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He Y, Wang B, Huang J, Zhang D, Yuan Y. Environmental pollutants and male infertility: Effects on CatSper. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 277:116341. [PMID: 38653022 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Infertility is a growing health concern among many couples worldwide. Men account for half of infertility cases. CatSper, a sperm-specific Ca2+ channel, is expressed on the cell membrane of mammalian sperm. CatSper plays an important role in male fertility because it facilitates the entry of Ca2+ necessary for the rapid change in sperm motility, thereby allowing it to navigate the hurdles of the female reproductive tract and successfully locate the egg. Many pollutants present in the environment have been shown to affect the functions of CatSper and sperm, which is a matter of capital importance to understanding and solving male infertility issues. Environmental pollutants can act as partial agonists or inhibitors of CatSper or exhibit a synergistic effect. In this article, we briefly describe the structure, functions, and regulatory mechanisms of CatSper, and discuss the body of literature covering the effects of environmental pollutants on CatSper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin He
- Nanchang University Queen Mary School, Jiangxi Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Binhui Wang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China
| | - Jian Huang
- Clinical Medical Experimental Center, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China; Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Reproductive Physiology and Pathology, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China
| | - Dalei Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China; Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Reproductive Physiology and Pathology, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China
| | - Yangyang Yuan
- Clinical Medical Experimental Center, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China; Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Reproductive Physiology and Pathology, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China.
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Liang M, Ji N, Song J, Kang H, Zeng X. Flagellar pH homeostasis mediated by Na+/H+ exchangers regulates human sperm functions through coupling with CatSper and KSper activation. Hum Reprod 2024; 39:674-688. [PMID: 38366201 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deae020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Whether and how do Na+/H+ exchangers (NHEs) regulate the physiological functions of human sperm? SUMMARY ANSWER NHE-mediated flagellar intracellular pH (pHi) homeostasis facilitates the activation of the pH-sensitive, sperm-specific Ca2+ channel (CatSper) and the sperm-specific K+ channel (KSper), which subsequently modulate sperm motility, hyperactivation, flagellar tyrosine phosphorylation, and the progesterone (P4)-induced acrosome reaction. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Sperm pHi alkalization is an essential prerequisite for the acquisition of sperm-fertilizing capacity. Different sperm functions are strictly controlled by particular pHi regulatory mechanisms. NHEs are suggested to modulate sperm H+ efflux. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION This was a laboratory study that used samples from >50 sperm donors over a period of 1 year. To evaluate NHE action on human sperm function, 5-(N,N-dimethyl)-amiloride (DMA), a highly selective inhibitor of NHEs, was utilized. All experiments were repeated at least five times using different individual sperm samples or cells. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS By utilizing the pH fluorescent indicator pHrodo Red-AM, we detected alterations in single-cell pHi value in human sperm. The currents of CatSper and KSper in human sperm were recorded by the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Changes in population and single-cell Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]i) of human sperm loaded with Fluo 4-AM were measured. Membrane potential (Vm) and population pHi were quantitatively examined by a multimode plate reader after sperm were loaded with 3,3'-dipropylthiadicarbocyanine iodide and 2',7'-bis-(2-carboxyethyl)-5-(and-6)-carboxyfluorescein, acetoxymethyl ester, respectively. Sperm motility parameters were assessed by a computer-assisted semen analysis system. Tyrosine phosphorylation was determined by immunofluorescence, and sperm acrosome reaction was evaluated by Pisum sativum agglutinin-FITC staining. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE DMA-induced NHEs inhibition severely acidified the human sperm flagellar pHi from 7.20 ± 0.04 to 6.38 ± 0.12 (mean ± SEM), while the effect of DMA on acrosomal pHi was less obvious (from 5.90 ± 0.13 to 5.57 ± 0.12, mean ± SEM). The whole-cell patch-clamp recordings revealed that NHE inhibition remarkably suppressed alkalization-induced activation of CatSper and KSper. As a consequence, impairment of [Ca2+]i homeostasis and Vm maintenance were detected in the presence of DMA. During the capacitation process, pre-treatment with DMA for 2 h potently decreased sperm pHi, which in turn decreased sperm motility and kinetic parameters. Sperm capacitation-associated functions, including hyperactivation, tyrosine phosphorylation, and P4-induced acrosome reaction, were also compromised by NHE inhibition. LARGE SCALE DATA N/A. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION This was an in vitro study. Caution should be taken when extrapolating these results to in vivo applications. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS This study revealed that NHEs are important physiological regulators for human CatSper and KSper, which are indispensable for human sperm fertility, suggesting that malfunction of NHEs could be an underlying mechanism for the pathogenesis of male infertility. FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32271167 and 81871202 to X.Z.), Jiangsu Innovation and Entrepreneurship Talent Plan (JSSCRC20211543 to X.Z.), the Social Development Project of Jiangsu Province (No. BE2022765 to X.Z.), the Society and livelihood Project of Nantong City (No. MS22022087 to X.Z.), and the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20220608 to H.K.). The authors have no competing interests to declare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Liang
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Nanxi Ji
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Jian Song
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center of Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Hang Kang
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Xuhui Zeng
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
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Wang X, Kang C, Guo W, Yuan L, Zhang H, Zhang Q, Xiao Q, Hao W. Chlormequat chloride induced activation of calmodulin mediated PI3K/AKT signaling pathway led to impaired sperm quality in pubertal mice. Food Chem Toxicol 2024; 185:114475. [PMID: 38286265 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2024.114475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Chlormequat chloride (CCC), as a widely used plant growth regulator, can cause impaired sperm quality and decreased testosterone synthesis in pubertal rats, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the toxicokinetics and tissue distribution of CCC, as well as the possible mechanism of CCC-induced impairment in sperm quality. The concentration of CCC reached its peak 1 h after a single dose (200 mg/kg·bw) administration in mice plasma, and a bimodal phenomenon appeared in the testes, liver, and epididymis. In vivo, 200 mg/kg CCC caused testicular damage and impaired sperm quality in pubertal mice, and the expression of p-tyrosine and GSK3α decreased in cauda epididymidis, sperm and testes. CCC also caused the down-regulation of AKAP4 and the up-regulation of calmodulin (CaM), and activated the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in the testes. In vitro, CCC reduced the levels of p-tyrosine, AKAP4 and GSK3α, increased the level of CaM and activated the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in GC-1 cells. CaM antagonist (W-7 hydrochloride) and PI3K inhibitor (LY294002) can effectively improve the expression of GSK3α and AKAP4 by suppressing the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in GC-1 cells treated with CCC. It was indicated that CCC induced impairment in sperm quality might be partially related to the activation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway mediated by CaM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxia Wang
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, PR China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Toxicological Research and Risk Assessment for Food Safety, Beijing, 100191, PR China
| | - Chenping Kang
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, PR China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Toxicological Research and Risk Assessment for Food Safety, Beijing, 100191, PR China
| | - Wanqian Guo
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, PR China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Toxicological Research and Risk Assessment for Food Safety, Beijing, 100191, PR China
| | - Lilan Yuan
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, PR China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Toxicological Research and Risk Assessment for Food Safety, Beijing, 100191, PR China
| | - Haoran Zhang
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, PR China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Toxicological Research and Risk Assessment for Food Safety, Beijing, 100191, PR China
| | - Qiong Zhang
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, PR China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Toxicological Research and Risk Assessment for Food Safety, Beijing, 100191, PR China
| | - Qianqian Xiao
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, PR China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Toxicological Research and Risk Assessment for Food Safety, Beijing, 100191, PR China.
