Effect of sorafenib on sperm count and sperm motility in male Swiss albino mice

SP-Max-A herbomineral formulation attenuates busulfan-induced oligospermia in mice by preventing loss of reproductive hormones

SP-Max herbal capsule formulation contains Withania somnifera, Asparagus recemosus, Mucuna pruriens, Chlorophytum arundinaceum, Ipomoea digitata, and Dioscorea bulbifera which are reported in the 'Ayurveda', an Indian Traditional System of medicine as aphrodisiacs. The present study focused on the effect of herbomineral formulation, SP-Max in the treatment of oligospermia. Oligospermia was induced in male Swiss Albino mice by a single intraperitoneal injection of busulfan at a dose of 45 mg/kg. SP-Max herbomineral formulation was given at various doses of 130, 270, and 390 mg/kg for 45 days. Treatment with SP-Max herbomineral formulation at 130, 270 and 390 mg/kg doses significantly improved the sperm count, sperm motility and viability (p < 0.001). SP-Max treatment at a dose of 390 mg/kg significantly prevented the loss of anti-oxidant enzymes in testicular cells. SP-Max prevented the reduction in the level of testosterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone. Histological findings showed that SP-Max treatment prevented degeneration of spermatid, interstitial cells, and Sertoli cells of the testes and also improved epididymal sperm count. High dose of SP-Max treatment i.e 390 mg/kg found to be more effective. Results showed that SP-Max herbomineral formulation is an effective treatment option for oligospermia by decreasing free radical damage to the testes and improving the levels of reproductive hormones.

https://elsevier.proofcentral.com/en-us/landing-page.html?token=baf280639f2773e07701834b1c13daInhibition of spermatogenesis by hypoxia is mediated by V-ATPase via the JNK/c-Jun pathway in mice

Spermatocyte apoptosis is the primary cause of a poor outcome after hypoxia-triggered spermatogenesis reduction (HSR). Vacuolar H⁺-ATPase (V-ATPase) is involved in the regulation of hypoxia-induced spermatocyte apoptosis; however, the underlying mechanism remains to be elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of V-ATPase deficiency on spermatocyte apoptosis and the relationship between c-Jun and apoptosis in primary spermatocytes induced by hypoxia. We found that mice under hypoxia exposure for 30 days demonstrated a marked spermatogenesis reduction and downregulation of V-ATPase expression, which were assessed by a TUNEL assay and western blotting, respectively. V-ATPase deficiency resulted in more severe spermatogenesis reduction and spermatocyte apoptosis after hypoxia exposure. We also observed that silencing V-ATPase expression enhanced JNK/c-Jun activation and death receptor-mediated apoptosis in primary spermatocytes. However, inhibition of c-Jun attenuated V-ATPase deficiency-induced spermatocyte apoptosis in primary spermatocytes. In conclusion, the data in this study suggest that V-ATPase deficiency aggravated hypoxia-induced spermatogenesis reduction by promoting spermatocyte apoptosis in mice via the JNK/c-Jun pathway.

Fertility preservation and PGT-M in women with familial adenomatous polyposis-associated desmoid tumours

RESEARCH QUESTION

Is ovarian stimulation and pregnancy in women with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP)-associated desmoid tumours safe?

DESIGN

The study included women with FAP-associated desmoid tumours who underwent fertility treatments at the authors' tertiary medical centre between the years 2011 and 2021. Data were collected from the fertility unit's charts and from the oncological registries. The main outcome measures were the number of vitrified oocytes and embryos, and the number of live births in preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic/single gene defects (PGT-M) cycles.

RESULTS

Overall, 17 women were identified suitable for this study. A total of 117 mature oocytes were vitrified for fertility preservation and 106 embryos were submitted to PGT-M. One patient returned to claim her cryopreserved oocytes, and five patients who underwent PGT-M embryo transfer reported three live births. A statistically significant decrease in selected fertility cycle parameters was observed in one woman who co-administered sorafenib (a multikinase inhibitor) during her first cycles of treatment, as the mean number of oocytes before and after was 2.7 (±1.3) versus 13.2 (±3.3) (P = 0.02), the mean number of metaphase II oocytes was 2.2 (±2.1) versus 7.7 (±2.6) (P = 0.007), and the mean number of two-pronuclei oocytes was 0.5 (±1.1) versus 3.5 (±1.7) (P = 0.09). Three patients had a median desmoid tumour growth on magnetic resonance imaging of 6.2 (2.9-7.2) cm when compared with prior ovarian stimulation imaging.

CONCLUSIONS

Ovarian stimulation for women with desmoid tumours was characterized in some patients with an acceleration in tumour growth, regardless of the use of aromatase inhibitors. The use of sorafenib should be carefully considered during the course of fertility treatment.

Does Abatacept Induce Testicular Toxicity?

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to demonstrate the effect of subcutaneous injections of abatacept on the histology of testes in mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study included 20 male BALB/c mice (average weight, 25 g; aged 12-14 weeks). Ten mice received subcutaneous (SC) injections of abatacept [0.25 mg per 25 g body weight per 0.03 mL normal saline (NS)] at zero, two, four and eight weeks. As the control group, 10 mice received SC injections of NS (0.03 mL). At the post-injection 10th week, the mice were sacrificed, and histopathological studies were conducted.

RESULTS

The results showed that 3/10 mice died of the abatacept-treated group. Testicular histology for the abatacept-treated group showed that 7/7 displayed no histopathological changes.

CONCLUSION

To our knowledge, this is the first control-blinded study of BALB/c mice suggesting that abatacept may not have testicular toxicity. Further fertility and testicular toxicology evaluations including semen analysis and gonadal hormones should be performed to clarify our findings.

[Andrological consultation in new systemic oncological therapies with small molecules]

Small molecules are rapidly broadening the spectrum of systemic oncologic therapies. Targets of those drugs are-among others-tyrosine and serine/threonine kinases like VEGF-R, EGF-R, Bcr-Abl, c‑kit, JAK, CDK as well as BRAF and MEK. Clinical data of potential risks to male fertility are still very limited and are generally only available for older preparations. In addition, they are often multikinase inhibitors, so that even small molecules with the same (main) target are not completely comparable. For fertility protection, sperm cryopreservation should be offered to men seeking fatherhood before starting targeted therapy.

The impact of drugs on male fertility: a review

Beside cytotoxic drugs, other drugs can impact men's fertility through various mechanisms. Via the modification of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis hormones or by non-hormonal mechanisms, drugs may directly and indirectly induce sexual dysfunction and spermatogenesis impairment and alteration of epididymal maturation. This systematic literature review summarizes existing data about the negative impact and associations of pharmacological treatments on male fertility (excluding cytotoxic drugs), with a view to making these data more readily available for medical staff. In most cases, these effects on spermatogenesis/sperm maturation/sexual function are reversible after the discontinuation of the drug. When a reprotoxic treatment cannot be stopped and/or when the impact on semen parameters/sperm DNA is potentially irreversible (Sulfasalazine Azathioprine, Mycophenolate mofetil and Methotrexate), the cryopreservation of spermatozoa before treatment must be proposed. Deleterious impacts on fertility of drugs with very good or good level of evidence (Testosterone, Sulfasalazine, Anabolic steroids, Cyproterone acetate, Opioids, Tramadol, GhRH analogues and Sartan) are developed.