International Journal of Reproductive BioMedicine
Year:2016 | Volume:14 | Issue:4|Papers Count:8

Sperm is particularly susceptible to reactive oxygen species (ROS) during critical phases of spermiogenesis. However, the level of seminal ROS is restricted by seminal antioxidants which have beneficial effects on sperm parameters and developmental potentials. Mitochondria and sperm plasma membrane are two major sites of ROS generation in sperm cells. Besides, leukocytes including polymer phonuclear (PMN) leukocytes and macrophages produce broad category of molecules including oxygen free radicals, non-radical species and reactive nitrogen species. Physiological role of ROS increase the intracellular cAMP which then activate protein kinase in male reproductive system. This indicates that spermatozoa need small amounts of ROS to acquire the ability of nuclear maturation regulation and condensation to fertilize the oocyte. There is a long list of intrinsic and extrinsic factors which can induce oxidative stress to interact with lipids, proteins and DNA molecules. As a result, we have lipid peroxidation, DNA fragmentation, axonemal damage, denaturation of the enzymes, over generation of superoxide in the mitochondria, lower antioxidant activity and finally abnormal spermatogenesis. If oxidative stress is considered as one of the main cause of DNA damage in the germ cells, then there should be good reason for antioxidant therapy in these conditions.

Background: Endometriosis influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Associations of glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) genes polymorphisms in endometriosis have been investigated by various researchers; however, the results are not consistent.Objective: We examined the associations of GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes and GSTP1 313 A/G polymorphisms with endometriosis in an Iranian population.Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, 151 women with diagnosis of endometriosis and 156 normal healthy women as control group were included. The genotyping was determined using multiplex PCR and PCR- RFLP methods.Results: The GSTM1 null genotype was significantly higher (p=0.027) in the cases (7.3%) than the control group (1.3%). There was no significant difference between the frequency of GSTT1 genotypes between the cases and controls. The GSTP1 313 AG genotype was significantly lower (p=0.048) in the case (33.1%) than the control group (44.4%).Conclusion: Our results showed that GSTM1 and GSTP1 polymorphisms may be associated with susceptibility of endometriosis in Iranian women.

Background: Many cancer patients receive radiotherapy which may lead to serious damages to the ovary storage and the matrix muscle state. Some of these patients may admit to infertility clinics for having pregnancy and on the other hand hormonal administration for superovulation induction is a routine procedure in assisted reproduction technology (ART) clinics.Objective: This study aimed to investigate fertility and fetuses of hormone treated super ovulated female mice who had received whole-body gamma irradiation before mating.Materials and Methods: Female mice were randomly categorized into a control group and 3 experimental groups including: Group I (Irradiation), Group II (Superovulation), and Group III (Superovulation and Irradiation). In hormone treated groups, mice were injected with different doses of 59Tpregnant mare's serum gonadotropin59T (PMSG) followed with human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). Irradiation was done using a Co-60 gamma ray generator with doses of 2 and 4 Gy. Number of fetuses counted and the fetus’s weight, head circumference, birth height, the number of live healthy fetuses, the number of fetuses with detected anomalies in the body, the sum of resorption and arrested fetuses were all recorded as outcome of treatments.Results: In the group I and group II, increased radiation and hormone dose led to a decrease in the number of survived fetuses (45 in 2 Gy vs.29 in 4 Gy for irradiated group) as well as from 76 in 10 units into 48 in 15 units. In the group III, a higher dose of hormone in the presence of a 2 Gy irradiation boosted the slink rate; i.e. the number of aborted fetuses reached 21 cases while applying the dose of 15 Iu, whereas 6 cases of abortion were reported applying the hormone with a lower dose. Among different parameters studied, there was a significant difference in parameters of weight and height in the mouse fetuses (p=0.01).Conclusion: The data indicated that use of ovarian stimulating hormones in mice that received pre mating gamma irradiation did not significantly increase the pregnancy rates.

Background: Linoleic acid (LA) is a polyunsaturated fatty acid present in high concentrations in follicular fluid, when added to maturation culture media, it affects oocyte competence.Objective: In the present study, we investigated effect of linoleic acid supplementation on in vitro maturation, embryo development and apoptotic related gene expression in ovine Materials and Methods: The experiments conducted on 450 ovine Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) with homogenous ooplasm and more than two compact layers of cumulus cells. For in vitro maturation COCs were randomly allocated into four treatment groups for 24 hr period. Treatment groups were as follow: control maturation media, 0 mM LA, 50 mM LA, 100 mM LA and 200 mM LA. The cumulus cell expansion and blastocysts rates were recorded. Total RNA was isolated from embryo pools, reverse transcribed into cDNA, and subjected to apoptotic gene expression by real-time PCR.Results: Highest concentration (200 mM/mL) of LA significantly decreased the rate of fully expanded cumulus cells 24 hr after in vitro maturation (IVM) and the percentage of blastocyste rate compared with the control (p<0.05). These inhibitory effects were associated with an increased in relative mRNA expression of Bax (Bcl-2- associated X) gene compared with controls.Conclusion: Data obtained in present study suggest that low concentration of LA used for maturation had no deleterious effect on subsequent embryonic development compared to high concentration of LA. Relative expression of Bcl-2 (B-cell lymphoma 2) and Bax in embryos seems to be associated with LA concentration.