| | - Weidong Hao
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, PR China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Toxicological Research and Risk Assessment for Food Safety, Beijing, 100191, PR China.
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Cao Y, Jin Z, Xi Y, Cheng J, Fang Z, Zhao Q, Weng J, Zhu J, Tang Y, Zhang Z, Jiang H. Roles of ferroptosis in type 1 diabetes induced spermatogenic dysfunction. Free Radic Biol Med 2024; 214:193-205. [PMID: 38369075 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2024.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a widespread metabolic disease presenting with various complications, including spermatogenic dysfunction. However, the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Ferroptosis, a novel type of programmed cell death, is associated with much metabolic diseases. Here, we investigated the role of ferroptosis in spermatogenic dysfunction of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetic mice (diabetic mice), high glucose (HG)-treated GC-2 cells (HG cells) as well as testicular tissues of diabetic patients. We found an accumulation of iron, elevated malondialdehyde level and reduced glutathione level in the testis tissues of diabetic mice and HG cells. Histological examination showed a decrease in spermatogenic cells and spermatids within the seminiferous tubules as well as mitochondrial shrinkage in the testis tissues of diabetic mice. Ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1), the inhibitor of ferroptosis, mitigated ferroptosis-associated iron overload, lipid peroxidation accumulation and spermatogenic dysfunction of diabetic mice. Furthermore, we observed a downregulation of GPX4, FTL and SLC7A11 in diabetic mice and HG cells. Fer-1 treatment and GPX4 overexpression counteracted the effects of HG on cell viability, reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation and glutathione via inhibition of ferroptosis. Moreover, we found an elevation of ferroptosis in testicular tissues of diabetic patients. Taken together, our results identify the crucial role of ferroptosis in diabetic spermatogenic dysfunction and ferroptosis may be a promising therapeutic target to improve spermatogenesis in diabetic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yalei Cao
- Department of Urology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zirun Jin
- Department of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China; Institute of Urology, Peking University, Beijing, China; Department of andrology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Xi
- Department of Urology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jianxing Cheng
- Department of Urology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zishui Fang
- Department of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China; Institute of Urology, Peking University, Beijing, China; Department of andrology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Qiancheng Zhao
- Department of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China; Institute of Urology, Peking University, Beijing, China; Department of andrology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jiaming Weng
- Department of Urology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Zhu
- Department of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China; Institute of Urology, Peking University, Beijing, China; Department of andrology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yanlin Tang
- Department of Urology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhe Zhang
- Department of Urology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.
| | - Hui Jiang
- Department of Urology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China; Department of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China; Institute of Urology, Peking University, Beijing, China; Department of andrology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China.
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Liang S, Yin Y, Zhang Z, Fang Y, Lu G, Li H, Yin Y, Shen M. Moxibustion prevents tripterygium glycoside-induced oligoasthenoteratozoospermia in rats via reduced oxidative stress and modulation of the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. Aging (Albany NY) 2024; 16:2141-2160. [PMID: 38277193 PMCID: PMC10911353 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT) decreases male fertility, seriously affecting the production of offspring. This study clarified the preventive impact of different moxibustion frequencies on OAT and selected the optimal frequency to elucidate the underlying mechanism. An OAT rat model was constructed by gavage of tripterygium glycosides (TGS) suspension. Daily moxibustion (DM) or alternate-day moxibustion (ADM) was administered on the day of TGS suspension administration. Finally, we selected DM for further study based on sperm quality and DNA fragmentation index, testicular and epididymal morphology, and reproductive hormone level results. Subsequently, the oxidative stress (OS) status was evaluated by observing the OS indices levels; malondialdehyde (MDA), 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) in testicular tissue using colorimetry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Furthermore, heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) and nuclear factor erythropoietin-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) were evaluated using Western blotting. Immunohistochemistry was employed to locate and assess the expression of HO-1 and Nrf2 protein, while quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was utilized to detect their mRNA expression. MDA and 8-OHdG levels decreased following DM treatment, while T-SOD and T-AOC increased, suggesting that DM may prevent TGS-induced OAT in rats by decreasing OS in the testis. Furthermore, protein and mRNA expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 in the testis were elevated, indicating that DM may reduce OS by activating the signaling pathway of Nrf2/HO-1. Therefore, DM could prevent OAT in rats via the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, thereby presenting a promising therapeutic approach against OAT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shangjie Liang
- College of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yaqun Yin
- College of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhizi Zhang
- College of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yansu Fang
- College of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ge Lu
- College of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hongxiao Li
- College of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yaoli Yin
- College of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Meihong Shen
- College of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Medicine Research of Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, China
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Jin Z, Cao Y, Wen Q, Zhang H, Fang Z, Zhao Q, Xi Y, Luo Z, Jiang H, Zhang Z, Hang J. Dapagliflozin ameliorates diabetes-induced spermatogenic dysfunction by modulating the adenosine metabolism along the gut microbiota-testis axis. Sci Rep 2024; 14:641. [PMID: 38182877 PMCID: PMC10770392 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51224-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Male infertility is one of the most common complications of diabetes mellitus (DM). Dapagliflozin is widely used to manage the type II DM. This study aimed to assess the dapagliflozin's effects on the spermatogenesis by administering either dapagliflozin (Dapa) or vehicle (db) to male db/db mice, and using littermate male db/m mice as the control (Con). We further performed the integrative analyses of the cecal shotgun metagenomics, cecal/plasmatic/testicular metabolomics, and testicular proteomics. We found that dapagliflozin treatment significantly alleviated the diabetes-induced spermatogenic dysfunction by improving sperm quality, including the sperm concentration and sperm motility. The overall microbial composition was reshaped in Dapa mice and 13 species (such as Lachnospiraceae bacterium 3-1) were regarded as potential beneficial bacteria. Metabolites exhibited modified profiles, in which adenosine, cAMP, and 2'-deoxyinosine being notably altered in the cecum, plasma, and testis, respectively. Testicular protein expression patterns were similar between the Dapa and Con mice. In vivo results indicated that when compared with db group, dapagliflozin treatment alleviated apoptosis and oxidative stress in testis tissues by down-regulating 2'-deoxyinosine. This was further validated by in vitro experiments using GC-2 cells. Our findings support the potential use of dapagliflozin to prevent the diabetes-induced impaired sperm quality and to treat diabetic male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zirun Jin
