Systematic Review of Chinese Medicine in Improving Sperm Quality in Animal Experiments Based on Structure and Function of Sertoli Cells / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo systematically review the intervention effect of Chinese medicine on the structure and function of testicular Sertoli cells in animal models of impaired spermatogenesis. MethodThe databases， such as China National Knowledge Infrastructure （CNKI），VIP，Wanfang Data，EMbase，and Pubmed，were searched for experimental studies on the effect of Chinese medicine on the structure and function of testicular Sertoli cells in animal models with impaired spermatogenesis. The included studies were evaluated for risks of bias，and the outcome indicators were analyzed with RevMan and Stata software. ResultThirty studies were included，involving 37 randomized controlled trials （RCTs）. As indicated by the Meta-analysis results， compared with the model group，Chinese medicine increased sperm density（SMD=2.42，95% confidence interval（CI）［1.47，3.37］，P<0.000 01）， promoted sperm motility（SMD=2.35，95%CI ［1.70， 2.99］，P<0.000 01）， up-regulated the protein and mRNA levels of Vimentin （related to Sertoli cell cytoskeleton）， elevated the levels of Occludin and Claudin-11 （related to tight junction of blood-testis barrier）， boosted the levels of β-catenin and N-cadherin （related to adherens junction of blood-testis barrier）， raised the level of connexin 43 （Cx43， related to gap junction of blood-testis barrier）， improved the function of Sertoli cells， increased the serum content of Inhibin B （INHB）， and up-regulated the levels of testicular follicle-stimulating hormone receptor （FSHR）， INHB mRNA， androgen-binding protein （ABP） mRNA， transferrin（TF），stem cell factor（SCF），SCF mRNA，glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor （GDNF），GDNF mRNA，bone morphogenetic protein 4（BMP4），and BMP4 mRNA （P<0.05）. ConclusionChinese medicine can effectively increase sperm density and motility of animal models of impaired spermatogenesis，and improve the structure and function of testicular Sertoli cells. However，affected by the quality of the included studies，the above conclusion needs to be further verified by relevant high-quality studies.

Effects of aging on testicular autophagy and integrity of blood-testis barrier in rats / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the changes of autoph- A gy in rat testis and its effect on blood-testis barrier during aging. Methods HE staining was used to observe the morphological changes of testis in SD male rats at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months old. Western blot was used to detect the relative expression of autophagy-re-lated proteins Beclinl, ATG5, ATG7 and 1X13II, and the blood-testis barrier related connexins Occludin and (3-catenin. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the expression and localization of the autophagy-associated proteins Beclinl and LC3, as well as the protein of the cell connexin p-catenin. Results HE staining showed that the morphology and structure of rat testis changed significantly during the aging process, the seminiferous tubules atrophied, the number of spermatogenic cells decreased, the gap between cells increased, and partial shedding occurred. Western blot results showed that the relative expression of autophagy-related proteins Beclinl, ATG5, ATG7 and LC3II, and the blood-testis barrier-related proteins Occludin and p-catenin gradually decreased during aging. The results of immunofluorescence showed that the autophagy marker proteins Beclinl and LC3 were down-regulated in rat seminiferous epithelial cells during the aging process, and the expression of the blood-testis barrier marker protein p-catenin also gradually decreased. Conclusions During the aging process, the spermato-genic function of the testis is reduced in rats, and the mechanism is related to the decrease of the autophagy level of testicular spermatogenic epithelial cells, which in turn destroys the integrity of the blood testis barrier.

Serum inhibin B and varicocele: An update / 中华男科学杂志

Inhibin B, a glycoprotein produced predominantly by Sertoli cells and preferentially suppressing the production and secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in the pituitary, is closely related to spermatogenesis. Varicocele is the abnormal dilatation and tortuosity of the pampiniform plexus veins, which may contribute to spermatogenic dysfunction and male infertility. More and more evidence has shown that the level of serum inhibin B is negatively correlated with the severity of varicocele. Determination of the inhibin B level may help assess the severity of spermatogenic dysfunction of the patient and predict the outcomes of varicocele repair and therefore has a potential application value in the diagnosis and treatment of varicocele.

