Expressions of hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha and P53 in the epididymis of varicocele rats / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the mechanism of epididymal hypofunction of rats with varicocele (VC) by observing the changes in the epididymal index, motility of epididymal sperm, expressions of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha) and the tumor suppressor protein p53, and epididymal epithelial cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ninety SD rats were equally randomized to a VC model (A), a sham operation (B), and a normal control group (C). At 49 days after surgery, all the rats were executed after weighing. Then the volume of the left epididymis was obtained, the epididymal sperm motility was detected by computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA), the expressions of HIF-1 alpha and p53 in the epididymal tissue were determined by Western-blot, and the epididymal epithelial cells were observed by HE staining.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>VC models were successfully established in 27 of the rats. One-way ANOVA test showed no statistically significant differences in the epididymis index among groups A ([40.53 +/- 1.76] x 10 (-5)) , B ([43.31 1.58] x 10( -5)) , and C ( [44. 10 +/- 2.62] x 10 -5) (P > 0.05). Sperm motility and the percentage of progressively motile sperm were significantly lower in group A ([71.86 +/- 5.07]% and [42. 26 +/-4.45]%) than in B ([78.51 4.50]% and [49.08 +/-4. 19]% ) and C ( [79.24 +/- 2.70] % and [52. 23+/- 2. 23] % ) (both P <0.05) , while the expressions of HTF-1 a and p53 were remarkably higher in A (1.74 +/- 0. 16 and 1.71 +/- 0. 11) than in B (0.32 +/- 0. 08 and 0.56 +/- 0.13) and C (0.12 +/- 0. 03 and 0.25 +/-0.06) (both P < 0.05). The epididymal epithelial cells in group A were obviously decreased in number and arranged in loose and disorderly patterns as compared with those in B and C.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Varicocele can cause hypoxia in the epididymal tissue, which in turn may lead to epididymal hypofunction.</p>

Alpha-blockers and bioflavonoids in men with chronic nonbacterial prostatitis (NIH-IIIa): a prospective, placebo-controlled trial / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>The National Institutes of Health (NIH) category IIIa chronic prostatitis syndromes (non bacterial chronic prostatitis) were common disorders but with few effective therapies. Alpha-blockers and bioflavonoids had recently been reported in randomized controlled trials to improve the symptom of these disorders in a significant proportion of men. The aim of this study was to confirm these findings in a prospective randomized, placebo-controlled trial.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-five men with category IIIa chronic non bacterial protatitis were randomized into three groups as follows: (1) placebo; (2) phenoxybenzamine-hydrochloride:10 mg two times a day for one month; (3) flavoxate HCI-neptumus: 200 mg three times a day for one month. The NIH chronic prostatitis symptom score was used to grade symptoms at the beginning and conclusion of the study.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All the patients in three groups completed the study except three dropout patients in placebo group because of sever symptoms. The three groups were similar in age, duration of symptoms and initial symptom score. Patients taking placebo had a mean improvement in NIH-CPSI from 21.85 to 19.55 (not significant), while the phenoxybenzamine-hydrochloride group had a mean improvement from 21.95 to 13.75 (P < 0.01), and those taking flavoxate HCI-neptumus had a mean improvement from 21.75 to 16.95 (P < 0.05). The decrease in NIH-CPSI was associated with significant improvement in patients' clinical manifestations.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Therapy with alpha-blockers was well tolerated with significant symptomatic improvement in most men having chronic non-bacterial chronic protatitis while the bioflavonoids group had no significant improvement. Mechanism of both medicines needs further study.</p>