- Department of Urology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, No. 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
- Department of Urology, Department of Andrology, Peking University First Hospital, No. 8, Xishiku Street, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100034, China
| | - Yalei Cao
- Department of Urology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, No. 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Qi Wen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Female Fertility Promotion, Peking University Third Hospital, No.49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
- Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproduction, Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing, China
| | - Haitao Zhang
- Department of Urology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, No. 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Female Fertility Promotion, Peking University Third Hospital, No.49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Zhuofan Fang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Female Fertility Promotion, Peking University Third Hospital, No.49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
- Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproduction, Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing, China
| | - Qiancheng Zhao
- Department of Urology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, No. 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Yu Xi
- Department of Urology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, No. 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Zhichao Luo
- Department of Urology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, No. 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Hui Jiang
- Department of Urology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, No. 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China.
- Department of Urology, Department of Andrology, Peking University First Hospital, No. 8, Xishiku Street, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100034, China.
| | - Zhe Zhang
- Department of Urology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, No. 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Female Fertility Promotion, Peking University Third Hospital, No.49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Jing Hang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Female Fertility Promotion, Peking University Third Hospital, No.49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China.
- Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproduction, Beijing, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing, China.
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Li S, Liu Y, Zhang N, Li W, Xu WJ, Xu YQ, Chen YY, Cui X, Zhu B, Gao XY. Perspective of Calcium Imaging Technology Applied to Acupuncture Research. Chin J Integr Med 2024; 30:3-9. [PMID: 36795265 DOI: 10.1007/s11655-023-3692-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Acupuncture, a therapeutic treatment defined as the insertion of needles into the body at specific points (ie, acupoints), has growing in popularity world-wide to treat various diseases effectively, especially acute and chronic pain. In parallel, interest in the physiological mechanisms underlying acupuncture analgesia, particularly the neural mechanisms have been increasing. Over the past decades, our understanding of how the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system process signals induced by acupuncture has developed rapidly by using electrophysiological methods. However, with the development of neuroscience, electrophysiology is being challenged by calcium imaging in view field, neuron population and visualization in vivo. Owing to the outstanding spatial resolution, the novel imaging approaches provide opportunities to enrich our knowledge about the neurophysiological mechanisms of acupuncture analgesia at subcellular, cellular, and circuit levels in combination with new labeling, genetic and circuit tracing techniques. Therefore, this review will introduce the principle and the method of calcium imaging applied to acupuncture research. We will also review the current findings in pain research using calcium imaging from in vitro to in vivo experiments and discuss the potential methodological considerations in studying acupuncture analgesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sha Li
- Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Yun Liu
- Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Nan Zhang
- Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Wang Li
- Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Wen-Jie Xu
- Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Yi-Qian Xu
- Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Yi-Yuan Chen
- Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Xiang Cui
- Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Bing Zhu
- Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Xin-Yan Gao
- Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China.
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8
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Jin Z, Yang Y, Cao Y, Wen Q, Xi Y, Cheng J, Zhao Q, Weng J, Hong K, Jiang H, Hang J, Zhang Z. The gut metabolite 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid rejuvenates spermatogenic dysfunction in aged mice through GPX4-mediated ferroptosis. MICROBIOME 2023; 11:212. [PMID: 37752615 PMCID: PMC10523725 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-023-01659-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aging-related fertility decline is a prevalent concern globally. Male reproductive system aging is mainly characterized by a decrease in sperm quality and fertility. While it is known that intestinal physiology changes with age and that microbiota is shaped by physiology, the underlying mechanism of how the microbiota affects male reproductive aging is still largely unexplored. RESULTS Here, we utilized fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) to exchange the fecal microbiota between young and old mice. Cecal shotgun metagenomics and metabolomics were used to identify differences in gut microbiota composition and metabolic regulation during aging. Our results demonstrated that FMT from young to old mice alleviated aging-associated spermatogenic dysfunction through an unexpected mechanism mediated by a gut bacteria-derived metabolite, 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (3-HPAA). 3-HPAA treatment resulted in an improvement of spermatogenesis in old mice. RNA sequencing analysis, qRT-PCR and Western blot revealed that 3-HPAA induced an upregulation of GPX4, thereby restraining ferroptosis and restoring spermatogenesis. These findings were further confirmed by in vitro induction of ferroptosis and inhibition of GPX4 expression. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that the microbiome-derived metabolite, 3-HPAA, facilitates spermatogenesis of old mice through a ferroptosis-mediated mechanism. Overall, these findings provide a novel mechanism of dysregulated spermatogenesis of old mice, and suggest that 3-HPAA could be a potential therapy for fertility decline of aging males in clinical practice. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zirun Jin
- Department of Urology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
- Department of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, Xishiku Road, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100034, China
- Institute of Urology, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Department of Andrology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yuzhuo Yang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yalei Cao
- Department of Urology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Qi Wen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, State Key Laboratory of Female Fertility Promotion, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
- Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproduction, Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Xi
- Department of Urology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Jianxing Cheng
- Department of Urology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Qiancheng Zhao
- Department of Urology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Jiaming Weng
- Department of Urology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Kai Hong
- Department of Urology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, State Key Laboratory of Female Fertility Promotion, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Hui Jiang
- Department of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, Xishiku Road, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100034, China.
