Effects of Vaccination against Recombinant FSH or LH Receptor Subunits on Gonadal Development and Functioning Male Rats.

Luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) play key roles in regulating testosterone secretion and spermatogenesis in male mammals, respectively, and they maintain the fertility of male animals by binding to their corresponding receptors. We designed and prepared a recombinant LH receptor (LHR) subunit vaccine and a recombinant FSH receptor (FSHR) subunit vaccine and used male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats as a model to examine their effects on testicular development, spermatogenesis, and testosterone secretion in prepubertal and pubertal mammals. Both vaccines (LHR-DTT and FSHR-DTT) significantly decreased the serum testosterone level in prepubertal rats (p < 0.05) but had no effect on the testosterone secretion in pubertal rats; both vaccines decreased the number of cell layers in the seminiferous tubules and reduced spermatogenesis in prepubertal and pubertal rats. Subunit vaccine FSHR-DTT decreased the sperm density in the epididymis in both prepubertal and pubertal rats (p < 0.01) and lowered testicular index and sperm motility in pubertal rats (p < 0.05), whereas LHR-DTT only reduced the sperm density in the epididymis in pubertal rats (p < 0.05). These results indicate that the FSHR subunit vaccine may be a promising approach for immunocastration, but it still needs improvements in effectiveness.

Effect of GnRH immunocastration on immune function in male rats.

The present study aimed to reveal the effects of immunocastration on the development of the immune system in rats. Seventy rats were randomly assigned into two groups: Control (n = 35) and immunized (n = 35). Twenty-day-old rats were immunized with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and booster immunization was administered every two weeks (three immunizations in total). From 20-day-old rats, we collected samples every two weeks, including five immunized rats and five control rats (seven collections in total). We collected blood samples, testicles, thymuses, and spleens. The results showed that GnRH immunization increased the GnRH antibody titers and reduced the testosterone concentration (both P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the number of CD4+CD8- cells, CD4-CD8+ cells, and CD4+CD8+ cells increased (P < 0.05) whereas the number of CD4-CD8- cells and CD4+CD25+ cells reduced in the immunized group (P < 0.05) over time. GnRH immunization also increased the relative weights of thymus and spleen (P < 0.05), serum concentrations of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17 and Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) over time (P < 0.05), and changed the mRNA levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-6. IL-10, IL-17, IFN-γ, CD4, D8, CD19 GnRH, and GnRH receptor (GnRH-R) in thymus and spleen. Thus, GnRH immunization enhanced the immune markers in thymus, spleen, and blood immune cytokines in rats.

[A randomized, double-blind, placebo-control study of once-daily inhaled tiotropium in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety between tiotropium capsule and placebo in a 12-week treatment in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS: A multi-center, randomized, double-blind, and placebo-control clinical trial was conducted in 205 patients with stable COPD. They were randomized into inhaled tiotropium 18 µg once daily or placebo, lasting for 12 weeks. The spirometry was conducted at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks after treatment. RESULTS: A total of 205 patients with stable stage I or II COPD were randomized to tiotropium and placebo groups. The improvement rate of clinical symptom in the tiotropium group was 25.2% (26/103) after a 12 week treatment, but that of the control group was 4.9% (5/102). The forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) in the tiotropium group increased (0.2 ± 0.3) L and (19.2 ± 29.1)% after the 12 week therapy, but only (0.0 ± 0.2) L and (0.8 ± 18.2)% in the placebo group. The rate of adverse reaction in the tiotropium group was 7.8% (8/103), but in the placebo group was 12.8% (13/102). The difference between the 2 groups was not significant. All adverse reactions were mild, including dry mouth and sore throat. CONCLUSIONS: This trial confirmed that tiotropium powder 18 µg once daily relieved dyspnea, prevented aggravation and improved pulmonary function, clinical symptoms and life quality. Tiotropium was a safe and effective once-daily anticholinergic bronchodilator as first-line maintenance therapy in COPD.