Expression patterns of VEGF and Flk-1 in human endometrium during the menstrual cycle

The VEGF is essential in the process of tissue remodeling and angiogenesis. Limited data is available on the expression and regulation of VEGF and its receptors in the human endometrium. The aim of this study was evaluation of expression patterns of VEGF and Flk-1 in human endometrium during the menstrual cycle. Sixty paraffin-embedded blocks of endometrial tissues from the patients with normal menstrual cycles were obtained. Tissue samples were assembled into tissue microarray slides and classified by histological dating into five phases: the proliferative [n=14], peri-ovulatory [n=9], early-secretory [n=12], mid-secretory [n=11] and late-secretory [n=14] phases. Immunohistochemical staining was performed using VEGF or Flk-1 monoclonal antibodies. The intensity of immunostaining was evaluated by the semi-quantitative scoring method [HSCORE]. Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance and Scheff's post-hoc test were used for statistical analysis. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. VEGF and Flk-1 were expressed in the three components of the endometrium at various phases of the menstrual cycle. In the stroma, the expression of VEGF varied among the phases [p<0.05]. The expression of Flk-1 in the luminal and glandular epithelium revealed stronger intensity of immunostaining as compared with the stroma at the different phases [p<0.05]. The level of Flk-1 expression also showed significant differences among the phases in the glandular epithelium with greatest expression at late-secretory phase [p<0.05]. Temporal and spatial distribution of VEGF and Flk-1 expression in the three components of human endometrium during menstrual cycle suggests the functional role of angiogenesis in the remodeling process of endometrial tissue

Effects of pharmaceutical medications on male fertility

The number of couples seeking consultation for infertility problems has steadily increased over the past decade, affecting 10%-15% of the sexually active population. Abnormal semen production, a male factor infertility [MFI], is thought to be the cause of up to 50% of all infertilities in developed countries. There are potentially many different causes of male infertility, including hormonal, anatomical, and secondary to exposure to exogenous substances. In many cases of MFI, a definitive cause for abnormalities is never identified. Recently, the research community has given greater attention to identifying causes of MFI ranging from genetic Y chromosome microdeletions to mechanisms of environmental damage on sperm production. Still evolving, is a clear understanding of how many pharmaceutical medications may cause MFI, which is often treatable and reversible. In this review we will out-line the data regarding various pharmaceutical medications that have been investigated as possible causes of MFI