Testicular teratoma in children: Analysis of 64 cases / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To improve the diagnosis and treatment of testicular teratoma in children by analysis of clinical data.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data about 64 cases of testicular teratoma treated in the Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from 1995 to 2014.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Sixty-one of the cases presented painless scrotal mass with a sense of bearing down and the other 3 cases were confirmed because of empty scrotum diagnosed as cryptorchidism. The level of serum alpha fetal protein ( AFP) was obviously increased in 46 cases but normal in the other 18 preoperatively. Ultrasonography manifested abnormal inhomogeneous echo zones with calcification or necrosis. X-ray examination presented patchy or curvilinear high-density shadows in 28 cases. Forty-one of the patients underwent testis-sparing surgery (TSS) , 20 received high inguinal orchiectomy, and 3 refused surgical treatment. Pathological examination revealed 3 mature germinal layers in the 49 cases of mature teratoma and immature germinal tissue, including the original neural tube, and 11 cases of immature teratoma. The mature cases were exempted from chemotherapy, while the immature cases received the combination of cisplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin (PEB). The patients were followed up for 2 years postoperatively, which revealed no recurrence or metastasis.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Most children with testicular teratoma presented painless scrotal mass with a sense of bearing down and with abnormal serum AFP in most cases. Ultrasonography and plain radiography of the scrotum contribute to the diagnosis of the tumor. TSS is the main treatment option and intraoperative frozen-section can help the surgeons decide on the surgical mode. Postoperative chemotherapy is necessitated for immature teratoma but not for mature cases.</p>

Effects of Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate on the testis and testicular gubernaculum of fetal KM mice / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effects of Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) on the testis and testicular gubernaculum of fetal KM mice in vivo and to investigate the mechanism of DEHP-induced cryptorchidism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty healthy pregnant KM mice were randomly and equally divided into a blank control group, a corn oil control group and a DEHP group. The pregnant mice in the latter group were exposed to DEHP by gavage at the dose of 500 mg/kg body weight per day from gestation day 12 (GD12) through gestation day 19 (GD19). The effects of DEHP were observed on the number of fetuses per pregnancy, the ratio of male to female pups, the weight of the testis, the morphology and location of the testis and gubernaculum, the relative testis-bladder neck distance (TBD) and cranial suspensory ligament (CSL) residual. The expressions of the androgen receptor (AR), estrogen receptor (ER) and actin and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in the gubernaculum were detected by immunohistochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>DEHP reduced the testis weight and TBD, induced different degrees of testis maldescent, but produced no obvious effect on the body weight, the number of fetuses per pregnancy, the sex ratio and the testis gubernacular morphology. Under the light microscope, hypotrophy was seen in all the testis seminiferous tubules, spermatogenic cells and Sertoli cells, marked Leydig cell hyperplasia was noted, and the positive expression of AR in the gubernaculum was decreased in the DEHP group (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>DEHP could cause dysfunction of the testis gubernaculum via its anti-androgen effect, induce cryptorchidism, and cause dysplasia and dysfunction of Sertoli cells, Leydig cells and spermatogenic cells in fetal mice.</p>

Hemodynamic and histological effects of unilateral testicular torsion on the contralateral testis in immature rats / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the hemodynamic and histological effects of unilateral testicular torsion on the contralateral testis in immature rats, and compare the results of different treatments.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Testicular torsion models were established in 3-week-old rats and randomized into a normal control, a testicular torsion, a reposition and an orchiectomy group. The systolic peak velocity of the right testicular artery was measured by color Doppler before and 8, 12, 24 and 72 h after the operation. Histological observations of the right testes were performed 2 h after testicular torsion, 12 h after testicular reposition and orchiectomy and when the rats were 9 weeks old.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The blood supply of the immature right testes increased continuously after testicular torsion of the left side. Interstitial edema and ultrastructure changes were observed in the testicular torsion, reposition and orchiectomy groups. The right testis weight was significantly greater in both the testicular torsion and orchiectomy groups than in the normal control group of the 9-week-old rats (P < 0.01). No significant differences were noted in the right testicular seminiferous tubule diameter (STD) , count measure spermatogenic (CMSE) and testicular biopsy score (TBS) among the four groups (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Unilateral testicular torsion increases blood supply and induces histological changes in the contralateral testis in immature rats. Reposition and orchiectomy following light injury are prognostic of similar results.</p>

