Upregulation of the RNF8 gene can predict the presence of sperm in azoospermic individuals

Objective

In this study, specimens from testicular biopsies of men with nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) were used to investigate whether RNF8 gene could serve as a biomarker to predict the presence of sperm in these patients.

Methods

Testicular biopsy specimens from 47 patients were classified according to the presence of sperm (positive vs. negative groups) and investigated for the expression of RNF8. The level of RNF8 gene expression in the testes was compared between these groups using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction.

Results

The expression level of RNF8 was significantly higher in testicular samples from the positive group than in those from the negative group. Moreover, the area under the curve of RNF8 expression for the entire study population was 0.84, showing the discriminatory power of RNF8 expression in differentiating between the positive and negative groups of men with NOA. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that RNF8 expression had a sensitivity of 81% and a specificity of 84%, with a cutoff level of 1.76.

Conclusion

This study points out a significant association between the expression of RNF8 and the presence of sperm in NOA patients, which suggests that quantified RNF8 expression in testicular biopsy samples may be a valuable biomarker for predicting the presence of spermatozoa in biopsy samples.

The Most Common Type of HPV in Women with Atypical Squamous Cell of Undetermined Significance (ASCUS) in Pap Smear in Iran-Yazd

INTRODUCTION

Cervical cancer is the third most gynecological cancer and one of the common causes of cancer death in women in Iran and the other developing countries. Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is a known Risk factor in cervical cancer, but according to HPV deference types, the high risk and low risks differ.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

We evaluate the most common high risk and low risk HPV type in 180 females with an atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) results in pap smear in Gynecological Oncology Clinic in Shahid Sadoughi Hospital in Yazd, Iran within 2012 to 2014.HPV typing was done with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. The data obtained were recorded in a questionnaire and analyzed by SPSS software.

RESULT

More common low risk HPV type in ASCUS patients was type 6 (63.6%) and then type 11 (36.4%). Type 16 was the most common high risk HPV type.

DISCUSSION

HPV DNA typing for better management of women With ASCUS is important and this study showed HPV type 16 is the most prevalent type in ASCUS patients. It seems the living region is important in HPV type distribution and Quadri-valant Vaccine can prevent cervical cancer in Iran because the most common low risk HPV is type6 and 11, and HPV 16 is the most common high risk HPV.