser und eine Ablösung der Spermatogesezellen in das Lumen. Das zirkulierende LH war in 59% und Testosteron in 75% der diabetischen Tiere reduziert. Die Anzahl der Leydig'schen Zwischenzellen war in 49% bei den diabetischen Ratten reduziert. Die Testosteronproduktionsrate in vitro war bei diesen Ley-dig-Zellen in 86% reduziert. Radioimmunassay von LH in der Hypophyse und LH-RH-Gehalt des Hypothalamus zeigten keine Unterschiede zwischen diabetischen Tieren und den Kontrollen. Die Hypophyse der Diabetes-Tiere war sensibel für eine LH-RH-Stimulierung ebenso wie bei den normalen Kontrollen. Dementsprechend kann die Reduzierung des Blut-LH auf die niedrigen LH-RH-Werte zurückgeführt werden, wie sie vom Hypothalamus sezerniert werden, wobei diese ausreicht für eine bleibende LH-Synthese in der Hypophyse, jedoch nicht für eine Stimulierung ihrer Sekretion. Die Depression der Hodenfunktion bei den diabetischen Ratten zeigte sich sekundär in einem partiellen Block der Sezernierung von LH-RH und von LH.     

Influence of the menstrual cycle on aminolevulinic acid induced protoporphyrin IX fluorescence in the endometrium: in vivo study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In vitro studies indicated that compared to postmenopausal women, premenopausal women had increased aminolevulinic acid induced protoporphyrin IX (ALA-induced PpIX) fluorescence expression in the endometrium. The aim of this study was to evaluate menstrual cycle dependency of ALA-induced PpIX fluorescence in the endometrium in vivo. STUDY DESIGN/PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirteen patients were included for in vivo spectrofluorometric measurements of ALA-induced PpIX in the endometrium and 51 patients for fluorescence hysteroscopy. Two milliliter of a 2% 5-ALA-solution at pH = 4.0 (ASAT AG/Zug, Switzerland) was topically administrated just before spectrofluorometry and 4 hours before hysteroscopy. Spectrofluorometry: Optical fiber based. Fluorescence hysteroscopy: STORZ-D-Light system (Storz, Tuttlingen, Germany). Histological classification of curettage and bioptic endometrial tissue stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). RESULTS: Hysteroscopic and in vivo spectrofluorometric measurements showed an increase of ALA-induced PpIX fluorescence in the secretory and hyperplastic endometrium compared to proliferative and atrophic endometrium. CONCLUSIONS: The accuracy of fluorescence hysteroscopy and the success of the photodynamic endometrial ablation using ALA-induced PpIX may depend on the hormonal influence of the menstrual cycle. The mechanisms responsible for the increased ALA-induced PpIX fluorescence in the secretory versus proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle deserve further studies.     

Effect of sleep deprivation on the physiological status of rat testis

The effect of alteration of central turnover of monoamines on the intratesticular mechanisms in the testis of rats was studied after REM sleep-deprivation. The reduction in the weights of ventral prostate, seminal vesicles and decreased activity of beta-glucuronidase in kidney reflected decreased availability of testosterone to the target organs. Decreased activities of lysosomal enzymes, acid phosphatase and beta-glucuronidase were associated with a decreased steroidogenic activity in the testis. The active mediation of lysosomal enzymes in the testicular function under altered condition was indicated.