An analysis of donor semen quality in Chongqing Human Sperm Bank / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>Objective</b>To evaluate the quality of the donor semen in Chongqing Human Sperm Bank and the influence of age on semen parameters.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We collected semen samples from 899 donors in Chongqing Human Sperm Bank and divided them into five groups according to the age of the semen donors: 22－25, 26－30, 31－35, 36－40, and >40 years old. Using the Makler Counting Chamber, we measured the semen volume, percentage of progressively motile sperm (PMS), total motile sperm, sperm concentration, total sperm count per ejaculate, and percentage of morphologically normal sperm (MNS). Then, we compared the semen parameters obtained with the fifth percentile and median reference values published in the WHO Laboratory Manual for the Examination and Processing of Human Semen-5th Ed (WHO 5th Ed) and among different age groups using the Kruskall-Wallis H test.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The semen volume (1.8 ml), sperm concentration (25.0 × 10⁶/ml), total sperm count (100.7 × 106/ejaculate) and MNS (4.3%) in the semen samples of the 899 donors were obviously higher than the fifth percentile values published in the WHO 5th Ed, and so were the first three parameters (4.0 ml, 88.0 × 10⁶/ml, and 333.7 × 106/ejaculate) than the WHO median reference values. PMS (31.0%) and total motile (38.0%) were lower than the WHO fifth percentile values and so was MNS (11.6%) than the WHO median reference value. PMS (55.0%) and total motile sperm (61.0%), however, were coincident with the median reference values of WHO 5th Ed. Statistically significant differences were observed among the 22－25, 26－30, 31－35, 36－40 and >40 years old groups in perm concentration (88.0 ［1.0－270.0］ vs 96.0 ［5.0－335.0］ vs 100.0 ［3.0－200.0］ vs 105 ［15.0－225.0］ vs 90.0 ［22.0－159.0］ × 10⁶/ml, P < 0.05), but not in the semen volume, PMS, total sperm motility, total sperm count or MNS (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The donor semen in Chongqing Human Sperm Bank is generally of high quality. Sperm concentration significantly increases with age but decreases in men aged >40 years.</p>

Bacterial culture of donor semen: Analysis of results / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>Objective</b>To investigate bacterial infection and the distribution of different bacterial species in the donor semen and the influence of different bacterial counts on semen quality.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Bacterial colonies in the semen samples from 1 126 donors were counted with the Synbiosis Protocol 3 Automatic Colony Counter and the bacterial species with a colony count ≥10⁴ cfu/ml identified with the VITEK2 Compact Automatic Biochemical Analyzer. The Makler Sperm Counting Board was used to examine the semen quality of the semen samples with a colony count = 0 cfu/ml (n = 22, group A), those with a colony count <10⁴ cfu/ml (n = 22, group B) and those with a colony count ≥10⁴ cfu/ml (n = 22, group C). Univariate analysis was employed for comparison of semen quality among different groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Among the 1 126 donor semen samples cultured, 5 (0.44%) showed mixed bacterial contamination and 993 (88.58%) showed none but with growth of a certain species of bacteria, 2.22% (22/993) with a colony count ≥10⁴ cfu/ml, mainly including Streptococcus bovis, tiny bacilli, Staphylococcus epidermis, and Staphylococcus aureus, among which gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria accounted for 95.45% (21/22) and 4.54% (1/22), respectively. Compared with group A, groups B and C manifested significantly reduced total sperm count (［567.5 ± 327.6］ vs ［421.9 ± 155.9］ and ［389.9 ± 110.6］ × 106 per ejaculate, P <0.05) and percentage of progressively motile sperm (［65.0 ± 6.5］ vs ［61.0 ± 3.5］ and ［61.6 ± 4.3］ %, P <0.05). There were no statistically significant differences among the three groups in the semen liquefaction time, semen pH value, total sperm motility or percentage of morphologically normal sperm (P > 0.05). Of the 284 randomly selected semen samples, 34 (11.97%) were found positive for Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) and no significant difference was observed in the semen quality between the UU-positive and UU-negative samples (P> 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The bacteria-positive rate is high in the donor semen and the bacterial species are varied, mainly including gram-positive bacteria. Semen quality is reduced with the increased number of bacterial colonies.</p>