- Institute of Urology, Peking University, Beijing, China.
- Department of Andrology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China.
| | - Jing Hang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, State Key Laboratory of Female Fertility Promotion, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China.
- Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproduction, Beijing, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing, China.
| | - Zhe Zhang
- Department of Urology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, State Key Laboratory of Female Fertility Promotion, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China.
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9
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Lu C, Wu Z, Gao H, Li H, Deng R, Luo N, Fan S, Li X, He D, Zhao H. Sperm induce macrophage extracellular trap formation via phagocytosis-dependent mechanism. Biol Reprod 2023; 109:319-329. [PMID: 37402702 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioad068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Infertility is a public health concern worldwide. Asthenozoospermia is a common cause of male infertility and is characterized by decreased motility. Sperm motility ensures that sperm migrate to complete fertilization. Macrophages are an essential component of innate immunity in the female reproductive tract. Macrophage extracellular traps are induced by various microorganisms to capture and mediate the clearance of microorganisms. The relationship between sperm and macrophage extracellular traps is unclear. The human monocyte leukemia (THP-1) cells differentiated by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) are widely used as surrogate of human macrophages. This study investigated sperm-induced macrophage extracellular trap formation and clarified some of the mechanisms affecting macrophage extracellular trap production. Sperm-induced macrophage extracellular traps were visualized and components of macrophage extracellular traps were identified by immunofluorescence analyses and scanning electron microscopy. By inhibiting macrophage extracellular trap production and macrophage phagocytosis, the relationship between macrophage phagocytosis and macrophage extracellular trap production was analyzed. Sperm could trigger PMA-differentiated THP-1 macrophages to produce extracellular traps. Sperm-triggered macrophage extracellular traps are dependent on phagocytosis and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase. Sperm from asthenozoospermia donors are more likely to be phagocytosed by macrophages than sperm from healthy donors, which induce more macrophage extracellular trap release. These data confirm the phenomenon and partial mechanism of sperm-induced macrophage extracellular trap formation in vitro. These may partly provide evidence to explain the mechanisms of clearing abnormally morphological or hypomotile sperm in the female reproductive tract and the rationale for the decreased probability of successful fertilization in asthenozoospermia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuncheng Lu
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Province Clinical Research Center for Chronic Kidney Disease, Kunming, China
| | - Zhao Wu
- Department of Reproductive Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Hongbin Gao
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Province Clinical Research Center for Chronic Kidney Disease, Kunming, China
| | - Haiyuan Li
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Province Clinical Research Center for Chronic Kidney Disease, Kunming, China
| | - Renbin Deng
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Province Clinical Research Center for Chronic Kidney Disease, Kunming, China
| | - Ning Luo
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Province Clinical Research Center for Chronic Kidney Disease, Kunming, China
| | - Shipeng Fan
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Province Clinical Research Center for Chronic Kidney Disease, Kunming, China
| | - Xi Li
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Province Clinical Research Center for Chronic Kidney Disease, Kunming, China
| | - Danpeng He
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Province Clinical Research Center for Chronic Kidney Disease, Kunming, China
| | - Hui Zhao
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Province Clinical Research Center for Chronic Kidney Disease, Kunming, China
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10
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Chen Z, Hong Z, Wang S, Qiu J, Wang Q, Zeng Y, Weng H. Effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical intervention on sperm quality: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:204727. [PMID: 37199654 DOI: 10.18632/aging.204727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Infertility affects about 10% of the world's population and has been recognized by the WHO as a global public health problem. The aim of this network meta-analysis was to investigate the efficacy of non-pharmaceutical interventions on sperm quality. All randomized clinical trials (RCTs) from the PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang database, and Cochrane Library databases evaluating the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions on semen parameters using network meta-analyses. Results of the ω-3 fatty acid, lycopene, acupuncture, and vitamin suggested evident advantages in improving sperm concentration (MD, 9.93 (95% CI, 7.21 to 12.65)), (MD, 8.79 (95% CI, 2.67 to 14.91)), (MD, 5.40 (95% CI, 2.32 to 8.49)) and (MD, 3.82 (95% CI, 0.70 to 6.94) respectively). Acupuncture has a significant advantage over placebo in improving sperm total motility (MD, 17.81 (95% CI, 10.32 to 25.29)), and the effect of lycopene was obviously greater than that of placebo (MD, 19.91 (95% CI, 2.99 to 36.83)). Lycopene, Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), acupuncture, ω-3 fatty acid, and vitamin suggested significant advantages in improving sperm forward motility (MD, 8.64 (95% CI, 1.15 to 16.13), MD, 5.28 (95% CI, 2.70 to 7.86), MD, 3.95 (95% CI, 3.23 to 4.67), MD, 3.50 (95% CI, 2.21 to 4.79)) and (MD, 2.38 (95% CI, 0.96 to 3.80) respectively). This review establishes that non-pharmaceutical interventions, particularly acupuncture, exercise, lycopene, ω-3 fatty acids, CoQ10, zinc, vitamins, selenium, carnitine, or foods rich in these supplements, profitably improve sperm quality that may be used to treat male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zilong Chen
- Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Guangdong 518000, China
- The Fourth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong 518000, China
| | - Zhiming Hong
- Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Guangdong 518000, China
- The Fourth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong 518000, China
| | - Shengjie Wang
- Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Guangdong 518000, China
- The Fourth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong 518000, China
