Effects of hepatitis B virus on human semen parameters and sperm DNA integrity / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in semen on human semen parameters and sperm DNA integrity.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We detected HBV DNA in the semen samples of 153 HBsAg-seropositive patients by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and calculated the sperm nuclear DNA fragmentation index (DFI) by sperm chromatin dispersion (SCD) assay. We compared the semen parameters between the HBV DNA-positive group (A, n = 43) and HBV DNA-negative group (B, n = 110) and analyzed the correlation of sperm DFI with the number of HBV DNA copies in the semen.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>HBV DNA was detected in 43 (28.1%) of the 153 semen samples. No statistically significant differences were observed in age, semen volume and sperm concentration between groups A and B (P >0.05). Compared with group B, group A showed significantly decreased sperm viability ([58.0 +/- 18.8]% vs [51.4 +/-17.1]%, P<0.05), progressively motile sperm ([29.6 +/- 13.3]% vs [24.5 +/- 10.1]%, P<0.05), average straight-line velocity ([23.7 +/- 4.0] microm/s vs [19.9 +/- 4.5 ] microm/s, P<0.01) and average path velocity ([26.5 +/- 7.0] microm/s vs [23.4 +/- 5.3] microm/s, P<0.01), but remarkably decreased sperm DFI ([19.3 +/- 8.0]% vs [24.2 +/- 9.4]%, P<0.01). The number of HBV DNA copies in semen exhibited a significant positive correlation with sperm DFI (r = 0.819, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>HBV DNA in semen is not significantly associated with the number of sperm, but may affect sperm viability, velocity and DFI. There is a load-effect relationship between the number of HBV DNA copies in semen and sperm nuclear DNA integrity.</p>

Diagnostic value of p16INK4a in squamous intraepithelial lesion in gynecologic cytology / 中华病理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the diagnostic value of p16(INK4a) in squamous intraepithelial lesion in gynecologic cytology and its relationship with types of human papillomavirus (HPV).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>88 liquid-based gynecologic cytology cases with histologic correlation, including 20 cases of cervicitis, 18 cases of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL), 34 cases of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) and 16 cases of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), were enrolled into the study. Immunocytochemistry for p16(INK4a) protein and polymerase chain reaction-based HPV DNA testing (for HPV types 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 53, 56, 58, 59, 66 and 68, as well as HPV types 6, 11, 42, 43 and 44) were performed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The rate of expression of p16(INK4a) protein was 0, 27.8%, 100% and 100% in the cervicitis group, LSIL group, HSIL group and SCC group, respectively. The expression was significantly higher in the latter 3 groups than that in the cervicitis group (P < 0.01). Besides, the expression was significantly higher in cases associated with high-risk HPV genotypes (96.4%) than in cases associated with low-risk HPV genotypes (7.7%).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>p16(INK4a) is a valuable biomarker for detection of HPV-related dysplastic squamous cells, with high sensitivity and specificity.</p>