Sperm mtDNA content and mtDNA4977bp deletion in normal and leukocytospermia men / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine the sperm mtDNA content, mtDNA4977bp deletion and ROS in the seminal plasma of normal and leukocytospermia men, and to investigate the correlation of the changes of sperm mtDNA with the increase of leukocytes and reactive oxgygen species (ROS) in the seminal plasma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seventy-eight semen samples from leukocytospermia patients and 31 from healthy donors were divided into 3 layers, supernatant fluid, 30% sperm and 80% sperm, by Percoll gradient centrifugation, their sperm mtDNA content and mtDNA4977bp deletion quantitatively analyzed by real-time PCR, and the level of ROS determined by flow cytometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The ROS in the seminal plasma and the sperm mtDNA contents of the three layers were all significantly higher in the leukocytospermia group than in the healthy control (P < 0.01). In the supernatant fluid and 80% layers, mtDNA4977bp deletion showed no obvious difference between the control and the leukocytospermia group, but was significantly higher in the 30% layer of the latter (P < 0.01). The ROS level was found positively correlated with the mtDNA content in the 30% (r = 0.347, P < 0.01) and the 80% layer (r = 0.456, P < 0.01), but not in the supernatant layer.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The increase of leukocytes and ROS may be one of the causes of the enhanced sperm mtDNA content, but has no significant impact on the mtDNA4977bp deletion.</p>

An approach to male infertility from economic sociology / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the psychology of infertility patients from the perspective of economic sociology so as to prevent the patients from medical frauds in seeking medical treatment.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>We investigated 902 infertility patients of the Third Hospital of Peking University from September 2005 to January 2006 using a randomized questionnaire.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the total number, 84.4% had education below college level; the majority had a low monthly family income, 36.6% below Y1,000, 19.7% from Y1,000 to Y2,000, 16.5% from Y2,000 to Y3,000, 7.8% from Y3,000 to Y4,000 and 19.4% above Y4,000; 88.7% had a strong desire for a child; 60.3% were psychologically stressed. As for the advertisements for the treatment of infertility, 50.2% of the patients disbelieved them, 6.2% wanted to have a try and about 43.6% accepted them to be true. Regarding the treatment in individual hospitals, 55.2% disbelieved in it, 5.8% wanted to try it and about 39.0% believed in it.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Infertility patients of low economic status usually have a lower educational level but a higher desire for children, and therefore are more likely to be the victims of medical frauds and more psychologically stressed. It calls for our attention how to provide them with medical help.</p>