| | - Junfeng Qiu
- Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Guangdong 518000, China
- The Fourth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong 518000, China
| | - Quan Wang
- Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Guangdong 518000, China
- The Fourth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong 518000, China
| | - Yangling Zeng
- Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Guangdong 518000, China
- The Fourth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong 518000, China
| | - Haowei Weng
- Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Guangdong 518000, China
- The Fourth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong 518000, China
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11
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Abu-Halima M, Becker LS, Al Smadi MA, Abdul-Khaliq H, Raeschle M, Meese E. Sperm Motility Annotated Genes: Are They Associated with Impaired Fecundity? Cells 2023; 12:cells12091239. [PMID: 37174638 PMCID: PMC10177407 DOI: 10.3390/cells12091239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Sperm motility is a prerequisite for achieving pregnancy, and alterations in sperm motility, along with sperm count and morphology, are commonly observed in subfertile men. The aim of the study was to determine whether the expression level of genes annotated with the Gene Ontology (GO) term 'sperm motility' differed in sperm collected from healthy men and men diagnosed with oligoasthenozoospermia. Reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR), quantitative mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and enrichment analyses were used to validate a set of 132 genes in 198 men present at an infertility clinic. Out of the 132 studied sperm-motility-associated genes, 114 showed differentially expressed levels in oligoasthenozoospermic men compared to those of normozoospermic controls using an RT-qPCR analysis. Of these, 94 genes showed a significantly lower expression level, and 20 genes showed a significantly higher expression level. An MS analysis of sperm from an independent cohort of healthy and subfertile men identified 692 differentially expressed proteins, of which 512 were significantly lower and 180 were significantly higher in oligoasthenozoospermic men compared to those of the normozoospermic controls. Of the 58 gene products quantified with both techniques, 48 (82.75%) showed concordant regulation. Besides the sperm-motility-associated proteins, the unbiased proteomics approach uncovered several novel proteins whose expression levels were specifically altered in abnormal sperm samples. Among these deregulated proteins, there was a clear overrepresentation of annotation terms related to sperm integrity, the cytoskeleton, and energy-related metabolism, as well as human phenotypes related to spermatogenesis and sperm-related abnormalities. These findings suggest that many of these proteins may serve as diagnostic markers of male infertility. Our study reveals an extended number of sperm-motility-associated genes with altered expression levels in the sperm of men with oligoasthenozoospermia. These genes and/or proteins can be used in the future for better assessments of male factor infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masood Abu-Halima
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Saarland University Medical Center, 66421 Homburg, Germany
| | - Lea Simone Becker
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany
| | - Mohammad A Al Smadi
- Reproductive Endocrinology and IVF Unit, King Hussein Medical Centre, Amman 11733, Jordan
| | - Hashim Abdul-Khaliq
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Saarland University Medical Center, 66421 Homburg, Germany
| | - Markus Raeschle
- Department of Molecular Genetics, TU Kaiserslautern, 67653 Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Eckart Meese
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany
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12
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Shen H, Han Y, Yao C, Tao Y, Wu J, Gao C, Wu F, Liu Y. Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation for suspected laryngopharyngeal reflux disease. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2023; 280:1815-1825. [PMID: 36239783 DOI: 10.1007/s00405-022-07698-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To determine the efficacy of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) combined with proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy on symptoms and signs of patients with suspected laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD). METHODS This was a prospective randomized controlled study. Seventy patients with reflux symptom index (RSI) > 13 and reflux finding score (RFS) > 7 were recruited and received PPI alone (control group) or TEAS combined with PPI (experimental group) for 12 weeks. Patients in the experimental group received TEAS at Tiantu (RN22), Renying (ST9), and Neiguan (PC6) once a day, five times a week. RSI, RFS, throat pain visual analog score (VAS), and LPR-health-related quality-of-life (LPR-HRQL) scores were evaluated at baseline and after 4 and 12 weeks. RESULTS The decreases in total RSI and RFS, along with several subscores, were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group after 12 weeks (P < 0.05). The throat pain VAS and LPR-HRQL scores decreased significantly at 4 and 12 weeks after treatment in both groups, with significant differences between the groups (P < 0.001). No severe adverse events occurred, and the rates of adverse events were similar between the two groups. CONCLUSION Compared with PPI alone, TEAS combined with PPI showed a significantly greater improvement in symptoms, signs, and quality of life in the treatment of LPRD without increasing the occurrence of adverse effects. Therefore, TEAS could serve as a useful and safe treatment method for LPRD. TRIAL REGISTRATION Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2100046755.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailong Shen
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Shushan District, Hefei, Anhui, 230000, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanxun Han
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Shushan District, Hefei, Anhui, 230000, People's Republic of China
| | - Changyu Yao
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Shushan District, Hefei, Anhui, 230000, People's Republic of China
| | - Ye Tao
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Shushan District, Hefei, Anhui, 230000, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Wu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Shushan District, Hefei, Anhui, 230000, People's Republic of China
| | - Chaobing Gao
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Shushan District, Hefei, Anhui, 230000, People's Republic of China
| | - Feihu Wu
- Department of Otolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, People's Republic of China
| | - Yehai Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Shushan District, Hefei, Anhui, 230000, People's Republic of China.
