Reprotoxic activities of vildagliptin administration in male Wistar rats

Vildagliptin is an oral hypoglycemic agent used in the management of diabetes. Some oral antidiabetic drugs have been implicated in reproductive toxicity.The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of daily administration of vildagliptin at different dosages (0.35 mg/kg B.W., 0.70 mg/kg B.W. and 1.40 mg/kg B.W.) to male Wistar rats for 8 weeks. Sperm parameters, serum concentrations of testosterone, follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone and the histology of the testis of the rats were assessed. Another set of rats were also treated for 8 weeks and allowed to recover and the same parameters were assessed in them. Fertility study was conducted by determining their litter size. The results showed that vildagliptin administration significantly reduced sperm count and motility of the treated rats. It also significantly increased the number of abnormal sperms. Serum level of testosterone was significantly decreased while luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone levels showed no significant change. The histoarchitecture of the testis of the treated rats appeared visibly normal. The litter size was also significantly reduced. Most of the changes observed were dose dependent. However, these parameters were restored towards normal in the recovery group. Our results suggest that vildagliptin adversely affected sperm parameters, affected litter size and disrupted the pituitary - gonadal axis. These changes were however reversed upon cessation of drug administration.

Another reason for impeccable oral hygiene: oral hygiene-sperm count link.

OBJECTIVES: 1. To investigate the relationship between periodontitis and infertility. 2. To evaluate the importance of oral hygiene to general health. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty-six men requiring seminal fluid analysis as part of an on-going investigation for infertility in their spouses were serially recruited into the study. Basic dental and periodontal examination were performed. Each participant was also screened for periodontitis using a lateral flow immunoassay kit which detected levels of active membrane metalloproteinase-8. RESULTS were read-off as a color change. Due to some incomplete entries, only 76 participants were involved in the final data analysis. RESULTS: There were 55 subjects with subnormal counts (of which ten were found to be azoospermic, 41 oligospermic) and 25 normospermic controls. A positive association was found between periodontitis and subnormal sperm count in only one age group but statistically significant association was found between poor oral hygiene and subnormal sperm count across all age groups. CONCLUSION: For the first time, there appears to be a significant association between poor oral and subnormal sperm count. There also appears to an association between chronic periodontitis and subnormal sperm count. These relationships warrant further investigation. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: There appears to be a link between poor oral hygiene and low sperm count.

Análisis de la dinámica de la fragmentación de ADN en espermatozoides para la optimización de la Inseminación Artificial Intrauterina / Dynamic analysis of sperm DNA fragmentation for optimizing intrauterine artificial insemination

Introducción y Objetivos: De forma normal existe un porcentaje de espermatozoides con ADN fragmentado en el eyaculado. Sin embargo, la manipulación de las muestras de semen para R.A. puede aumentar el grado basal de fragmentación. Aunque los mecanismos de procesamiento del semen que pueden afectar a la fragmentación no son todavía conocidos, el objetivo es analizar la influencia del swim-up en la dinámica de fragmentación del ADN espermático a lo largo del tiempo en las mismas condiciones en las que se procesa el semen para IAC, y evaluar si la fragmentación del ADN espermático tras swim-up, así como su evolución en el tiempo puede predecir la posibilidad de gestación en IAC. Material y métodos: Las muestras de semen utilizadas se han obtenido de 25 parejas en tratamiento de IAC el mismo día de la Inseminación. La fragmentación del ADN se midió con el Kit Halosperm (SCD). Se empleó la T de Student para la comparación estática de medias entre ambos grupos y tests de regresión lineal, exponencial y logarítmica para el estudio dinámico. Resultados: En todo momento, dentro del intervalo estudiado, el índice de fragmentación del semen capacitado se mantiene significativamente inferior al del semen fresco. Conclusiones: Los resultados apoyan la idea de que la centrifugación que conlleva el swim-up no induce daño adicional en el ADN espermático y que es recomendable utilizar las muestras de semen post swimup para inseminación en un intervalo de una hora (AU)

Introduction: A certain level of damaged DNA is present in mature sperm cells after a natural ejaculation. Additionally, sperm management for artificial reproduction techniques (ART) may increase the basal rate of DNA damage. Unfortunately, the mechanisms and processes involved in Sperm DNA Fragmentation (SDF) are not fully illuminated. The main aim of this investigation was to analyse the influence of swim-up on the evolution of sperm DNA fragmentation values over time, emulating the experiment within the same set-up of sperm handling as used for insemination and to evaluate whether the degree of sperm DNA fragmentation as well the evolution over time can predict IUI outcome. Material and methods: Semen samples were obtained from couples undergoing IUI (only one cycle per couple was included) for infertility treatment at the Clinica Tambre in Madrid, Spain. A total of 25 males provided 25 samples that were analysed. SDF fragmentation was assessed using the sperm chromatin dispersion (SCD) test using the Halosperm kit (Halotech DNA, Madrid). Statistical analysis was performed using T-Student and regression analysis . Results: Mean values of DNA fragmentation in the spermatozoa prepared by swim-up are lower than before selection in all times studied. Conclusion: The results of this study support the notion that the swim-up technique, as practised in our laboratory, does no induce DNA damage to human spermatozoa, as assessed by SCD assay. We therefore propose that sperm samples be used before an hour after processing in intrauterine insemination (AU)