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Journal of Cystic Fibrosis : Official... Jun 2024Most males with cystic fibrosis (MwCF) have congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens and require assisted reproductive technology to conceive, yet many have...
BACKGROUND
Most males with cystic fibrosis (MwCF) have congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens and require assisted reproductive technology to conceive, yet many have limited knowledge about how CF affects sexual and reproductive health (SRH). This study evaluates the feasibility, acceptability, and potential effectiveness of telehealth fertility preservation (FP) counseling for MwCF.
METHODS
Pre-lung transplant MwCF ≥18 years, recruited from U.S. CF centers, social media, and via snowball sampling, received individualized telehealth counseling. Participants completed intervention feasibility/acceptability one week post-counseling and FP knowledge, care satisfaction, and self-efficacy assessments at baseline and two months post-counseling. We completed acceptability interviews one-week post-counseling and audio-recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed results. We descriptively analyzed survey results and conducted pre/post comparisons using paired t-tests.
RESULTS
Thirty MwCF (ages 22-49 years) completed counseling. Most were in a relationship (70 %) and White (86.7 %). Telehealth FP counseling was acceptable (M = 4.38/5 ± 0.60), appropriate (M = 4.37/5 ± 0.60), and feasible (M = 4.60/5 ± 0.45) to MwCF. FP knowledge (9.53 vs. 10.40/12; p = .010), care satisfaction (20.23 vs 26.67/32; p<.001), and self-efficacy (22.87 vs 25.20/30; p = .016) improved at two months post-counseling. Despite desiring provider-initiated SRH, wanting children (81 %), and perceiving the CF team as their primary care provider (97 %), 44 % report not receiving information about infertility by the CF team.
CONCLUSIONS
Integrating FP counseling into CF care is feasible and acceptable to MwCF and can improve FP knowledge, self-efficacy, and care satisfaction. MwCF desire early and regular provider-initiated SRH education.
PubMed: 38942720
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcf.2024.06.011 -
Case - Vas deferens injury after herniorrhaphy leading to epididymal blowout in a pediatric patient.Canadian Urological Association Journal... Sep 2023
PubMed: 37458743
DOI: 10.5489/cuaj.8316 -
Journal of Experimental Zoology. Part... Mar 2024Although the usage of nanoparticles has expanded substantially in recent years, and it causes the detrimental effect on the various organs. CuNPs are widely used in...
Although the usage of nanoparticles has expanded substantially in recent years, and it causes the detrimental effect on the various organs. CuNPs are widely used in commercial applications. There has been minimal investigation into the possibly harmful effects of CuNPs on the accessory reproductive organs. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of CuNPs on the male reproductive organs like epididymis, vas deferens, seminal vesicle and prostate of mice. The mice were exposed orally to CuNPs at three doses 10, 100, and 200 mg/kg for 70 days. Our results showed that the organs index of only vas deferens and prostate reduced at 200 mg/kg group compared to the control. However, the histological study showed degenerative changes in the epididymis at higher doses like distortion in the tubules. The sperm parameters were also decreased in the 200 mg/kg CuNPs group. The vas deferens in 100 and 200 mg/kg treatment groups exhibited detachment of luminal epithelium and with a few or no spermatozoa in the higher dose group. The seminal vesicle and prostate also showed degenerative changes like atrophy, hyperplasia, and scant secretary materials. Furthermore, CuNPs also increased the oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant enzymes in vas deferens and seminal vesicles at higher dose. Caput epididymis showed decreased GPx enzymes in all the groups. However, MDA and GPx in corpus, cauda, and prostate did not show any significant variations among all the groups. In conclusion, our results suggest that CuNPs can manifest the detrimental effect of the male accessory organs and epididymis in a dose and tissue dependent manner. Since, detrimental effects were observed only at higher dose, thus, uses of CuNPs would be safe for reproductive organs at lower dose, even for the prolonged duration.