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13
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Abd El-Emam MM, Ray MN, Ozono M, Kogure K. Heat stress disrupts spermatogenesis via modulation of sperm-specific calcium channels in rats. J Therm Biol 2023; 112:103465. [PMID: 36796910 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2023.103465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Heat is a detrimental environmental stressor that disrupts spermatogenesis and results in male infertility. Previous investigations have shown that heat stress reduces the motility, number, and fertilization ability of living spermatozoa. Sperm hyperactivation, capacitation, acrosomal reaction, and chemotaxis towards the ova are regulated by the cation channel of sperm (CatSper). This sperm-specific ion channel triggers the influx of calcium ions into sperm cells. The aim of this study in rats was to investigate whether heat treatment affected the expression levels of CatSper-1 and -2, together with the sperm parameters, testicular histology and weight. The rats were exposed to heat stress for 6 days and the cauda epididymis and testis were collected 1, 14, and 35 days after heat treatment to measure sperm parameters, gene and protein expression, testicular weight, and histology. Interestingly, we found that heat treatment caused a notable downregulation of CatSper-1 and -2 expression at all three time points. In addition, there were significant reductions in sperm motility and number and an increase in the percentage of abnormal sperm at 1 and 14 days, with cessation of sperm production at 35 days. Furthermore, expression of the steroidogenesis regulator, 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) was upregulated in the 1-, 14- and 35-day samples. Heat treatment also upregulated the expression of the apoptosis regulator, BCL2-associated X protein (BAX), decreased testicular weight, and altered testicular histology. Therefore, our data showed for the first time that heat stress downregulated CatSper-1 and -2 in the rat testis, and that this may be a mechanism involved in heat stress-induced impairment of spermatogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahran Mohamed Abd El-Emam
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, 1-78-1 Shomachi, Tokushima, 770-8505, Japan; Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, El-Shohada, Moawwad, Qesm Awel AZ, Zagazig, 44511, Egypt
| | - Manobendro Nath Ray
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, 1-78-1 Shomachi, Tokushima, 770-8505, Japan
| | - Mizune Ozono
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, 1-78-1 Shomachi, Tokushima, 770-8505, Japan
| | - Kentaro Kogure
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, 1-78-1 Shomachi, Tokushima, 770-8505, Japan.
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14
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Zhu F, Zhao B, Wu J, Yin S, Ma T, Li Z, Zhu X, Wang T, Yang B, Che D. Effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation on pregnancy outcomes in women with in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1068894. [PMID: 36578784 PMCID: PMC9791369 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1068894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on pregnancy outcomes in women undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET), in order to provide evidence-based medical support. Methods: We searched the Cochrane Library, Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, SinoMed, and CNKI for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from inception to 31 May 2022, using the search terms "transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation," "TEAS," "in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer," "IVF-ET," "randomized controlled trial," and "clinical trials." The experimental group was treated with TEAS or combined with ovulation-inducing medication, and the control group was treated with mock TEAS (mTEAS), ovulation-inducing medication, or no intervention. The main outcome was the clinical pregnancy rate. Secondary outcomes were the embryo implantation rate, live birth rate, biochemical pregnancy rate, and number of oocytes retrieved. Stata15.1 software was used for data summary and analysis. Results: This review involved 15 RCTs and 4,281 participants. TEAS were superior to the control group for improving the clinical pregnancy rate [RR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.19 to 1.40; p < 0.001; I2 = 23.0%], embryo implantation rate [RR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.22 to 1.69; p < 0.001; I2 = 35.9%], live birth rate [RR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.14 to 1.54; p < 0.001; I2 = 47.3%], and biochemical pregnancy rate [RR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.05 to 1.26; p = 0.003; I2 = 49.1%], without significant heterogeneity. TEAS had no statistically significant effect on the number of oocytes retrieved as compared with the control group, and the heterogeneity was high [SMD: 0.34, 95% CI: -0.04 to 0.72; p = 0.081; I2 = 77.6%]. We performed subgroup analysis based on the sample size, interventions and intervention time-point. The results showed that the sample size had no effect on the results. There was no significant difference between TEAS and ovulation-inducing medication in the clinical pregnancy rate or the embryo implantation rate. In addition, TEAS did not significantly increase the embryo implantation rate or the live birth rate, compared with no intervention. In terms of safety, mild allergic symptoms were found in both the experimental group and the control group. Conclusion: In general, existing evidence supports the potential value of TEAS as an adjunctive treatment for improving pregnancy outcomes. High-quality, large-sample RCTs are needed to further support this conclusion. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=334892, identifier PROSPERO CRD42022334892.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengya Zhu
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China,Traditional Chinese Medicine Department, Zigong First People’s Hospital, Zigong, China
| | - Bo Zhao
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Jie Wu
- Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Shao Yin
- Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Tingting Ma
- Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Zimeng Li
- The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Chengdu, China
| | - Xinyun Zhu
- People's Hospital of Leshan, Leshan, China
| | - Tianyu Wang
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Bin Yang
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Deya Che
- Traditional Chinese Medicine Department, Zigong First People’s Hospital, Zigong, China,*Correspondence: Deya Che,
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15
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Lv JL, Wu QJ, Wang XB, Du Q, Liu FH, Guo RH, Leng X, Pan BC, Zhao YH. Intake of ultra-processed foods and asthenozoospermia odds: A hospital-based case-control study. Front Nutr 2022; 9:941745. [PMID: 36337657 PMCID: PMC9630735 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.941745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The intake of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) has increased rapidly in recent years. Evidence has suggested that UPFs has adverse effects on several health outcomes. This study aimed to first evaluate the association between the intake of UPFs and asthenozoospermia odds. Methods A hospital-based case-control study including 549 cases and 581 controls was performed in the infertility clinics of Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University from June 2020 to December 2020. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Food items were categorized by the NOVA classification system based on the degree of processing. Semen parameters were analyzed according to the World Health Organization guidelines. Results The highest tertile of UPFs intake (% of total energy intake) was positively associated with the odds of asthenozoospermia (odds ratio [OR] = 1.53; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12, 2.10; P for trend < 0.05), compared with the lowest tertile. Similar patterns were also found in subgroup analyses among participants with age ≥32 years (OR = 1.58; 95% CI: 1.04, 2.40), BMI ≥ 24 kg/m2 (OR = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.04, 2.22), ever cigarette smoking (OR = 1.78; 95% CI: 1.14, 2.79), and ever alcohol drinking (OR = 1.65; 95% CI: 1.01, 2.72), and in sensitivity analyses by using absolute amount (g/day) to calculate the intake of UPFs. Conclusion Higher consumption of UPFs was positively associated with the odds of asthenozoospermia. More studies are needed to confirm our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Le Lv
