Testis size,epididymis weight,and sperm competition in rhesus macaques

The intensity of sperm competition is often measured using the gonadosomatic index (testes/body weight). But sperm competition could be mediated more by size of the epididymis than by size of the testicles, and little information is available on the relationship between testicular and epididymal size. We found that both organs were positively correlated in size among male rhesus macaques. Body weight accounted for over 70% of the variance in testicle size and volumetric estimates of testicle size accurately reflected testicle weight. We conclude that methods for ascertaining testicle size are accurate, but the covariation in size between testicles and epididymis will hamper understanding of the physiological mechanisms involved in sperm competition in primates. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Role of ascorbic acid in metabolism of rat testis and epididymis in relation to the onset of puberty

The metabolism of ascorbic acid, cholesterol, serum testosterone level and activities of 3Β and 17Β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases were studied in testis and Cauda epididymis of prepubertal, pubertal and postpubertal (5, 15, 30, 45, 55 and 60 day old) rats. The data showed that serum testosterone levels and 3Β and 17Β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases were increased with the age. The ascorbic acid metabolism was found to be stabilized in testis at day 30 being comparable with the adult, whereas a spurt in its metabolism occurred by day 45 and a significant depletion in ascorbic acid content in relation to the passage of the first wave of spermatozoa through cauda epididymis. The results of this study clearly elucidate that ascorbic acid is involved in metabolism of testis and epididymis in developing postnatal rats, in relation to the increasing demands for attaining a stable hormonal milieu, and the onset of puberty and the passage of the first wave of spermatozoa,via the formation of its free radical monodehydroascorbic acid and charge transfer complex mechanism     

Selective binding of specific rat epididymal secretory proteins to spermatozoa and erythrocytes

Tissue pieces from the caput epididymidis of the rat were incubated in vitro with (³⁵S) methionine to produce radioactive secretory proteins. The radioactive secretory proteins so formed were tested for their ability to bind to washed rat spermatozoa collected from the rete testis and cauda epididymidis, and to rat erythrocytes. The sperm and erythrocytes bound approximately 5% of the total radioactive protein. Binding was protein-specific in that only selected proteins became associated with the cells. Binding was not cell-specific, however, since testicular spermatozoa, caudal spermatozoa, and erythrocytes all bound the same proteins to a similar degree.     

桂枝茯苓丸联合米非司酮对子宫肌瘤患者血液流变学及血红蛋白、人附睾蛋白4的影响

目的:研究桂枝茯苓丸联合米非司酮对子宫肌瘤患者血液流变学及血红蛋白(Hb)、人附睾蛋白4(HE4)的影响。方法:选取2016年3月到2017年5月西安交通大学医学院附属三二〇一医院收治的172例子宫肌瘤患者,随机分为观察组(n=86)和对照组(n=86)。对照组给予米非司酮治疗,观察组在对照组的基础上联合桂枝茯苓丸治疗,对比两组疗效,比较两组治疗前及治疗后的Hb、HE4、肌瘤体积、血液流变学指标以及不良反应。结果:观察组的总有效率为97.67%,高于对照组的89.53%(P0.05);治疗后,两组的Hb水平均明显高于治疗前,且观察组高于对照组(P0.05),两组的HE4水平均低于治疗前,观察组低于对照组(P0.05),肌瘤体积均小于治疗前,且观察组小于对照组(P0.05);治疗后两组的全血高切黏度(HBV)、全血低切黏度(LBV)、血浆黏度(PV)及血小板聚集率(PAR)均低于治疗前,且观察组低于对照组(P0.05);观察组、对照组不良反应的总发生率分别为13.95%、10.47%,差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:桂枝茯苓丸联合米非司酮治疗子宫肌瘤患者的疗效较好,可改善其血液流变学及Hb、HE4等指标水平,安全性较好,值得推广。     