Topics: Male; Mice; Animals; Epididymis; Copper; Semen; Vas Deferens; Prostate
PubMed: 38047873
DOI: 10.1002/jez.2768 -
Nitric Oxide : Biology and Chemistry Feb 20246-Nitrodopamine (6-ND) is released from rat and human vas deferens and is considered a major mediator of both tissues contractility. The contractions induced by 6-ND are...
6-Nitrodopamine (6-ND) is released from rat and human vas deferens and is considered a major mediator of both tissues contractility. The contractions induced by 6-ND are selectively blocked by both tricyclic antidepressants and α-adrenoceptor antagonists. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is the major isoform responsible for 6-ND release in mouse isolated heart, however the origin of 6-ND in the vas deferens is unknown. Here it was investigated by LC-MS/MS the basal release of 6-ND from isolated vas deferens obtained from control, eNOS, nNOS, and iNOS mice. In addition, it was evaluated in vitro vas deferens contractility following electric field stimulation (EFS). Basal release of 6-ND was significantly reduced in nNOS mice compared to control mice, but not decreased when the vas deferens were obtained from either eNOS or iNOS mice. Pre-incubation of the vas deferens with tetrodotoxin (1 μM) significantly reduced the basal release of 6-ND from control, eNOS, and iNOS mice but had no effect on the basal release of 6-ND from nNOS mice. EFS-induced frequency-dependent contractions of the vas deferens, which were significantly reduced when the tissues obtained from control, eNOS and iNOS mice, were pre-incubated with l-NAME, but unaltered when the vas deferens was obtained from nNOS mice. In addition, the EFS-induced contractions were significantly smaller when the vas deferens were obtained from nNOS mice. The results clearly demonstrate that nNOS is the main NO isoform responsible for 6-ND release in mouse vas deferens and reinforces the concept of 6-ND as a major modulator of vas deferens contractility.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Male; Mice; Rats; Chromatography, Liquid; Dopamine; Muscle Contraction; Nitric Oxide; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; Norepinephrine; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Vas Deferens
PubMed: 38096948
DOI: 10.1016/j.niox.2023.12.002 -
Andrology Apr 2024Microdenervation of the spermatic cord (MSCD) is an effective treatment modality for men with intractable scrotal content pain. For patients not interested in preserving...
BACKGROUND
Microdenervation of the spermatic cord (MSCD) is an effective treatment modality for men with intractable scrotal content pain. For patients not interested in preserving fertility, some centers advocate ligation of the vas during denervation, while others prefer stripping of the vas deferens to preserve the vasal artery, hence preserving vasculature to the testis and possibly decreasing post-operative congestion pain.
OBJECTIVE
To compare outcomes of patients with chronic orchialgia, who underwent MSCD by either stripping or ligating the vas deferens.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A retrospective chart review of 85 patients who underwent MSCD from 2017-2023 was performed. Patients' demographics including history of prior surgical procedures were recorded. Response to surgery was evaluated as either complete resolution of pain, partial resolution of pain, or no improvement in pain.
RESULTS
Eighty-five patients underwent MSCD with a median (interquartile range, IQR) age of 36 (25.5-46.5) years and median duration of pain of 16 (6-31) months. Thirty-seven patients underwent stripping of vas, while 48 underwent ligation of vas during MSCD. Median follow up was 12 months. Twenty-one (43.5%) patients had prior inguinal scrotal surgery in the ligation group compared to 5 (13.5%) in the stripping group, p = 0.003. The etiology of pain was similar between the groups. The response to MSCD between the two groups was similar, 67.6% of patients who underwent stripping had complete resolution of pain versus 66.7% of those who had ligation (p = 0.968), with similar rates of post-operative complications (p-value = 0.132).
CONCLUSIONS
In men with intractable chronic scrotal content pain with no interest in preserving fertility, ligation, or stripping of the vas deferens yields similar outcomes with regard to pain resolution. Both techniques are safe with no reports of any testicular atrophy.
PubMed: 38639020
DOI: 10.1111/andr.13650 -
Frontiers in Pharmacology 2024The human umbilical artery (HUA), rat-isolated right atrium, and rat-isolated vas deferens present a basal release of 6-nitrodopamine (6-ND). The basal release of 6-ND...