Phyllanthus urinaria extract promotes N-cadherin expression in nitrogen mustard-disrupted testicular tissues in vivo / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the protective effect of the Phyllanthus Urinaria (PU) extract on the N-cadherin expression in the testicular tissues disrupted by nitrogen mustard (HN2) in vivo.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HN2 was intraperitoneally injected into male KM mice at the dose of 5 mg/kg to make reproductive toxicity models, and at the same time PU was administered for intervention at the dose of 125 mg/kg, 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg. N-cadherin distribution, mRNA and protein expression in the testicular tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR and Western blotting.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>N-cadherin was mainly distributed in the membrane and cytoplasm of Sertoli cells at the basement of seminiferous epithelia, Leydig cells and peritubular cells, scarcely expressed in the basement of seminiferous epithelia and peritubular cells after HN2 administration. The expressions of mRNA and proteins of N-cadherin were significantly elevated with the increased dose of PU (P < 0.01). Compared with the normal control, the distribution and expression of N-cadherin showed no significant differences in either the high-dose PU group or the HN2 with high-dose PU intervention group (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The PU extract can effectively promote the N-cadherin expression in the testis tissues disrupted by HN2.</p>

Expression of augmenter of liver regeneration in cryptorchidism spermatogenic cells and its implication / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the expression of the augmenter of liver regeneration (ALR) in cryptorchidism spermatogenic cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty cryptorchidism rat models were established by surgery, 10 included as normal controls and anther 10 as sham-surgery controls. The expression of ALR was detected by immunochemistry, the COX II level measured by immunofluorescence and the ferric iron contents assayed by Perls stain.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>ALR expressed intensively in the spermatogonia of the control groups but in a signigicantly diminished manner in the cryptorchidism group. No significant difference was found in the COX II level between any two groups of the same age. Ferric iron content of the PND30 cryptorchids decreased significantly (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>ALR may play an important role in early spermatogenesis. Metabolism dysfunctions caused by ALR defection might be a crucial mechanism for aspermatogenesis of cryptorchidism.</p>

Tracing magnetically labeled mesenchymal stem cells transplanted into rat livers by MRI / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To trace magnetically labeled MSCs transplanted into the rat livers by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Feridex and DAPI labeled rat mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were injected via portal veins into carbon tetrachloride treated rats. MRI was performed with a clinical 1.5 T MRI machine immediately before the MSCs injection and at h 1, d 3, d 7, and d 14 after the injection, and then the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was measured. MRI findings were compared with the liver histopathologies after the slides were stained with fluorescence dye and Prussian blue.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The SNR for liver was 1.10+/-0.26 at hour 1, 8.18+/-1.55 at day 3, 11.08+/-1.30 at day 7, and 14.15+/-1.02 at day 14 respectively. Within 7 days after the MSCs transplantation, the SNRs of the livers were significantly lower than those before the transplantation (P less than 0.05). Histologically, the blue fluorescent particles under the fluorescence microscopy matched in distribution with the iron particles on the Prussian blue stained slides.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The magnetically labeled MSCs transplanted into livers give rise to an obvious signal decrease, and can be tracked with a 1.5 T clinical MRI machine for up to 7 days after MSCs transplantation.</p>

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate affects the testes and leydig cells of neonatal KM mice / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effects of di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) on neonatal mice's testes and Leydig cells in vivo.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Pregnant mice were exposed to DEHP at the dose of 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg or 500 mg/kg (body weight) per day by gavage from gestation day 12 (GD 12) through postnatal day 3 (PND 3), respectively. The testis and body weights, testicular histopathology and the activity of 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3beta-HSD) of the neonatal mice were investigated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The body and testis weights of the male mice's offspring were significantly reduced following DEHP exposure. Leydig cell morphology was affected significantly by DEHP as compared with the controls. Leydig cells obviously increased in the neonatal mice's testes on PND 15 and PND 30 when exposed to DEHP (500 mg/[kg x d]). Activities and positive area of the steroidogenic enzymes 3beta-HSD immunoexpression decreased markedly when exposed to DEHP (100 mg/[kg x d] or 200 mg/[kg x d]). Image analysis showed a decrease in the activities of 3beta-HSD in the animals exposed to DEHP (500 mg/[kg x d]), but an increase in the positive area of 3beta-HSD immunoexpression as compared with the control animals on PND 15 (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>DEHP affects the Leydig cell morphology, the activity of 3beta-HSD, the testis and body weights and the testicular histopathology of neonatal mice, and it may function as an antiandrogenic agent.</p>