• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• 제49권1호
• /
• pp.57-61
• /
• 2022

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate whether human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) therapy is beneficial for improving semen parameters and clinical hypogonadism symptoms in hypogonadic oligozoospermic or severe oligozoospermic men with low or borderline testosterone levels. Methods: A weekly dose of 250 ㎍ (equivalent to approximately 6,500 IU) of hCG was administered subcutaneously for 3-6 months to 56 hypogonadic oligozoospermic or severe oligozoospermic men. Semen, biochemical, and genetic analyses were performed before the start of treatment followed by analyzing semen parameters every 3 months after the start of therapy. We grouped participants into responders and non-responders depending on positive changes in semen parameters. Results: Out of 56 men, 47 (83.93%) responded, while 9 (16.07%) did not. Upon statistical analysis, it was found that age did not affect the overall outcomes (p=0.292); however, men with higher body mass index (BMI; 28.09±3.48 kg/m²) showed better outcomes than those with low BMI (25.33±3.06 kg/m²) (p=0.042). The duration of therapy (in months) was higher in non-responders than in responders (p=0.020). We found significant improvements in sperm concentration (p=0.006) and count (p=0.005) after 3 months of therapy. Sperm motility and progressive motility were also found to be higher in responders, but did not show statistically significant changes. Conclusion: We conclude that hCG therapy can be beneficial in men with hypogonadic oligozoospermia or severe oligozoospermia.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• 제46권4호
• /
• pp.173-177
• /
• 2019

Objective: We investigated the clinical characteristics of men with testosterone replacement therapy (TRT)-induced hypogonadism and its effect on assisted reproductive technology (ART) in infertile couples. Methods: This study examined the records of 20 consecutive male patients diagnosed with azoospermia or severe oligozoospermia (< 5 × 10⁶/mL) who visited a single infertility center from January 2008 to July 2018. All patients were treated at a primary clinic for erectile dysfunction or androgen deficiency symptoms combined with low serum testosterone. All men received a phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor and TRT with testosterone undecanoate (Nebido^®) or testosterone enanthate (Jenasteron^®). Patients older than 50 years or with a chronic medical disease such as diabetes were excluded. Results: The mean age of patients was 37 years and the mean duration of infertility was 16.3 ± 11.6 months. At the initial presentation, eight patients had azoospermia, nine had cryptozoospermia, and three had severe oligozoospermia. Serum follicle-stimulating hormone levels were below 1.0 mIU/mL in most patients. Three ongoing ART programs with female factor infertility were cancelled due to male spermatogenic dysfunction; two of these men had normal semen parameters in the previous cycle. After withholding TRT, serum hormone levels and sperm concentrations returned to normal range after a median duration of 8 months. Conclusion: TRT with high-dose testosterone can cause spermatogenic dysfunction due to suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis, with adverse effects on infertility treatment programs. TRT is therefore contraindicated for infertile couples attempting to conceive, and the patient's desire for fertility must be considered before initiation of TRT in a hypogonadal man.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• 제29권4호
• /
• pp.303-310
• /
• 2002

Objective s: To estimate the frequency of Y chromosome microdeletions in the Korean population of infertile men and to evaluate the relationship between microdeletion on the Y chromosome and clinical phenotypes of infertile men with idiopathic azoospermia and oligozoospermia. Materials and Methods: Genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples collected from 330 infertile men attending the Infertility Clinic at Samsung Cheil Hospital, Korea. Six sequence tagged sites (STSs) spanning the azoospermia factor (AZF) regions of the Y chromosome were amplified by polymerase chain reactions (PCRs). Results: Microdeletions on Y chromosome were detected in 35 (10.6%) of the 330 infertile men. Most of the microdeletions (91.4%) involved AZFb or AZFc. The high incidence of microdeletions were found in AZFc region (57.1%), but the low in AZFa (8.6%) and AZFb (5.7%). Larger microdeletions involving two or three AZF regions were detected in 28.6% of cases. All patients (6 patients) with deletion of AZFa region showed no germ cell phenotypes, Sertoli cell only syndrome or Leydig cell hyperplasia in histopathologic examinations. Conclusion: Microdeletions on the Y chromosome, especially, at AZFc/DAZ regions may be the major cause of azoospermia and severe oligozoospermia. We suggest that idiopathic infertile men have genetic counselling and microdeletion analysis on the Y chromosome before IVF-ET and ART program.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• 제14권2호
• /
• pp.193-203
• /
• 1998

