Effect of pyrimethamine treatment on male rat testicular cell population development.

Pyrimethamine (PYR) is a drug used in the treatment of newborn with congenital Toxoplasmosis. Even when PYR is highly specific against parasites, it may provoke neutropenia in the patients apart from other affectations, conditions that usually justify its suspension. Moreover, medication against congenital toxoplasmosis coincides with the proliferation stage of Sertoli and germ cells. Although, there are several reports on the effect of this drug on mature testes, records of its effects on the testes of young individuals yet in the process of growth are still lacking. This work was aimed to study the effects of in vivo administration of PYR in the first 21 days of life of male rat pups by evaluating their testicular alterations and its long-term sequels on fertility. Through the determination of the levels of seminiferous epithelium maturity, apoptotic index and cell proliferation index at 7, 14, 35 and 90 days post-natal using immunocytochemical studies. The fertility of the treated rats was evaluated at 90 days. PYR-treated animals were found to undergo some kind of delays in seminiferous epithelium maturity, decreased cell proliferation index and an increase in apoptosis when compared with the control (p < 0.05). Epididymal sperm counts were also affected (p < 0.05). The application of folic acid (FA) in newborns treated with PYR decreased the severity of the problem (p < 0.05). This study provides strong evidence that the effect of PYR on testicular development is specific. It reinforces the importance of FA application in neonates treated with PYR to prevent the effect of the later on spermatogenesis.

Infertility in rats subjected to genitofemoral nerve section is not associated with testicular damage.

This work was aimed at assessing the relationship between testicular ascent and infertility induced by genitofemoral nerve (GFN) section in rats. Eighteen male rats were assigned to three experimental groups as follows: (i) Group SGFN was subjected to surgical section of genitofemoral nerve; (ii) Group Sham; (iii) Control group. The GFN was cut at puberty (28D), and the contralateral testis removed at 90D, with fertility tests at 120D. At 150D, maturity index, epithelial area and histopathological index of seminiferous tubules of all rats were determined and statistically compared between superior and inferior testicle poles, and between groups. There were no differences in testicular parameters, sperm morphology or sperm concentrations (P > 0.05). Section of NGF interfered with fertility (58.3 ± 15.4 in SGFN versus 83.3 ± 10.5 in Sham) and litter size (6.2 ± 1.1 in SGFN versus 10.7 ± 1.4 in Sham). Cremaster of SGFN group showed early neuropathy. The GFN section induced partial testicular ascent and diminished fertility without damage on testicular morphology or spermatic parameters, because, cremaster could affect the contractibility and ejaculation mechanisms in which it participates. The study of the damage on cremaster induced by an injury on GFN could have an overview of the mechanisms inherent in the testicular ascent induced by this iatrogenic alteration and their potential risks on fertility.

The disruption in actin-perinuclear theca interactions are related with changes induced by cryopreservation observed on sperm chromatin nuclear decondensation of boar semen.

The perinuclear theca (PT) is a cytoskeletal structure that surrounds the mammal sperm nucleus which must be disrupted once the sperm has penetrated the oocyte to permit normal chromatin decondensation and formation of male pronucleus. F-actin is a thermo sensitive protein found in the equatorial segment which is involved in the stability of PT. It has been reported that cryopreservation induces alterations in nuclear decondensation of spermatozoa, which have been interpreted as an over condensation. The aims of the present study were identified the presence of changes in sperm sPT integrity of frozen-thawed boar spermatozoa and its effect in sperm nuclei decondensation; and whether changes in the actin cytoskeleton are involved using an in vitro model to test probably differences in a chemical decondensation (DTT/heparin) between fresh (FS) and frozen-thawed (TS) spermatozoa. Results showed an increase on sPT damage in TS (P<0.001), and significant changes in sperm chromatin nuclear decondensation (P<0.05). In same way differences on the swelling degree was found assessed by measures in equatorial region of head sperm (P<0.05). Evaluation with rodamine-labeled actin (0.2µM) showed two different patterns with differences in percentages before and after cryopreservation (P<0.001). F-actin stabilization constrained the equatorial segment of FS while this was not observed in TS. The data showed that the presence of early changes in sPT integrity and changes in the F-actin localization on TS may suggest the participation in F-actin in decondensation process and probably that the disruption of actin-PT interaction during freezing-thawing process could have far-reaching consequences for the subsequent fertility of spermatozoa.

Tratamiento de la coagulopatía en la sepsis severa / Treatment of coagulopathy in severe sepsis

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Disnea, tos y masa pulmonar / Eighty-five year old male patient with a subcutaneous mass in the right costal area

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