The human umbilical artery (HUA), rat-isolated right atrium, and rat-isolated vas deferens present a basal release of 6-nitrodopamine (6-ND). The basal release of 6-ND from these tissues was significantly decreased (but not abolished) when the tissues were pre-incubated with N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME). In this study, the effect of the pharmacological modulation of the redox environment on the basal release of 6-ND was investigated. The basal release of 6-ND was measured using Liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Pre-incubation (30 min) of the tissues with GKT137831 (1 μM) caused a significant increase in the basal release of 6-ND from all tissues. In the HUA, pre-incubation with diphenyleneiodonium (DPI) (100 μM) also caused significant increases in the basal release of 6-ND. Preincubation of the HUA with hydrogen peroxide (HO) (100 μM) increased 6-ND basal release, whereas pre-incubation with catalase (1,000 U/mL) significantly decreased it. Pre-incubation of the HUA with superoxide dismutase (SOD) (250 U/mL; 30 min) also significantly increased the basal release of 6-ND. Preincubation of the HUA with either allopurinol (100 μM) or uric acid (1 mM) had no effect on the basal release of 6-ND. Pre-treatment of the HUA with L-NAME (100 μM) prevented the increase in the basal release of 6-ND induced by GKT137831, diphenyleneiodonium, and HO. The results obtained indicate a major role of endogenous H2O2 and peroxidases as modulators of 6- ND biosynthesis/release and a lack of peroxynitrite contribution.
PubMed: 38645555
DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1348876 -
Physiological Reports May 2024The epithelial cells that line the kidneys and lower urinary tract are exposed to mechanical forces including shear stress and wall tension; however, the mechanosensors...
The epithelial cells that line the kidneys and lower urinary tract are exposed to mechanical forces including shear stress and wall tension; however, the mechanosensors that detect and respond to these stimuli remain obscure. Candidates include the OSCA/TMEM63 family of ion channels, which can function as mechanosensors and osmosensors. Using Tmem63b reporter mice, we assessed the localization of HA-tagged-TMEM63B within the urinary tract by immunofluorescence coupled with confocal microscopy. In the kidneys, HA-TMEM63B was expressed by proximal tubule epithelial cells, by the intercalated cells of the collecting duct, and by the epithelial cells lining the thick ascending limb of the medulla. In the urinary tract, HA-TMEM63B was expressed by the urothelium lining the renal pelvis, ureters, bladder, and urethra. HA-TMEM63B was also expressed in closely allied organs including the epithelial cells lining the seminal vesicles, vas deferens, and lateral prostate glands of male mice and the vaginal epithelium of female mice. Our studies reveal that TMEM63B is expressed by subsets of kidney and lower urinary tract epithelial cells, which we hypothesize are sites of TMEM63B mechanosensation or osmosensation, or both.
Topics: Animals; Female; Male; Mice; Calcium Channels; Epithelial Cells; Mechanotransduction, Cellular; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Urinary Tract; Urothelium
PubMed: 38724885
DOI: 10.14814/phy2.16043 -
Proteomics Apr 2024Residing between the testes and the vas deferens, the epididymis is a highly convoluted tubule whose unique luminal microenvironment is crucial for the functional...
Residing between the testes and the vas deferens, the epididymis is a highly convoluted tubule whose unique luminal microenvironment is crucial for the functional maturation of spermatozoa. This microenvironment is created by the combined secretory and resorptive activity of the lining epididymal epithelium, including the release of extracellular vesicles (epididymosomes), which encapsulate fertility modulating proteins and a myriad of small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) that are destined for delivery to recipient sperm cells. To enable investigation of this intercellular communication nexus, we have previously developed an immortalized mouse caput epididymal epithelial cell line (mECap18). Here, we describe the application of label-free mass spectrometry to characterize the mECap18 cell proteome and compare this to the proteome of native mouse caput epididymal epithelial cells. We report the identification of 5,313 mECap18 proteins, as many as 75.8% of which were also identified in caput epithelial cells wherein they mapped to broadly similar protein classification groupings. Furthermore, key pathways associated with protein synthesis (e.g., EIF2 signaling) and cellular protection in the male reproductive tract (e.g., sirtuin signaling) were enriched in both proteomes. This comparison supports the utility of the mECap18 cell line as a tractable in-vitro model for studying caput epididymal epithelial cell function.