The toxicity of DA-125. a new anthracycline anticancer agent, on the male reproductive system was studied in Sprague-Dawley rats. Forty male rats were rando$m\ell$y assigned to Jour groups with ten rats in each group and given single intraveneous doses of DA-125 at dose levels of 0. 12.5. 25. and 50 mg/kg body weight. On day 56 after treatment the animals were allowed to mate. and their male reproductive Junctions and organs were examined in detail. Copulated females were sacrificed on day 20 of gestation for examination of embryo-fetal development. One out of ten rats in the 50 mg/kg group died on day 12 after treatment. Clinical signs such as emaciation. sedation, anorexia. swelling. dark material around eye. alopecia. and diarrhea were observed in the 25 and/or 50 mg/kg groups. Reduction in the body weight gain. decrease in the absolute weights of testes. epididymis and seminal vesicles. and/or decrease in the number of testicular sperm heads were also found. Although histopathological changes such as atrophy of seminiferous tubules. loss or decrease of spermatogenic cells. exfoliation of spermatogenic cells. vacuolization of Sertoli cells. decrease of sperm. and/or increase of necrotic spermatogenic cells in epididymal ducts were observed. no adverse effects on the motility and morphology of epididymal sperm. copulation index. fertility index. and embryo-fetal development were detected in the 25 and 50 mg/kg groups. There were no evidences of male reproductive toxicity in the 12.5 mg/kg group. These results show that single intravenouse doses of DA-125 produce significant dose-related testicular atrophy. histopathological changes. and oligozoospermia in rats and $LD_{10}$ for DA-125 appears to be 50 mg/kg body weight.

• 한국콘텐츠학회논문지
• /
• 제16권11호
• /
• pp.767-775
• /
• 2016

볼거리(mumps)는 타액선을 비롯한 전신에 침범하는 급성 바이러스성 염증 질환으로 일측성 또는 양측성 이하선의 종창과 통증을 동반한다. 볼거리 바이러스는 공기, 타액, 소변으로 다른 사람들에게 전파 되고, 학교, 군대 등 인구밀도가 높은 집단에서 발생하며 양측 고환에 침범하는 경우는 10-60% 정도이다. 사춘기 이후에 남성 볼거리 고환염(mumps orchitis)에 이완되는 경우 1-2개월 후에 감염자의 50%에서 심한 고환 위축과 같은 합병증이 발생한다. 볼거리 고환염은 정자 수, 형태, 운동성 등에 영향을 미치고 정자감소증과 드물게 무정자증으로 인한 불임이 발생한다. 볼거리 고환염이 의심되는 경우 초기 대증적 치료를 적극적으로 함으로써 장차 성인이 되었을 때 무정자증으로 인한 불임을 예방할 수 있을 것으로 생각된다. 본 증례에서는 볼거리 고환염을 앓은 후 무정자증을 보인 2례를 경험하였기에 초음파검사와 정액검사에 대해 참고문헌과 함께 보고하고자 한다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• 제37권1호
• /
• pp.83-88
• /
• 2010

목 적: Globozoospermia는 남성불임환자의 0.1%에서 발병되는 극히 드문 정자의 형태학적 이상 증상으로 본원에서 이 증례를 경험하여 문헌고찰과 함께 보고하는 바이다. 연구방법: 2회 반복적 임신에 실패한 불임기간은 6년인 32세의 부인, 36세의 남편 부부가 본원에 내원하였으며, 정액 특수염색결과 희소정자증을 동반한 globozoospermia로 판별이 되어 미세정자주입시술을 실시하였다. 결 과: 14개의 난자가 회수되었으며 이 중 총 12개를 미세정자주입시술을 이용 수정시도를 하였고, 이 중 5개가 수정이 되어 3일 배양 후 이식하였다. 이식 결과 임신이 되었으며, 임신 39주에 건강한 남아를 출산하였다. 결 론: Globozoospermia의 경우 ICSI(미세정자주입시술)방법을 실시하더라도 수정율이 낮다. 이에 수정율 및 임신율을 높일 수 있는 방법의 개발이 필요한 것으로 사료된다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• 제21권3호
• /
• pp.247-252
• /
• 1994

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI) was known as effective method in treatments of couples who unable to be helped by conventional in vitro fertilization. In 78 treatment cycles of 78 infertile couples using ICSI performed at our infertility clinic between May and August 1994 were analyzed. These patients were classified two groups, andrological factor(AF) and non-andrological factor(non-AF) group. The AF group, which had abnormal sperm physiology, included oligozoospermia, asthenozoospermia, oligoasthenoteratozoospermia(OATS) and microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration(MESA) patients. The non-AF group, which had abnormal oocyte physiology, included abnormal zona pellucida, poor quality of oocyte and immune factor infertile patients. A single spermatozoon was injected into the ooplasm of 776 metaphase II oocytes. The fertilization rate was 44.6%(346/776) and 319 embryos were transferred. After 73 embryo transfers(93.6% of treatment cycles) 23 pregnancies were estabilshed, i. e. pregnancy rate of 29.4% per started cycle and 31.5% per embryo transfer. Fertilization rate of AF and non-AF group was 46.2% and 35.8%, pregnancy rate was 34.5%(20/58) and 20.0%(3/15), respectively. In order to increase the pregnancy rate, assisted hatching(AHA) has done after lCSl in 47 treatment cycles. Pregnancy rate of ICSI with AHA and without AHA group was 34. 0% (16/47) and 26.9%(7/26), respectively. ICSI was more effective in andrological factor infertility and the pregnancy rate was increased by ICSI with AHA procedure.

