In vitro effect of cell phone radiation on motility, DNA fragmentation and clusterin gene expression in human sperm

Use of cellular phones emitting radiofrequency electromagnetic field [RF-EMF] has been increased exponentially and become a part of everyday life. This study aimed to investigate the effects of in vitro RF-EMF exposure emitted from cellular phones on sperm motility index, sperm DNA fragmentation and seminal clusterin [CLU] gene expression. In this prospective study, a total of 124 semen samples were grouped into the following main categories: i. normozoospermia [N, n=26], ii. Asthenozoospermia [A, n=32], iii. asthenoteratozoospermia [AT, n=31] and iv. Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia [OAT, n=35]. The same semen samples were then divided into two portions non-exposed and exposed samples to cell phone radiation for 1 hour. Before and immediately after exposure, both aliquots were subjected to different assessments for sperm motility, acrosin activity, sperm DNA fragmentation and CLU gene expression. Statistical differences were analyzed using paired t student test for comparisons between two sub-groups where p<0.05 was set as significant. There was a significant decrease in sperm motility, sperm linear velocity, sperm linearity index, and sperm acrosin activity, whereas there was a significant increase in sperm DNA fragmentation percent, CLU gene expression and CLU protein levels in the exposed semen samples to RF-EMF compared with non-exposed samples in OAT>AT>A>N groups, respectively [p<0.05]. Cell phone emissions have a negative impact on exposed sperm motility index, sperm acrosin activity, sperm DNA fragmentation and seminal CLU gene expression, especially in OAT cases

Pheromones in sex and reproduction: do they have a role in humans?

Pheromones are found throughout the living world and are a primal form of communication. These chemical messengers are transported outside the body and have a direct developmental effect on hormone levels and/or behaviour. This review article aims to highlight the role of human pheromones in sex and reproduction. A review of published articles was carried out, using PubMed, medical subject heading [MSH] databases and the Scopus engine. Key words used to assess exposure, outcome, and estimates for the concerned associations, were; olfaction; sex; pheromones; libido; behaviour; reproduction; humans; and smell. Although there are studies to support this phenomenon, they are weak because they were not controlled; others have proposed that human olfactory communication is able to perceive certain pheromones that may play a role in behavioural as well as reproductive biology. Unfolding the mysteries of smells and the way they are perceived requires more time and effort as humans are not systems that instinctively fall into a behaviour in response to an odour, they are thinking individuals that exercise judgment and subjected to different motivations

Assessment of seminal plasma laminin in fertile and infertile men / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>AIM</b>To assess laminin levels in the seminal plasma of infertile and fertile men, and to analyze the correlation of laminin levels with sperm count, age, sperm motility and semen volume.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and twenty-five recruited men were equally divided into five groups according to their sperm concentration and clinical examination: fertile normozoospermia, oligoasthenozoospermia, non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA), obstructive azoospermia (OA) and congenital bilateral absent vas deferens (CBAVD). The patients' medical history was investigated and patients underwent clinical examination, conventional semen analysis and estimation of seminal plasma laminin by radioimmunoassay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Seminal plasma laminin levels of successive groups were: 2.82 +/- 0.62, 2.49 +/- 0.44, 1.77 +/- 0.56, 1.72 +/- 0.76, 1.35 +/- 0.63 U/mL, respectively. The fertile normozoospermic group showed the highest concentration compared to all infertile groups with significant differences compared to azoospermic groups (P<0.05). Testicular contribution was estimated to be approximately one-third of the seminal laminin. Seminal plasma laminin demonstrated significant correlation with sperm concentration (r = 0.460, P < 0.001) and nonsignificant correlation with age (r = 0.021, P = 0.940), sperm motility percentage (r = 0.142, P = 0.615) and semen volume (r = 0.035, P = 0.087).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Seminal plasma laminin is derived mostly from prostatic and testicular portions and minimally from the seminal vesicle and vas deferens. Estimating seminal laminin alone is not conclusive in diagnosing different cases of male infertility.</p>