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Clinical Research Center, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Precision Medical Research on Major Chronic Disease, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Qi-Jun Wu
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Clinical Research Center, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Precision Medical Research on Major Chronic Disease, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xiao-Bin Wang
- Center of Reproductive Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Qiang Du
- Center of Reproductive Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Fang-Hua Liu
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Clinical Research Center, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Precision Medical Research on Major Chronic Disease, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Ren-Hao Guo
- Center of Reproductive Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xu Leng
- Center of Reproductive Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Bo-Chen Pan
- Center of Reproductive Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- *Correspondence: Bo-Chen Pan
| | - Yu-Hong Zhao
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Clinical Research Center, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Precision Medical Research on Major Chronic Disease, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Yu-Hong Zhao
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16
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Feng J, He H, Wang Y, Zhang X, Zhang X, Zhang T, Zhu M, Wu X, Zhang Y. The efficacy and mechanism of acupuncture in the treatment of male infertility: A literature review. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:1009537. [PMID: 36329891 PMCID: PMC9624472 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1009537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Fertility, a social, cultural, and medical issue, has aroused public attention because of its potential to predict future health. In recent years, the incidence of male infertility has increased significantly, and various risk factors, such as congenital factors, acquired factors, and idiopathic factors, have led to this situation. Male infertility causes substantial psychological and social distress in patients. With the implementation of the two-child policy, male infertility has brought enormous psychological and social pressure and huge economic burden to patients and the healthcare system. This has attracted the attention of not only men of childbearing age but also many male experts. The conventional therapeutic approaches for treating male infertility, including drugs, varicocele surgery, intrauterine insemination, in vitro fertilization, and intracytoplasmic sperm injection, can restore fertility to a certain extent, but their efficacy is far from satisfactory, not to mention some adverse events. Therefore, acupuncture has been chosen by many men to treat their infertility and produced significant effects. In the present paper, the efficacy and mechanism of acupuncture in the treatment of male infertility were analyzed from different perspectives such as regulating hormone secretion, reducing inflammation, and improving semen parameters. The existing literature shows that acupuncture can effectively treat male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxing Feng
- Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Hui He
- Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Yu Wang
- First Affiliated Hospital, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Xu Zhang
- Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Xiuying Zhang
- Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Tiantian Zhang
- Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Mengyi Zhu
- Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Xiaoke Wu
- First Affiliated Hospital, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
- Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Yuehui Zhang
- First Affiliated Hospital, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
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17
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Therapeutic Effects of Xianlu Oral Solution on Rats with Oligoasthenozoospermia through Alleviating Apoptosis and Oxidative Stress. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2022; 2022:1269530. [PMID: 35761898 PMCID: PMC9233599 DOI: 10.1155/2022/1269530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Idiopathic oligoasthenozoospermia (iOAZS) is one of the major causes of male infertility, and the ideal therapies for iOAZS have not been established yet. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), including Xianlu oral solution (XL), has been widely used as an adjunct treatment for male infertility in the clinic. However, the underlying mechanisms of XL treatment on iOAZS are still not known. Here, we found that XL treatment has therapeutic effects on ornidazole (ORN)-induced OAZS model rats through the amelioration of testis tissues spermatogenesis and the improvement of sperm concentration and motility. Moreover, XL treatment ameliorated the serum hormone levels, mitochondrial membrane potential, apoptosis status, and oxidative stress status in the testis tissues of iOAZS model rats. These findings identify a potential mechanism underlying the therapeutic effects of Xianlu oral solution on iOAZS, and Xianlu oral solution may be used as a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapy for male infertility caused by iOAZS in clinical practice.
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18
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Liu H, Xue J, Li L, Mo H. Shenjing Guben Wan promotes sperm development by increasing the activity of seminiferous epithelium Sertoli cells. Transl Androl Urol 2022; 11:867-876. [PMID: 35812203 PMCID: PMC9262746 DOI: 10.21037/tau-22-381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Infertility is an important social problem. Asthenozoospermia (AZS) is a common pathological cause of male infertility, but its pathogenesis is unclear. Shenjing Guben Wan (SJGBW), a traditional Chinese medicine, has shown remarkable effects during the clinical treatment of oligozoospermia or AZS. Methods In this study, clinical evaluations were carried out on 184 AZS patients receiving SJGBW treatment, including sperm count, sperm quality, and pregnancy rate. Also, ornidazole was used to build an AZS mouse model, and SJGBW treatment was administered. The sperm quantity and fertility of mice in different groups were evaluated; a cholecystokinin octapeptide-8 (CCK-8) experiment was carried out to test the activity of seminiferous epithelium Sertoli cells, and immunohistochemistry and the Terminal Deoxynucleotidyl Transferase-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) method were employed to test the pathological information and expression of the Sertoli cell surface marker in the testicular tissues of mice in each group. Results The sperm vitality, progressive sperm motility, and sperm morphology of patients who received SJGBW treatment were all improved (P<0.05). In the AZS group, the average sperm count, sperm vitality, pregnancy rate, and female mouse litters were all lower relative to mice in the control group. Following SJGBW treatment, the average sperm count, sperm vitality, pregnancy rate, and female mouse litters of mice in the AZS group were all significantly improved. The cytobiological experimental results showed that compared with the serum of normal male mice in the control group, the drug serum containing SJGBW could improve the cell vitality and proliferative ability of seminiferous epithelium Sertoli cells in AZS mice. Furthermore, the TUNEL results showed that the seminiferous tubule Sertoli cells and mesenchymal cells of the AZS mice exhibited the most significant apoptosis, which was alleviated following SJGBW treatment. Moreover, the levels of Sertoli cell marker, SOX9, and anti-apoptosis protein, Bcl2, in SJGBW-treated mice were both higher than that in AZS mice. Conclusions SJGBW can promote the development and maturation of germ cells by facilitating the proliferation of Sertoli cells in AZS patients, thereby improving the fertility of these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Handu Liu
- Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
| | - Jianguo Xue
- Department of Andrology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Lipeng Li
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Hui Mo
- Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
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19