Topics: Male; Animals; Mice; Epididymis; Proteome; Semen; Testis; Spermatozoa
PubMed: 37759396
DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202300253 -
Acta Chirurgica Belgica Aug 2023We report on a case of congenital unilateral atresia of the vas deferens encountered during a robotic-assisted transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) inguinal hernia repair.
INTRODUCTION
We report on a case of congenital unilateral atresia of the vas deferens encountered during a robotic-assisted transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) inguinal hernia repair.
CASE REPORT
Our 65-years-old male patient was scheduled for a bilateral robotic-assisted TAPP inguinal hernia repair because of bilateral symptomatic groin hernia. Standard intraoperative dissection obtaining a critical view of the myopectineal orifice did not allow for an identification of the vas deferens (VD) on the left side. On the right side, a normal VD was identified. There was no suspicion of an intraoperative lesion or ligation of the VD. Both gonadal and inferior epigastric vessels were present on both sides. Upon clinical evaluation, no VD was palpable in the scrotum on the left side. The diagnosis of a congenital unilateral absence of the vas deferens was made. Additional abdominal computed tomography scan revealed a congenital agenesis of the left kidney, ureter, vesicula seminalis and vas deferens.
DISCUSSION
The accidental finding of a congenital absence of the vas deferens during inguinal hernia repair is rare. However, surgeons performing inguinal hernia repair should be aware of this condition and the clinical implications it poses, as this could prevent unnecessary exploration and missed diagnosis of associated underlying conditions.
Topics: Humans; Male; Aged; Hernia, Inguinal; Robotic Surgical Procedures; Vas Deferens; Incidental Findings; Robotics; Laparoscopy; Herniorrhaphy
PubMed: 35098883
DOI: 10.1080/00015458.2022.2035920 -
Toxicology May 2024Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate insecticide used to control pests in crops. Thus, humans are constantly exposed through ingestion of contaminated food or water,...
Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate insecticide used to control pests in crops. Thus, humans are constantly exposed through ingestion of contaminated food or water, inhalation of contaminated air, and through the skin. The juvenile and peripubertal periods comprise a window of development of the reproductive system, sensitive to toxic agents. Considering the scarcity of data on exposure to the insecticide during these periods, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of chlorpyrifos on the testis during the juvenile and peripubertal periods. Thirty Wistar rats with an initial age of 25 days were distributed into 3 groups: control, which received corn oil (vehicle); CPS5, which received 5 mg/Kg b.w. of chlorpyrifos; and CPS15, which received 15 mg/Kg b.w. of chlorpyrifos. The groups were treated via gavage daily for 40 days and on the 41st experimental day, the animals were anesthetized and submitted to euthanasia to collect the organs. Blood was collected to obtain plasma and testosterone measurement. The testicles were removed, weighed and used for sperm count analyses, histopathological and morphometric analyzes and for oxidative stress analyses. Spermatozoa from the vas deferens were collected for analyzes of sperm morphology and acrosome integrity. The results showed that the two concentrations of chlorpyrifos caused a decrease in the number of Leydig and Sertoli cells and germ cells and increased the number of morphologically abnormal sperm and sperm with acrosomal damage. Furthermore, a decrease in lipid peroxidation was observed in the CPS5 and CPS15 groups, and a decrease in glutathione-S-transferase activity in the CPS5 group. We conclude that exposure to chlorpyrifos harms the daily production of sperm, as well as their quality, in addition to causing an imbalance in the oxidoreductive balance of the testicle.
Topics: Animals; Male; Chlorpyrifos; Rats, Wistar; Insecticides; Spermatozoa; Leydig Cells; Sertoli Cells; Rats; Sexual Maturation; Oxidative Stress; Testosterone; Testis; Sperm Count
PubMed: 38522820
DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2024.153789