Expression of DKKL1 in spermatozoa of men with asthenospermia / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the expression of DKKL1 in ejaculated spermatozoa of normal fertile men and men with asthenospermia and investigate the role of DKKL1 in the pathogenesis of asthenospermia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The characteristics of semen samples collected from normal fertile men and men with asthenospermia were analyzed using computer-assisted sperm analysis according to WHO criteria. The ejaculated sperms were isolated by Percoll discontinuous density gradients to detect the expression of DKKL1 mRNA and protein using real-time PCR and Western blotting.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expression of DKKL1 mRNA was significantly down-regulated by 11.1 times in asthenospermic men as compared with that in normal fertile men (P<0.01). Western blotting showed that the expression of DKKL1 protein was down-regulated by 2.4 times in asthenospermic men compared to normal fertile men.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The expression of DKKL1, which may play an important role in sperm motility,is significantly decreased in ejaculated spermatozoa of men with asthenospermia.</p>

Effects of raloxifene at two different doses for ovulation induction on endometrial pinopodes in mice during the implantation window / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the expression of pinopodes, the marker of endometrial receptivity, during the implantation window in Kunming mice stimulated with two different doses of raloxifene (RAL).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-eight 8-week-old female Kunming mice were randomly divided into 4 groups (n=12), namely saline group, clomiphene citrate (CC, 18 mg/kg) group, RAL (33 mg/kg) group and RAL (44 mg/kg group). In each group, the mice received intragastric administration of 1 mL of normal saline containing CC or RAL at the specified doses or saline only as indicated for ovulation induction, once daily for 2 days. The mice received then injection with 5 IU human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and mated and on day 4.5 of gestation, the pregnant mice were sacrificed for examination of the uterus with scanning electron microscopy.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Abundant and well developed pinopodes were observed in the endometrium of the mice in the 2 RAL groups and in the saline control group. The mice in CC group showed obviously reduced endometrial pinopodes with poor development.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>RAL at two different doses does not obviously affect the expression of pinopodes in the uterine epithelium of mice, suggesting the safety of RAL at these two doses for ovulation induction without causing adverse effects on endometrial receptivity.</p>