超声造影技术联合血清CA12-5、CEA、HE-4检查诊断卵巢良恶性肿瘤的临床价值研究

摘要 目的：研究超声造影技术联合血清糖类抗原125（CA12-5）、癌胚抗原（CEA）及人附睾分泌蛋白4（HE-4）检查诊断卵巢良恶性肿瘤的临床价值。方法：将我院从2019年1月～2020年3月收治的83例卵巢肿瘤患者纳入研究。将其按照病理学诊断结果分成恶性组40例与良性组43例,按照是否发生淋巴结转移将恶性组分为转移亚组18例和未转移亚组22例。比较恶性组和良性组各项超声造影指标水平和血清CA12-5、CEA及HE-4水平,比较转移亚组和未转移亚组血清CA12-5、CEA及HE-4水平。通过受试者工作特征（ROC）曲线分析超声造影技术联合血清CA12-5、CEA及HE-4在卵巢良恶性肿瘤中的诊断能效。分析血清CA12-5、CEA及HE-4与卵巢恶性肿瘤患者淋巴结转移的关系。结果：恶性组超声造影增强强度及增强速率均高于良性组,而增强时间短于良性组（P＜0.05）。恶性组血清CA12-5、CEA及HE-4水平均高于良性组（P＜0.05）。超声造影技术联合血清CA12-5、CEA及HE-4诊断卵巢肿瘤良恶性的曲线下面积、灵敏度及特异度分别为0.947、0.96、0.93,高于超声造影技术单独检测或血清CA12-5、CEA及HE-4联合检测。转移亚组患者的血清CA12-5、CEA及HE-4水平均高于未转移亚组患者（P＜0.05）。结论：超声造影技术联合血清CA12-5、CEA及HE-4检查诊断卵巢良恶性肿瘤的价值较高,且联合检测血清CA12-5、CEA及HE-4水平有助于判断淋巴结转移情况,具有较高的临床应用价值。     

联合检测血清糖类抗原标志物在女性绝经前后卵巢浆液性癌诊断中的价值

目的:探讨联合检测血清糖类抗原标志物在女性绝经前后卵巢浆液性癌诊断中的价值。方法:采用回顾性研究方法,选择2016年8月到至2018年2月在我院肿瘤科进行检测的绝经前后卵巢浆液性癌患者60例(癌变组)与绝经前后健康体检者60例(健康对照组),检测其血清癌胚抗原(carcino-embryonic antigen,CEA)、人附睾蛋白4(human epididymis protein 4,HE4)和糖链抗原125(carbohydrate antigen 125,CA125)的水平,并分析其与患者的临床病理特征与随访预后的相关性。结果:癌变组血清CEA、HE4、CA125水平及阳性表达率都均显著高于健康对照组(P0.05)。在癌变组60例患者中,随着病理分期增加、分化程度的减少、淋巴结转移与死亡情况的发生,血清CEA、HE4、CA125的阳性表达率显著升高,对比差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。同时在120例人群中,联合诊断为卵巢浆液性癌者54例,联合诊断的敏感性与特异性分别为90.0%和100.0%。结论:绝经前后女性卵巢浆液性癌患者血清糖类抗原标志物-CEA、HE4、CA12水平均呈现高表达,可能作为绝经前后女性卵巢浆液性癌诊断与预后预测的参考指标。     

Long‐term ethanol consumption promotes changes in β‐defensin isoform gene expression and induces structural changes and oxidative DNA damage to the epididymis of rats

Chronic alcohol ingestion causes sexual dysfunction, impairs sperm motility and fertility, and changes semen quality. Considering the key role of epididymis in sperm development, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of long‐term ethanol consumption on epididymis changes, including alterations in β‐defensin isoform gene expression, oxidative stress, and pathological changes, such as cell proliferation and fibrosis in the epididymis of rats. In this study, male Wistar rats were equally divided into control and ethanol (4.5 g/kg BW) groups. After six weeks of treatment, the results revealed the proliferation of epididymis cells, fibrosis in the epididymis tissue, and a significant rise in the level of 8‐OHdG and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase in the ethanol group, compared with the control group. Moreover, the ethanol group showed an increase in the gene expression of epididymal β‐defensin isoforms 15 and 21 and a reduction in the gene expression of β‐defensin isoforms 27 and 30, compared with the controls. These findings indicate that ethanol‐induced epididymal damage and sperm abnormalities might be partly associated with changes in β‐defensin isoforms and epididymal structure, mediated by the increased activities of 8‐OHdG and NADPH oxidase.     