Protective effect of Angelica sinensis polysaccharides on subacute renal damages induced by D-galactose in mice and its mechanism / 中国中药杂志

To explore the protective effect of Angelica sinensis polysaccharides(ASP) on subacute renal damages induced by D-galactose in mice and its mechanism. Male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 3 groups, with 10 mice in each group. The D-galactose model group was subcutaneously injected with D-galactose (120 mg x kg(-1)), qd x 42; the ASP + D-galactose model group was intraperitoneally injected with ASP since the 8th day of the replication of the D-galactose model, qd x 35; and the normal control group was subcutaneously injected with saline at the same dose and time. On the 2nd day of after the injection, the peripheral blood was collected to measure the content of BUN, Crea, UA, Cys-C; paraffin sections were made to observe the renal histomorphology by HE staining; senescence-associated β-g-alactosidase (SA-β-Gal) stain was used to observe the relative optical density (ROD) in renal tissues; transmission electron microscopy was assayed to observe the renal ultrastructure; the renal tissue homogenate was prepared to measure the content of SOD, GSH-PX, MDA; the content of AGEs and 8-OH-dG were measured by ELISA. According to the result, compared with the D-galactose model group, the ASP + D-galactose model group showed obviously decreases in the content of BUN, Crea, UA, Cysc, AGES, 8-OH-dG, the number of hardening renal corpuscle, renal capsular space and renal tubular lumen, ROD of SA-β-Gal staining positive kidney cells, mesangial cells, basement membrane thickness, podocyte secondary processes fusion and MDA and increases in the number of normal renal corpuscle, ribosome and rough endoplasmic reticulum in podocytes, the activity of SOD and GSH-PX. In Conclusion, A. sinensis polysaccharides can antagonize kidney subacute damages induced by D-galactose in mice. Its protective mechanism may be correlated with the inhibition of the oxidative stress injury.

Effect of combined administration of Angelica polysaccharide and cytarabine on liver of human leukemia NOD/SCID mouse model / 中国中药杂志

Leukemia is a type of malignant tumors of hematopoietic system with the abnormal increased immature leukemia cells showing metastasis and invasion ability. Liver is one of the main targets of the leukemia cells spread to, where they may continue to proliferate and differentiate and cause liver function damage, even liver failure. Our previous studies showed that Angelica polysscharides (APS), the main effective components in Angelica sinensis of Chinese traditional medicine, was able to inhibit the proliferation and induced differentiation of the leukemia cells, however, its effect on the liver during the treatment remains elucidated. In the present study, the human leukemia NOD/SCID mouse model were established by implantation human leukemia K562 cells line, then the leukemia mouse were treated with APS, Ara-c or APS + Ara-c respectively by peritoneal injection for 14 days, to explore the effect and mechanism of the chemicals on the mouse liver. Compared to the human leukemia NOD/SCID mouse model group with the treatments of APS, Ara-c and APS + Ara-c, We found that severe liver damage and pathological changes of the liver were able to alleviate: First, the number of white blood cells in the peripheral blood was significantly lower and with less transplanted K562 leukemia cells; Second, liver function damage was alleviated as liver function tests showed that alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and total bilirubin (TBiL) were significantly reduced, while the albumin (Alb) was notably increased; Third, liver antioxidant ability was improved as the activities of the antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were significantly increased, and the contents of GSH and malonaldehyde (MDA) were decreased significantly in the liver; Fourth, the inflammation of the liver was relieved as the level of IL-1beta and IL-6, the inflammatory cytokines, were decreased significantly in the liver. Fifth, liver index was increased as the pathological observation showed that leukemia cells with diffused infiltration into the liver lobules were significantly reduced and with a remarkable increase of apoptotic positive cell rate by TUNEL test. Furthermore, the APS + Ara-c combined administration showed an even more significant positive effect. In conclusion, the APS, Ara-c therapy reduced the accumulation of leukemia cells within the liver, reduced the liver function damage and levels of inflammatory factors, improved antioxidant capacity of the liver tissue and thus alleviate the pathological changes of the liver. Moreover, the APS + Ara-c combination therapy may have an additive effect.