Seminal plasma anti-Müllerian hormone level correlates with semen parameters but does not predict success of testicular sperm extraction (TESE) / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>AIM</b>To assess seminal plasma anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) level relationships in fertile and infertile males.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighty-four male cases were studied and divided into four groups: fertile normozoospermia (n = 16), oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (n = 15), obstructive azoospermia (OA) (n = 13) and non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) (n = 40). Conventional semen analysis was done for all cases. Testicular biopsy was done with histopathology and fresh tissue examination for testicular sperm extraction (TESE) in NOA cases. NOA group was subdivided according to TESE results into unsuccessful TESE (n = 19) and successful TESE (n = 21). Seminal plasma AMH was estimated by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and serum follicular stimulating hormone (FSH) was estimated in NOA cases only by radioimmunoassay (RIA).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Mean seminal AMH was significantly higher in fertile group than in oligoasthenoteratozoospermia with significance (41.5 +/- 10.9 pmol/L vs. 30.5 +/- 10.3 pmol/L, P < 0.05). Seminal AMH was not detected in any OA patients. Seminal AMH was correlated positively with testicular volume (r = 0.329, P = 0.005), sperm count (r = 0.483, P = 0.007), sperm motility percent (r = 0.419, P = 0.021) and negatively with sperm abnormal forms percent (r = -0.413, P = 0.023). Nonsignificant correlation was evident with age (r = -0.155, P = 0.414) and plasma FSH (r = -0.014, P = 0.943). In NOA cases, seminal AMH was detectable in 23/40 cases, 14 of them were successful TESE (57.5%) and was undetectable in 17/40 cases, 10 of them were unsuccessful TESE (58.2%).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Seminal plasma AMH is an absolute testicular marker being absent in all OA cases. However, seminal AMH has a poor predictability for successful testicular sperm retrieval in NOA cases.</p>

Assessment of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) activity in the cavernous tissues of sildenafil citrate-treated rats / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>AIM</b>To assess heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) activity in the cavernous tissue of sildenafil citrate-treated rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and ninety-two Sprague-Dawley male rats, divided into four equal groups, were investigated. Group 1, the control group, received regular animal chow; group 2 received sildenafil citrate by intragastric tube; group 3 received sildenafil and HO inhibitor (zinc protoporphyrin, ZnPP); and group 4 received sildenafil and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor L-nitroarginine methyl ester (L-NAME). Twelve rats from each group were killed after 0.5 h, 1 h, 2 h and 3 h of drug administration. Then HO-1 activity, cGMP levels and NOS enzymatic activity in the cavernous tissues were estimated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In cavernous tissue, HO-1 activity, NOS enzymatic activity and cGMP concentration increased significantly in sildenafil-treated rats compared to other groups throughout the experiment. Rats receiving either HO or NOS inhibitors showed a significant decrease in these parameters. HO-1 cavernous tissue activity and NOS enzymatic activity demonstrated a positive significant correlation with cGMP levels (r = 0.646, r = 0.612 respectively; P < 0.001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The actions of PDE5 inhibitor sildenafil citrate in the cavernous tissue are partly mediated through the interdependent relationship between both HO-1 and NOS activities.</p>

Beta-endorphin in serum and seminal plasma in infertile men / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>AIM</b>To access beta-endorphin levels in serum as well as seminal plasma in different infertile male groups.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Beta-endorphin was estimated in the serum and seminal plasma by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method in 80 infertile men equally divided into four groups: non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA), obstructive azoospermia (OA), congenital bilateral absent vas deferens (CBVAD) and asthenozoospermia. The results were compared to those of 20 normozoospermic proven fertile men.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There was a decrease in the mean levels of beta-endorphin in the seminal plasma of all successive infertile groups (mean +/- SD: NOA 51.30 +/- 27.37, OA 51.88 +/- 9.47, CBAVD 20.36 +/- 13.39, asthenozoospermia 49.26 +/- 12.49 pg/mL, respectively) compared to the normozoospermic fertile control (87.23 +/- 29.55 pg/mL). This relation was not present in mean serum level of beta-endorphin between four infertile groups (51.09 +/- 14.71, 49.76 +/- 12.4, 33.96 +/- 7.2, 69.1 +/- 16.57 pg/mL, respectively) and the fertile control group (49.26 +/- 31.32 pg/mL). The CBVAD group showed the lowest seminal plasma mean level of beta-endorphin. Testicular contribution of seminal beta-endorphin was estimated to be approximately 40%. Seminal beta-endorphin showed significant correlation with the sperm concentration (r = 0.699, P = 0.0188) and nonsignificant correlation with its serum level (r = 0.375, P = 0.185) or with the sperm motility percentage (r = 0.470, P = 0.899).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The estimation of beta-endorphin alone is not conclusive to evaluate male reproduction as there are many other opiates acting at the hypothalamic pituitary gonadal axis.</p>

