Balanced complex chromosomal rearrangements (BCCR) with at least three chromosomes and three or more breakpoints: report of three new cases

Balanced complex chromosomal rearrangements (BCCR) encompass a heterogeneous group of rare chromosomal aberrations. In this paper, we report three cases of BCCRs. In two the probands were referred for either genetic counseling or prenatal management. One case was ascertained after chromosome analysis performed because of psychiatric manifestations; this was an isolated finding. We also outline the molecular cytogenetic techniques, which were essential in confirming and precisely delineating the BCCRs identified in these patients. In addition the various aspects of genetic counseling for this type of chromosomal rearrangement, highlighting the details particular to each individual case are discussed. We discuss the classification for this type of chromosomal mutation.     

Informative Dorfman screening

Since the early 1940s, group testing (pooled testing) has been used to reduce costs in a variety of applications, including infectious disease screening, drug discovery, and genetics. In such applications, the goal is often to classify individuals as positive or negative using initial group testing results and the subsequent process of decoding of positive pools. Many decoding algorithms have been proposed, but most fail to acknowledge, and to further exploit, the heterogeneous nature of the individuals being screened. In this article, we use individuals' risk probabilities to formulate new informative decoding algorithms that implement Dorfman retesting in a heterogeneous population. We introduce the concept of "thresholding" to classify individuals as "high" or "low risk," so that separate, risk-specific algorithms may be used, while simultaneously identifying pool sizes that minimize the expected number of tests. When compared to competing algorithms which treat the population as homogeneous, we show that significant gains in testing efficiency can be realized with virtually no loss in screening accuracy. An important additional benefit is that our new procedures are easy to implement. We apply our methods to chlamydia and gonorrhea data collected recently in Nebraska as part of the Infertility Prevention Project.     

不孕症女性三维子宫输卵管造影联合阴道二维超声的诊断意义

摘要 目的：探讨不孕症女性三维子宫输卵管造影联合阴道二维超声的诊断意义。方法：2019年3月至2020年10月选择在西安医学院第二附属医院和陕西省人民医院诊治的不孕症女性患者90例,所有患者都给予三维子宫输卵管造影联合阴道二维超声检查,记录成像质量与疼痛情况。以X线子宫输卵管造影为金标准,判断诊断价值。结果：检查过程中三维超声造影患者的疼痛评分高于二维超声,对比差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。三维超声造影的成像质量优良率为100.0 %（90/90）,高于二维超声的93.3 %（84/90）,对比差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。在90例患者中,三维超声造影判断为卵巢周围组织弥散1级59例,2级16例,3级10例,4级5例。三维子宫输卵管造影联合阴道二维超声判断为输卵管通畅55例,通而不畅25例,阻塞10例。X线子宫输卵管造影判断为输卵管通畅53例,通而不畅26例,阻塞11例,三维子宫输卵管造影联合阴道二维超声诊断的准确性为96.7 %(87/90)。结论：三维子宫输卵管造影联合阴道二维超声在不孕症女性的应用并不会增加患者疼痛,且能提高成像质量,也有利于合理评价与判断患者的输卵管通畅情况。     

实时三维超声输卵管造影与X线造影诊断不孕症患者输卵管病变的价值比较

目的:比较实时三维超声输卵管造影与X线造影检查诊断女性不孕症患者输卵管病变的临床应用价值。方法:选择2014年3月至2016年12月我院诊治的不孕症患者60例作为研究对象,所有患者都于月经干净后3-7 d同时随机实施实时三维超声输卵管造影与X线造影检查,观察并记录造影图像质量与诊断结果,比较两种方法的诊断效果。结果:实时三维超声输卵管造影与X线造影的图像质量优良率分别为98.3%和86.7%,实时三维超声输卵管造影的图像质量明显高于X线造影(P0.05)。实时三维超声输卵管造影与X线造影诊断不孕症患者输卵管不通畅率分别为56.7%和46.7%,实时三维超声输卵管造影组显著高于X线造影组(P0.05)。输卵管通畅性评价金标准腹腔镜下通液术诊断发现输卵管不通畅35例,在此基础上实时三维超声输卵管造影与X线造影检查不孕症的敏感性分别为97.1%和80.0%,特异性均为100.0%,超声诊断的敏感性明显高于X线(P0.05)。结论:相对于X线造影,实时三维超声输卵管造影检查不孕症患者输卵管病变的图像质量更好,有利于疾病的判断,对输卵管通畅度判断更精确,利于后期治疗及疾病预防,还可提高诊断敏感性。     