Identification of the gene imds-60 in mouse epididymis

Sperm maturation, including the acquisition of motility and the full ability to fertilize oocyte, occurs during its transit through the dynamic environment of the epididymis. However, the roles of many genes involved in the process of sperm maturation still remain to be found. Based on an expressed sequence tag named imds-60, which was first found in uterus but is highly expressed in epididymis, the full-length cDNA sequence of imds-60 with a complete open reading frame was obtained in mouse epididymis by GenBank searching, polymerase chain reaction-based procedures, and 5＇- and 3＇-rapid amplification of cDNA ends. This protein was predicted to have an N-terminal signal peptide and a C-terminal DNase I-like domain with nine transmembrane motifs in the middle part of the protein. Northern blot analysis showed that the mRNA of imds-60 was highly expressed in epididymis but at a rather lower level in uterus, seminal vesicle gland, and stomach. Further study revealed that the mRNA of imds-60 is only expressed in corpus and cauda regions of epididymis, not in caput. It is regulated partially by androgen and peaked in male mice aged from 3 weeks to adult. The imds-60 protein might play an important role in cell communication during sperm maturation.     

Ultrastructure of the reproductive system of the black swamp snake (Seminatrix pygaea). VI. Anterior testicular ducts and their nomenclature

In this study, the anterior testicular ducts of the North American natricine snake Seminatrix pygaea are described using light and electron microscopy. From the seminiferous tubules, the rete testis passes into the epididymal sheath, a structure along the medial border of the testis heavily invested with collagen fibers. The rete testis consists of simple, nonciliated cuboidal epithelium (principal cells). The intratesticular ducts of the rete testis are narrow (50–70 μm) at their junction with the seminiferous tubules, widen (80–100 μm) as they extend extratesticularly, and divide into smaller branches as they anastomose with the next tubules, the ductuli efferentes. The ductuli efferentes are lined by simple cuboidal epithelium but possess nonciliated principal cells as well as ciliated cells. These are the only ducts in the male reproductive system with ciliated cells. The ductuli efferentes are narrow (25–45 μm), divide into numerous branches, and are highly convoluted. The ductus epididymis is the largest duct in diameter (240–330 μm), and the diameter widens and the epithelium thins posteriorly. The ductus epididymis is lined by nonciliated, columnar principal cells and basal cells. No regional differences in the ductus epididymis are apparent. Ultrastructural evidence suggests that all of the nonciliated principal cells in each of the anterior testicular ducts function in both absorption and secretion. Absorption occurs via small endocytic vesicles, some of which appear coated. Secretion is by a constitutive pathway in which small vesicles and a flocculent material are released via a merocrine process or through the formation of apocrine blebs. The secretory product is a glycoprotein. Overall, the characteristics of the anterior testicular ducts of this snake are concordant with those of other amniotes, and the traditional names used for snakes are changed to conform with those used for other sauropsids and mammals. J. Morphol., 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Negative regulation of Ros receptor tyrosine kinase signaling. An epithelial function of the SH2 domain protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1

Male "viable motheaten" (me(v)) mice, with a naturally occurring mutation in the gene of the SH2 domain protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1, are sterile. Known defects in sperm maturation in these mice correlate with an impaired differentiation of the epididymis, which has similarities to the phenotype of mice with a targeted inactivation of the Ros receptor tyrosine kinase. Ros and SHP-1 are coexpressed in epididymal epithelium, and elevated phosphorylation of Ros in the epididymis of me(v) mice suggests that Ros signaling is under control of SHP-1 in vivo. Phosphorylated Ros strongly and directly associates with SHP-1 in yeast two-hybrid, glutathione S-transferase pull-down, and coimmunoprecipitation experiments. Strong binding of SHP-1 to Ros is selective compared to six other receptor tyrosine kinases. The interaction is mediated by the SHP-1 NH(2)-terminal SH2 domain and Ros phosphotyrosine 2267. Overexpression of SHP-1 results in Ros dephosphorylation and effectively downregulates Ros-dependent proliferation and transformation. We propose that SHP-1 is an important downstream regulator of Ros signaling.