• 한국환경보건학회지
• /
• 제48권4호
• /
• pp.244-253
• /
• 2022

Background: The indiscriminate use of pesticides in Nigeria may have harmful effects on reproductive health of farmers. Objectives: This study assessed the awareness of reproductive health, serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone, estradiol, progesterone and sperm characteristics of male farmers occupationally exposed to pesticides. Methods: Eighty four male farmers were recruited for the study. Structured questionnaire was used to obtain the socio-demographic data. Blood and semen samples were collected from the subjects in the morning for hormonal assays and semen analysis using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method and SQAV sperm quality analyzer. Data were analyzed using chi square, Student's-t-test, and Regression analysis. Results: Serum FSH (p<0.01), LH (p<0.005) and Estradiol (p<0.001) were significantly higher while prolactin (p<0.02) and testosterone (p<0.001) were significantly lower among pesticides exposed farmers than nonexposed subjects. Some 34/84 (40.5%) of the pesticides exposed farmers had serum testosterone levels below the lower limit of the reference range. Those with low testosterone levels (p<0.001), also had FSH (p<0.05), LH (p<0.001) and Estradiol (p<0.002) significantly lower than those with normal testosterone levels. The sperm count among pesticides exposed farmers; total motility and percentage morphology were significantly lower than non-pesticides exposed subjects. Some 14/84 (16.7%) of the pesticides exposed farmers had sperm count below 15 million/mL (oligozoospermia). More than 70% of the farmers were not aware of the reproductive health risks associated with pesticides and only 23.8% of the farmers were using protective devices. Conclusions: Deliberate efforts to improve awareness, knowledge, personal hygiene, and interventions necessary to lessen both pesticides exposure and health risks by adopting safe practices are suggested.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• 제50권4호
• /
• pp.253-261
• /
• 2023

Objective: Azoospermia (the total absence of sperm in the ejaculate) affects approximately 10% of infertile males. Despite diagnostic advances, azoospermia remains the most challenging issue associated with infertility treatment. Our study evaluated transition nuclear protein 2 (TNP2) and synaptonemal complex protein 3 (SYCP3) polymorphisms, azoospermia factor a (AZFa) microdeletion, and gene expression levels in 100 patients with azoospermia. Methods: We investigated a TNP2 single-nucleotide polymorphism through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis using a particular endonuclease. An allele-specific PCR assay for SYCP3 was performed utilizing two forward primers and a common reverse primer in two PCR reactions. Based on the European Academy of Andrology guidelines, AZFa microdeletions were evaluated by multiplex PCR. TNP2, SYCP3, and the AZFa region main gene (DEAD-box helicase 3 and Y-linked [DDX3Y]) expression levels were assessed via quantitative PCR, and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to determine the diagnostic capability of these genes. Results: The TNP2 genotyping and allelic frequency in infertile males did not differ significantly from fertile volunteers. In participants with azoospermia, the allelic frequency of the SYCP3 mutant allele (C allele) was significantly altered. Deletion of sY84 and sY86 was discovered in patients with azoospermia and oligozoospermia. Moreover, SYCP3 and DDX3Y showed decreased expression levels in the azoospermia group, and they exhibited potential as biomarkers for diagnosing azoospermia (area under the curve, 0.722 and 0.720, respectively). Conclusion: These results suggest that reduced SYCP3 and DDX3Y mRNA expression profiles in testicular tissue are associated with a higher likelihood of retrieving spermatozoa in individuals with azoospermia. The homozygous genotype TT of the SYCP3 polymorphism was significantly associated with azoospermia.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
• /
• 제15권4호
• /
• pp.123-130
• /
• 2000

택트 스위치 제조공정 침지액의 주성분인 2-bromopropane독성에 대한 연구로 최단기의 폭로로 농도를 달리하여 3주간 반복 투여 시험을 시행하여, 흰쥐의 혈액 및 세정관의 변화를 관찰하기 위해 투여기간 동안의 체중의 변화, 고환, 간, 신장 등의 장기무게, 혈액화학과 혈액학적 분석 및 고환의 병리조직의 변화 등을 관찰하여 2-bromopropane의 급성투여 조건에서의 중독현상을 비교.분석하였다. 농도를 달리하여 투여에 따른 체중변동은 통계적으로 유의한(P<0.05)체중의 감소를 나타내었다. 1.000 mg/kg 투여군에서 백혈구수, 적혈구수, 혈구용적과 혈색소 농도에서 유의한 변화(p<0.05)를 보였다. 조직병리학적 소견으로 정 소에서는 세정관의 정조세포와 정모세포의 괴사를 볼 수 있었고, 기저막의 비후, 세정관의 Sertoli세포는 광범위하게 세포질성 공포현상을 보여주고 있다. 또한 간질조직에서는 Leydig 세포의 증식을 볼 수 있었다. 2-bromopropane의 손상부위는 조혈과 생식계가 표적으로 생각되며, 고농도 투여가 저농도 투여에 비해 독성이 심하며 독성물질의 양-반응 관계를 보여주고 있다.