Background: Insulin resistance has an important role in pathophysiology of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Yet there are certain controversies regarding the presence of insulin resistance in non-obese patients.Objective: The aim was to compare the insulin resistance and various endocrine and metabolic abnormalities in obese and non-obese PCOS women.Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study which was performed from 2007-2010, 115 PCOS patients, aged 16-45 years were enrolled. Seventy patients were obese (BMI ≥25) and 45 patients were non-obese (BMI<25). Presence of insulin resistance and endocrine-metabolic abnormalities were compared between two groups. Collected data were analyzed with SPSS version 16.0 and p<0.05 was considered as statistically significant.Results: There was no significant difference in presence of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR>2.3) between two groups (p=0.357). Waist circumference (p<0.001), waist/hip ratio (p<0.001), systolic (p<0.001) and diastolic (p<0.001) blood pressures, fasting blood sugar (p=0.003) and insulin (p=0.011), HOMA-IR (p=0.004), total cholesterol (p=0.001) and triglyceride (p<0.001) were all significantly higher in obese PCOS patients. There was no significant difference in total testosterone (p=0.634) and androstenedione (p=0.736) between groups whereas Dehydroepiandrotendione sulfate (DHEAS) was significantly higher in non-obese PCOS women (p=0.018). There was no case of fatty liver and metabolic syndrome in non-obese patients, whereas they were seen in 31.3% and 39.4% of obese PCOS women, respectively.Conclusion: Our study showed that metabolic abnormalities are more prevalent in obese PCOS women, but adrenal axis activity that is reflected in higher levels of DHEAS was more commonly pronounced in our non-obese PCOS patients.

Background: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women. Breast Cancer Type 1 Susceptibility gene (BRCA1) is a tumor suppressor gene, involved in DNA damage repair and in 81% of the breast-ovarian cancer families were due to BRCA1. In some clinically investigated genes, the intragenic marker polymorphism is important and the screening of such mutations is faster by using short tandem repeat (STR) polymorphism. Individual polymorphism of STR is a good evidence for following inheritance of repeat polymorphism.Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate three intragenic BRCA1 marker polymorphisms in families, which have two or more patients with breast/ovarian cancer in comparison to healthy women.Materials and Methods: A total of 107 breast and/or ovarian cancer patients and 93 unrelated healthy women with no clinical phenotype of any malignancy or familial cancer history constitute the study groups. Haplotyping analysis, at 3 intragenic BRCA1 microsatellite markers (D17S855, D17S1322 and D17S1323), were performed for all subject and control groups using labeled primers.Results: After fragment analysis, significance differences were observed as follows: two alleles of D17S855; allele 146 (p=0.02) and 150 (p=0.006), and two alleles of D17S1322, allele 121 (p=0.015) and 142 (p=0.043). These differences were compared with control group. There was significance difference in 8 di/tri allelic haplotypes in present experimental subjects. Some haplotypes were observed to have approximately twice the relation risk for breast cancer.Conclusion: According to recent results, assessment of presence or absence of mentioned alleles in BRCA1 microsatellite can be used for prognosis in individuals, suspected of having or not having the breast cancer.

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common obstetrical complication with both maternal and fetal side effects.Objective: This study was performed to determine the complications in neonates of mothers with GDM receiving insulin vs. dietary regimen.Materials and Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 140 neonates of mothers with GDM attending Javaheri Hospital of Azad University in Tehran in 2013 and 2014 were enrolled and the complications in those receiving insulin versus. dietary regimen were compared.Results: The results demonstrated that 95.7% of those who received a dietary regimen and 85.7% among those who received insulin had a good outcome showing statistically significant differences (p=0.042). The mortality rate was not differed among the patients in two groups (p>0.05).Conclusion: According to the results of this study, it may be concluded that the frequency of complications in neonates of cases with GDM is getting less by receiving dietary regimen.

Background: Aphallia or penile agenesis is a rare malformation accompanying with no phallus. This anomaly is extremely rare with abnormality of urogenital system and psychological consequences. Its outbreak is estimated 1 out of 10-30 million births.Case: Reviewing 3 cases of male external genitalia agenesis, which associated with multiple anomalies of musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and genitourinary system.Conclusion: Aphallia has psychosocial consequences and a guarded prognosis. This study showed that if the kidney failure is due to its obstruction, these patients will be born in more favorable conditions and the future treatment measures will be directed to keep the external genitalia (male) through timely diagnosis and prenatal surgery and timely bladder drainage.