Lipoic acid protects spermatogenesis in male rats with ornidazole-induced oligoasthenozoospermia / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>Objective</b>To study the protective effect of lipoic acid (LA) on the spermatogenic function of the male rats with oligoasthenozoospermia induced by ornidazole (ORN).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seventy male SD rats were equally randomized into groups A (solvent control: 1 ml 0.5% CMC-Na + 1 ml olive oil), B (low-dose ORN model: 400 mg/kg ORN suspension + 1 ml olive oil), C (low-dose ORN + low-dose LA treatment: 400 mg/kg ORN + 50 mg/kg LA), D (low-dose ORN + high-dose LA treatment: 400 mg/kg ORN + 100 mg/kg LA), E (high-dose ORN model: 800 mg/kg ORN suspension + 1 ml olive oil), F (high-dose ORN + low-dose LA treatment: 800 mg/kg ORN + 50 mg/kg LA), and G (high-dose ORN + high-dose LA treatment: 800 mg/kg ORN + 100 mg/kg LA), and treated respectively for 20 successive days. Then all the rats were sacrificed and the weights of the body, testis, epididymis and seminal vesicle obtained, followed by calculation of the organ index, determination of epididymal sperm concentration and motility, and observation of the histomorphological changes in the testis and epididymis by HE staining.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with group A, group E showed significantly decreased body weight (［117.67 ± 11.53］ vs ［88.11 ± 12.65］ g, P < 0.01) and indexes of the testis (［1.06 ± 0.12］ vs ［0.65 ± 0.13］ %, P < 0.01) and epididymis (［0.21 ± 0.03］ vs ［0.17 ± 0.01］ %, P < 0.01). In comparison with group E, group F exhibited remarkable increases in the epididymal index (［0.17 ± 0.01］ vs ［0.20 ± 0.02］ %, P < 0.01), and so did group G in the body weight (［88.11 ± 12.65］ vs ［102.70 ± 16.10］ g, P < 0.05) and the indexes of the testis (［0.65 ± 0.13］ vs ［0.95 ± 0.06］ %, P < 0.01) and epididymis (［0.17 ± 0.01］ vs ［0.19 ± 0.02］ %, P < 0.05), but no obvious difference was observed in the index of seminal vesicle among different groups. Compared with group A, group B manifested significant decreases in sperm motility (［74.12 ± 8.73］ vs ［40.25 ± 6.08］ %, P < 0.01), and so did group E in sperm count (［38.59 ± 6.40］ vs ［18.67 ± 4.59］ ×105/100 mg, P < 0.01) and sperm motility (［74.12 ± 8.73］ vs ［27.58 ± 8.43］ %, P < 0.01). Sperm motility was significantly lower in group B than in C and D (［40.25 ± 6.08］ vs ［58.13 ± 7.62］ and ［76.04 ± 8.44］%, P < 0.01), and so were sperm count and motility in group E than in F and G (［18.67 ± 4.59］ vs ［25.63 ± 9.66］ and ［29.92 ± 4.15］ ×105/100 mg, P < 0.05 and P < 0.01; ［27.58 ± 8.43］ vs ［36.56 ± 11.08］ and ［45.05 ± 9.59］ %, P < 0.05 and P < 0.01). There were no obvious changes in the histomorphology of the testis and epididymis in groups A, B, C and D. Compared with group A, group E showed necrotic and exfoliated spermatogenic cells with unclear layers and disorderly arrangement in the seminiferous tubules and remarkably reduced sperm count with lots of noncellular components in the epididymal cavity, while groups F and G exhibited increased sperm count in the seminiferous tubules and epididymis lumen, also with exfoliation, unclear layers and disorderly arrangement of spermatogenic cells, but significantly better than in group E.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>LA can reduce ORN-induced damage to the spermatogenetic function of rats, improve sperm quality, and protect the reproductive system.</p>