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Shen H, Han Y, Wu D, Hu L, Ma Y, Wu F, Tao Y, Liu Y. Trial of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation in laryngopharyngeal reflux disease: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials 2022; 23:272. [PMID: 35395946 PMCID: PMC8991573 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-022-06193-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Patients with persistent globus sensation, throat clearing, chronic cough, hoarseness, and other throat symptoms account for a large proportion of patients in ears, nose, and throat clinics. Laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD) is increasingly valued by otolaryngologists. Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) is possibly a new method for the treatment of LPRD. This trial aims to determine whether TEAS combined with proton pump inhibitor (PPI) is better than PPI alone in the treatment of LPRD. Methods This prospective randomized controlled trial will be implemented in a tertiary hospital in China. Seventy patients diagnosed with LPRD will be randomly assigned to the TEAS + PPI group (intervention group) or PPI group (control group), at a ratio of 1:1. In addition to using PPI, the intervention group will receive TEAS at four groups of acupoints, and each group will be treated for 15 min, once for 60 min, five times a week, for 12 weeks, 60 times. The main outcome will be changes in the Reflux Symptom Index scores at 4, 12, and 24 weeks after treatment. The secondary outcomes will include changes in the reflux finding score, Laryngopharyngeal Reflux-Health-related Quality of Life score, and throat pain visual analog scale score. Discussion This trial will explore the feasibility of TEAS combined with PPI for the treatment of LPRD and provide potential evidence for its effectiveness and safety. The results of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2100046755. Registered on May 28, 2021. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13063-022-06193-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailong Shen
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Shushan District, Hefei, Anhui, 230022, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanxun Han
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Shushan District, Hefei, Anhui, 230022, People's Republic of China
| | - Di Wu
- Department of Otolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, People's Republic of China
| | - Lihong Hu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Shushan District, Hefei, Anhui, 230022, People's Republic of China
| | - Yunxia Ma
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Shushan District, Hefei, Anhui, 230022, People's Republic of China
| | - Feihu Wu
- Department of Otolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, People's Republic of China
| | - Ye Tao
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Shushan District, Hefei, Anhui, 230022, People's Republic of China
| | - Yehai Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, Shushan District, Hefei, Anhui, 230022, People's Republic of China.
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20
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Evidence-Based Application of Acupuncture in Theriogenology. Vet Sci 2022; 9:vetsci9020053. [PMID: 35202306 PMCID: PMC8880739 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci9020053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Historical evidence of acupuncture predates written history. It has been a component of Traditional Chinese veterinary medicine for many generations and is officially recognized in recorded history for treating equine disease in the Zhou Dynasty, circa 1050 BC. Drawing from a range of searchable databases, we present the use of veterinary acupuncture related to theriogenology. We touch on human-based medicine only as an introduction to current uses within veterinary medical acupuncture. This review is confined to the use of acupuncture encompassing dry needle, electroacupuncture, aquapuncture, and the few reports of laserpuncture. Starting with acupuncture’s influence on the master organs of reproduction, the hypothalamus and the pituitary glands, and the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis, we then review reports specific to the gonads—ovaries and testicles—and then its influences on the uterus. From there, we review reports on the influence of acupuncture on pain associated with reproductive surgery, and finally, on the use of acupuncture for maternal lactation. Based on published reports, we conclude that acupuncture has been shown to be effective in many situations as a treatment for infertility and/or reproductive tract disfunction, resulting in improvements in both female and male patients.
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21
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Lin S, Ke M, Zhang Y, Yan Z, Wu J. Structure of a mammalian sperm cation channel complex. Nature 2021; 595:746-750. [PMID: 34225353 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03742-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The cation channel of sperm (CatSper) is essential for sperm motility and fertility1,2. CatSper comprises the pore-forming proteins CATSPER1-4 and multiple auxiliary subunits, including CATSPERβ, γ, δ, ε, ζ, and EFCAB91,3-9. Here we report the cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of the CatSper complex isolated from mouse sperm. In the extracellular view, CATSPER1-4 conform to the conventional domain-swapped voltage-gated ion channel fold10, following a counterclockwise arrangement. The auxiliary subunits CATSPERβ, γ, δ and ε-each of which contains a single transmembrane segment and a large extracellular domain-constitute a pavilion-like structure that stabilizes the entire complex through interactions with CATSPER4, 1, 3 and 2, respectively. Our EM map reveals several previously uncharacterized components, exemplified by the organic anion transporter SLCO6C1. We name this channel-transporter ultracomplex the CatSpermasome. The assembly and organization details of the CatSpermasome presented here lay the foundation for the development of CatSpermasome-related treatments for male infertility and non-hormonal contraceptives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyi Lin
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China.,Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China.,Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
| | - Meng Ke
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China.,Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China.,Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuqi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China.,Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China.,Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhen Yan
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China.,Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China.,Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianping Wu
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China. .,Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, China. .,Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China.
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22
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Zhou Y, Yao W, Zhang D, Yu Y, Chen S, Lu H, Jiang W, Jiang C. Effectiveness of acupuncture for asthenozoospermia: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore) 2021; 100:e25711. [PMID: 33907155 PMCID: PMC8084068 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000025711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND According to the World Health Organization, the global incidence of infertility is about 15%, and more than 50% of infertility cases are caused by male infertility. Asthenozoospermia is caused by male fertility decline and male infertility. Due to work pressure, environmental pollution, sexual diseases, and other factors, the number of patients with asthenozoospermia has increased in recent years. It has been confirmed that acupuncture has a certain effect on patients with asthenozoospermia. Acupuncture and moxibustion can be an adjuvant treatment plan for the treatment of asthenozoospermia in addition to drug treatment. METHODS Randomized controlled trials of acupuncture for asthenozoospermia will be searched in the relevant database, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), and Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP database). The studies of electronic searches will be exported to EndNote V.9.1 software. We will run meta-analyses using the Review Manager (RevMan) V.5.3 software. Any disagreements will be solved in consultation with a third reviewer. RESULTS Our study aims to explore the efficacy of acupuncture for asthenozoospermia and to provide up-to-date evidence for clinical of asthenozoospermia. CONCLUSION This study will perform a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy of acupuncture for asthenozoospermia, making up for the lack of relevant evidence of the clinical use of acupuncture. INPLASY REGISTRATION NUMBER INPLASY 202140032.
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