Reactive oxygen species and antioxidants relationship in the internal spermatic vein blood of infertile men with varicocele / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>AIM</b>To assess the relation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants in the internal spermatic vein blood compared to the peripheral venous blood.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty-eight infertile oligoasthenozoospemic patients associated with varicocele were investigated. During inguinal varicocelectomy, blood samples of internal spermatic as well as median cubital veins were withdrawn. Three ROS factors (malondialdehyde [MDA], hydrogen peroxide H(2)O(2), nitric oxide [NO]) and four antioxidants (superoxide dismutase [SOD], catalase [Cat], glutathione peroxidase [GPx] and vitamin C) were estimated in these blood samples.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Mean levels of tested ROS factors were significantly higher in the internal spermatic venous blood compared to those in the peripheral one (mean+/-SD) (MDA 18.7+/-1.4 nmol/mL vs. 15.4+/-1.4 nmol/mL, H(2)O(2) 43.6+/-8.0 micromol/mL vs. 30.8+/-8.1 micromol/mL, NO 2.3+/-0.5 nmol/L vs. 1.6+/-0.4 nmol/L, P<0.01). Mean levels of tested antioxidants were significantly lower in the internal spermatic venous blood compared to those in the peripheral one (superoxide dismutase 1 690.7+/-130.0 U/mL vs. 1 818.5+/-143.0 U/mL, catalase 38.9+/-6.1 mol/L vs. 47.9+/-10.2 mol/L, GPx 20.4+/-8.1 U/mL vs. 23.0+/-8.4 U/mL, vitamin C 0.3+/-0.1 vs. 0.4+/-0.1 mg/dL, P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Internal spermatic venous blood of infertile male cases associated with varicocele demonstrated elevated levels of ROS and decreased levels of antioxidants compared to peripheral venous circulation.</p>

Sildenafil citrate abuse: [1] A histological multiple-dose study of the long-term administration of Viagra in male albino rats

Long-term adverse effects of sildenafil citrate [Viagra] have not been properly assessed. Consequently, this study aimed at evaluating the long-term alterations in different organs according to the dose and frequency of administration. To fulfill this aim, [132] male Wistar albino rats were studied for [18] weeks, and divided into [5]groups. Group [1] [n[=]12]: is the negative control group, Group [2] [n=12]: received distilled water; Group [3] [n=36]: received sildenafil [0.002 mg/g] and was subdivided into [3] subgroups: [a] received the dose daily=[b] received it day after day-[c] received it once weekly; Group [4] [n=36]; received sildenafil [0.004 mg/g] and was subdivided into [3] subgroups as group [3]; Group [5] n=36]; received sildenafil [0.008 mg/g] and was subdivided into 3 subgroups as groups [3] and [4]. Histological esamination of brain, retina, heart, lung, liver, kidney, prostate, seminal vesicles, epididymis and testis was performed using light microscopy for all the aforementioned organs. It was concluded that the testis and epididymis were the most affected organs. The retina then follows with disintegration of photoreceptors. The brain also showed congestion and increased astrocytic activity. As for the heart, it showed disarray and edema; while the lungs showed thickening of alveolar walls. The liver showed histological alterations, while the kidneys did not. All these histo-pathological alterations were observed to be dose-dependent and directly correlated to the frequency of sildenafil administration

Can radionuclide phallography help in solving impotence-related medico-legal problems?

In this study, 72 patients were categorized by routine investigations as psychogenic [n = 24], arteriogenic [n = 21], venogenic [n = 12], combined arteriovenogenic [AV] [n = 12], arteriogenic + neurogenic [n = 12] and arteriogenic + endocrine [n = 1] impotent cases, respectively. Radionuclide phallography was then performed for all patients, as well as for other 10 potent [normal] volunteers, to assess its exact value in the diagnosis of impotence. This radioisotope study, using both quantitative and qualitative interpretation showed that it can etiologically differentiate such patients into psychogenic and vasculogenic types, but the determination of the exact vasculogenic type needs furthermore complex and/or invasive investigations. In conclusion,radionuclide phallography can be used as one of the noninvasive screeningtests for solving impotence-related medico- legal problems. Medicolegalconsultants should be aware of its exact role, application, advantage andlimitations