Reduced fertility of female mice lacking CD81

In somatic cells, the tetraspanins CD81 and CD9 associate with each other, with additional tetraspanins and with non-tetraspanin molecules to form proteolipidic complexes. Here we show that CD81 is expressed on the surface of oocytes where it associates with tetraspanin-enriched membrane structures. A major CD9 and CD81 partner, CD9P-1, is also expressed by oocytes. Deletion of CD81 gene in mice results in a 40% reduction of female fertility. In vitro insemination indicated that this infertility is due to a deficiency of oocytes to fuse with sperm. While the fertility of CD9-/- mice is severely but not completely impaired, double knock-out CD9-/- CD81-/- mice were completely infertile indicating that CD9 and CD81 play complementary roles in sperm-egg fusion. Finally, a fraction of CD9 was transferred from CD81-/- oocytes to sperm present in the perivitelline space indicating that the defect of fusion of CD81-/- oocytes does not result from an impaired initial gamete interaction.     

Lycium barbarum polysaccharides: Protective effects against heat-induced damage of rat testes and H2O2-induced DNA damage in mouse testicular cells and beneficial effect on sexual behavior and reproductive function of hemicastrated rats

Lycium barbarum, a famous Chinese medicinal herb, has a long history of use as a traditional remedy for male infertility. Polysaccharides are the most important functional constituent in L. barbarum fruits. We systematically investigated the effect of L. barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) on rat testis damage induced by a physical factor (43 degrees C heat exposure), on DNA damage of mouse testicular cells induced by a chemical factor (H2O2), and on sexual behavior and reproductive function of hemicastrated male rats. The results showed that LBP provided a protective effect against the testicular tissue damage induced by heat exposure. When compared with negative control, a suitable concentration of LBP significantly increased testis and epididymis weights, improved superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and raised sexual hormone levels in the damaged rat testes. LBP had a dose-dependent protective effect against DNA oxidative damage of mouse testicular cells induced by H2O2. LBP improved the copulatory performance and reproductive function of hemicastrated male rats, such as shortened penis erection latency and mount latency, regulated secretion of sexual hormones and increased hormone levels, raised accessory sexual organ weights, and improved sperm quantity and quality. The present findings support the folk reputation of L. barbarum fruits as an aphrodisiac and fertility-facilitating agent, and provide scientific evidence for a basis for the extensive use of L. barbarum fruits as a traditional remedy for male infertility in China.     

Sustained High Protein-tyrosine Phosphatase 1B Activity in the Sperm of Obese Males Impairs the Sperm Acrosome Reaction

Evidence of a causal link between male obesity and subfertility or infertility has been demonstrated previously. However, the mechanism underlying this link is incompletely understood. Here, we report that sustained high protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) activity in sperm of obese donors plays an essential role in coupling male obesity and subfertility or infertility. First, PTP1B level and activity were significantly higher in sperm from ob/ob mice than in wild-type littermates. High PTP1B level and activity in sperm was also observed in obese patients compared with non-obese donors. The enhanced sperm PTP1B level and activity in ob/ob mice and obese patients correlated with a defect of the sperm acrosome reaction (AR). Second, treating sperm from male ob/ob mice or obese men with a specific PTP1B inhibitor largely restored the sperm AR. Finally, blockade of sperm AR by enhanced PTP1B activity in male ob/ob mice or obese men was due to prolonged dephosphorylation of N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor by PTP1B, leading to the inability to reassemble the trans-SNARE complexes, which is a critical step in sperm acrosomal exocytosis. In summary, our study demonstrates for the first time that a sustained high PTP1B level or activity in the sperm of obese donors causes a defect of sperm AR and that PTP1B is a novel potential therapeutic target for male infertility treatment.     

