Oxidative stress in seminal plasma of subfertile men with varicocele

To compare the oxidative stress in the seminal plasma of subfertile patients with and without varicocele. The free radicals and antioxidants were measured in seminal plasma of subfertile men with [n= 48] and without varicocele [n=50]: lipid peroxidation [LPO], nitric oxide [NO], superoxide dismutase [SOD], glutathione peroxidase [GSH-Px], glutathione reductase [GSH-R], total thiols [TT] and ceruloplasmin [CP]. Samples from patients with varicocele had significantly higher levels of LPO and NO in comparison with subfertile men without varicocele [P<0.001]. In addition, seminal plasma of patients with varicocele showed significantly lower activities of GSH-Px and GSH-R and lower levels of [TT] [P<0.001]. No significant differences in the activities of SOD enzyme and the levels of CP were found when the two groups were compared. Also, no significant differences in these biochemical variables were detected when varicocele was classified according to its grade or laterality. LPO levels correlated negatively with sperm motility [grade A] [r = -0.26, P<0.05], GSH-Px [r = -0.30, P< 0.05] and TT [r= -0.36, P<0.01] while correlated positively with the number of pus cells in semen [r= 0.35, P<0.01]. Furthermore, NO levels correlated positively with the percent of sperms with abnormal morphology [r= 0.34, P< 0.01] while correlated negatively with GSH-R [r=-0.38, P< 0.01]. Oxidative stress may be an important etiologic factor in the pathogenesis of infertility in patients with varicocele compared to other subfertile men. The therapeutic antioxidants and drugs that reduce NO levels may be implicated in the varicocele treatment

Testicular volume: relationship to spermato genesis

Testicular volume and semen profile were studied in 174 males. Testicular volume was measured by real-time ultrasonography for length, width and depth in cm of each testis. Thirty five males were azoospermic, 64 were oligospermic and 75 were normozoospermic. The mean volume of the normozoospermic group was 22.27 ml with a length, width, depth of 4.29, 4.33 and 2.28 cm, respectively. A significant correlation was found between testicular volume and sperm concentration, percentage of motility and percentage of normal forms of sperms, but not with semen volume. Testicular volume is considered to be a reliable indicator of testicular function and would be included in the protocol for evaluating the fertility potential of males

T-lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood of leprotic patients

Total T-lymphocytes and its subsets were enumerated in the peripheral blood of 48 leprotic patients and 25 controls. Enumeration was determined by monoclonal antibodies using indirect immunofluorescent technique.The total lymphocytes [OKT[3]] and the helper/inducer subset [OKT[4]] were significantly lower in leprotic patients than controls, while the T-suppressor/cytotoxic subset [OKT[8]] was significantly higher. Comparing the results of different types of leprosy and controls, there were no significant differences between tuberculoid leprosy group and controls in OKT[3] OKT[4],OKT[8] and OKT[4] /OKT[8] ratio. However, there was a significant gradual decline in OKT[3] and OKT[4] from tuberculoid through borderline to lepromatous leprosy. On the other hand, there was a significant gradual increase in OKT[8] from tuberculoid through borderline to lepromatous leprosy

Human lymphocyte antigens A,B and C in Egyptian patients with psorasis

The frequencies of human lumphocyte antigens [HLAs] A, B and C were shudied in a group of 53 patients with psoriasis vulgaris and one hundred control subjects. An increased frequency of HLA-A 2, A 2 +/- A 28, Bw73, Bw4, Bw6 and Cw 6 were noted in the group of patients. Cw6 was the commonest antigen with a relative risk of 22. Surprisingly, HLA-B13, B17, B27 and B37 were almost protective in our patients. The significance of HLA and the development of psoriasis is as yet not known. It may act by controlling the immune responce or by serving as a receptor for a hypothetical causative agent for psoriasis