Aerobic exercise improves spermatogenesis of male rats: Results of iTRAQ-based proteomic analysis of the testis tissue / 中华男科学杂志

Objective@#To investigate the effect of aerobic exercise on the spermatogenic function of male rats and screen out differentially expressed proteins related to spermatonesis-regulation by proteomic analysis.@*METHODS@#We randomly divided 24 SD male rats into groups A (non-exercise control), B (exercise), and C (weight-bearing exercise), those in the latter two groups made to swim for 60 minutes a day and those in group C bearing a load 3% of the body weight, both 6 times a week for 9 weeks. At 24 hours after the last exercise, we obtained the sperm count, measured the levels of such serum reproductive hormones as testosterone (T), luteotrophic hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH), and employed isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)-based proteomic analysis of the testicular tissue.@*RESULTS@#Compared with group A, group C showed significant increases in sperm concentration (［2.12 ± 0.43］ vs ［3.54 ± 0.52］ ×10⁶/ml, P 0.05) and FSH (［20.49 ± 2.44］ vs ［22.29 ± 2.31］ IU/L, P >0.05). No significant changes were observed in sperm concentration or reproductive hormone levels in group B as compared with A. Group B exhibited obviously more mature sperm and cell layers in the seminiferous epithelium than group A. A total of 47 differentially expressed proteins were identified, of which 37 were up-regulated and the other 10 down-regulated. In addition, another 5 significantly differentially expressed proteins closely related to reproductive function were identified, including up-regulated Anx A1, GPX3, Rimbp3, and Dpy19l2 and down-regulated CYP17. Enrichment analysis showed that the differentially expressed proteins were mainly involved in extracellular matrix-receptor interaction, protein digestion and absorption, and focal adhesion pathways.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Proper-intensity exercise can improve the spermatogenic function of rats. Aerobic exercise promotes spermatogenesis mainly by up-regulating the expressions of the proteins related to the production and differentiation of spermatozoa.

The correlation analysis of testicular sperm function with reproductive hormone level and testicular volume / 中华内分泌外科杂志

Objective Through testicular sperm aspiration (TESA),testicular biopsy,and detection of serum reproductive hormone levels and testicular volume in azoospermia patients,to explore the correlation between spermatogenic function of testis and serum FSH,LH,INHB levels,and testicular volume.Methods 76 cases of azoospermia patients were collected as the research objects.Chemiluminescence method was employed to detect the levels of serum reproductive hormone,and testis model was used to detect testicular volume.Routine disinfection was given to make TESA.According to TESA results,patients were divided into sperm group (group A),and azoospermia group (group B).According to testicular biopsy results,patients were divided into normal spermatogenic function group (group C),sperm maturation block group(group D),permatogenic dysfunction group (group E),and sertoli-cell-only syndrome group (group F).At the same time,40 cases of healthy male were selected as the control group (group G),and they received sperm routine examination,serum reproductive hormone and testicular volume detection.Results The level of serum FSH,LH,INHB and testicular volume in group A and C had no significant difference compared with that in group G(P＞0.05).The level of serum FSH and LH was significantly higher in group C than that in group G.The level of serum INHB and testicular volume was significantly lower than that in group G (P＜0.05).The level of serum FSH in group E was higher than in group G.The level of serum INHB in group D and E was lower than that in group G,and the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05).Spearman correlation analysis showed that the spermatogenic function of testis was negatively correlated with serum FSH and LH levels,and positively correlated with serum INHB level and testicular volume (P＜0.05).Conclusion The detection of serum FSH,LH,INHB levels and testicular volume has important clinical value for predicting testicular spermatogenie function in azoospermia patients,and can be used to guide clinical testicular sperm aspiration.