A change in the steroid metabolic pathway in human testes showing deteriorated spermatogenesis

During androgen biosynthesis, the human testes normally produce only small quantities of Δ⁴-C₂₁ steroids as these are products of the Δ⁴-pathway and healthy human testes preferentially use the Δ⁵-pathway. However, the Δ⁴-C₂₁ steroid progesterone accumulates in the thickened lamina propria of the seminiferous tubules in testes with deteriorated spermatogenesis. The objectives of this study were to analyse the pregnenolone metabolites in testes with deteriorated spermatogenesis and to establish whether the androgen biosynthesis pathway changes in this condition. Biopsied or orchiectomised testicular samples were obtained from patients with varicocele, non-obstructive azoospermia, obstructive azoospermia, testicular cancer, and cryptorchidism. The samples were segregated into spermatogenesis related Johnsen’s score groups: Low-JS (< 5.0) and High-JS (> 7.8). Higher levels of progesterone and 17α-hydroxyprogesterone were metabolised under in vitro conversion in the Low-JS testes than the High-JS testes when cell-free homogenates from each group were separately incubated with ¹⁴C-labelled pregnenolone. Nevertheless, the serum hormone levels did not differ between groups. Two novel pregnenolone metabolites 5β-pregnan-3β-ol-20-one and 5α-pregnan-3α, 21diol-20-one were identified from in vitro conversion in Low-JS testes and by recrystallisation. Immunohistochemistry revealed the higher βHSD expression in the Low-JS than the High-JS testes. However, the CYP17A1 expression levels did not differ between groups. Infertile testes increase the relative βHSD levels in their Leydig cells and synthesised testosterone from pregnenolone via the Δ⁴- rather than the Δ⁵-pathway. A new insight into a change of metabolites in Low-JS testes will be relevant to understand the mechanism of the deteriorated spermatogenesis under the normal range of testosterone level.     

不孕症患者的子宫自然杀伤细胞、浆细胞与子宫内膜异位症的相关性

摘要 目的：探究不孕症患者的子宫自然杀伤细胞、浆细胞与子宫内膜异位症的相关性。方法：选择80例患有子宫内膜异位症的不孕症患者做为本研究的不孕症组和80例正常生育的健康女性做为本研究的健康组,对比分析两组患者人口学基本资料、子宫自然杀伤细胞（uNKs）、浆细胞（PC）水平、血清性激素水平、子宫内膜中血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）表达情况、免疫细胞水平。通过Person法分析不孕症患者的子宫自然杀伤细胞、浆细胞与子宫内膜异位症的相关性。结果：两组的BMI指数、流产史、吸烟史、饮酒史比较,差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）;不孕症组患者uNKs、抗苗勒氏管激素（AMH）和黄体生成素（LH）水平均显著高于健康组;PC、卵泡刺激素（FSH）、雌激素（Estrogen）和性激素结合球蛋白（SHBG）、VEGF阳性表达水平、CD4⁺、CD8⁺和CD4⁺/CD8⁺水平均显著低于健康组,差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。另外,不孕症患者的uNKs与子宫内膜异位症存在显著的正相关关系（r=1.555,P<0.001）;PC与子宫内膜异位症存在显著的负相关关系（r=-3.778,P<0.001）。结论：不孕症患者的uNKs、PC参与不孕症的发生和发展过程,对女性子宫内膜异位症的诊断具有重要的参考意义。