International Journal of Reproductive BioMedicine
Volume:14 Issue: 6, Jun 2016

Evaluating the significance and the effects of plant-derived drugs on laboratory animal’s fertility was recognized. There was antioxidant activity reported from Heracleum persicum (Golpar).

Current study aims to study the antioxidant effect of Golpar extracts on sperm parameters and chromatin quality in mice.

Eighteen adult male mice were divided to 3 groups (10 wk old, 35 gr weight): group1 received hydro alcoholic extract (1000 mg/kg, ip), group 2 received oil extract (200 mg/kg, ip) and group 3 serving as the sham control group that received sterile water. Finally, left cauda epididymis of each animal was dissected and sperm analysis was done accordingly. To asses sperm chromatin and DNA quality, we used aniline blue (AB), toluidine blue (TB), chromomycin A3 (CMA3) and acridine orange (AO) staining.

Progressive and non-progressive sperm motility were significantly increased in group 1 in comparison with group 3 (p=0.032). There was an increasing trend in progressive sperm motility and decreasing trend in non-progressive sperm motility in group 2 in comparison with group 3, but the differences were not significant (p=0.221 and p=0.144, respectively). According to the sperm chromatin quality, the results of TB and AO tests revealed significant differences (p=0.004, p=0.000, respectively) between those groups and showed that the extracts of Golpar cause DNA damage, but no differences can be observed between them in AB and CMA3 staining (p>0.05).

The results showed that Heracleum persicum extracts may improve sperm motility. Also, it has harmful effects on sperm chromatin condensation and DNA integrity in mice.

To meet the future challenges in the field of reproductive medicine in Iran, better understanding of published studies is needed. Bibliometric methods and social network analysis have been used to measure the scope and illustrate scientific output of researchers in this field.

This study provides insight into the structure of the network of Iranian papers published in the field of reproductive medicine through 2010-2014.

In this cross-sectional study, all relevant scientific publications were retrieved from Scopus database and were analyzed according to document type, journal of publication, hot topics, authors and institutions. The results were mapped and clustered by VosViewer software.

In total, 3141 papers from Iranian researchers were identified in Scopus database between 2010-2014. The numbers of publications per year have been increased from 461 in 2010 to 749 in 2014. Tehran University of Medical Sciences and "Soleimani M" are occupied the top position based on Productivity indicator. Likewise "Soleimani M" was obtained the first rank among authors according to degree centrality, betweenness centrality and collaboration criteria. In addition, among institutions, Iranian Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR) was leader based on degree centrality, betweenness centrality and collaboration indicators.

Publications of Iranian researchers in the field of reproductive medicine showed steadily growth during 2010-2014. It seems that in addition to quantity, Iranian authors have to promote quality of articles and collaboration. It will help them to advance their efforts.

The availability of testis specific genes will be of help in choosing the most promising biomarkers for the detection of testicular sperm retrieval in patients with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA). Testis specific chromodomain protein Y 1 (CDY1) is a histone acetyltransferase which concentrates in the round spermatid nucleus, where histone hyperacetylation occurs and causes the replacement of histones by the sperm-specific DNA packaging proteins, TNPs and PRMs.

The aim was to evaluate CDY1 gene as a marker for predicting of successful sperm retrieval in NOA patients.

This research was conducted on 29 patients with NOA who had undergone testicular sperm extraction (TESE) procedure. NOA patients were subdivided into patients with successful sperm retrieval (NOA, n=12) and patients with unsuccessful sperm retrieval (NOA-, n=17). Relative expression of CDY1 gene and chromatin incorporation of CDY1 protein were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and ELISA assay, respectively.

Quantification of mRNA relative expression and incorporation of CDY1 protein in chromatin showed significant lower expressions and protein levels of CDY1 in testis tissues of NOA- in comparison to NOA group.

The findings in this study demonstrated a correlation between the low levels of CDY1 function and unsuccessful sperm recovery in the testicular tissues of NOA- compared to NOA patients. Therefore, it can be reasonable to consider CDY1 as a potential biomarker for predicting the presence of spermatozoa, although the claim needs more samples to be confirmed.

Some dynamic changes occurs during spermatogenesis such as histone removal and its replacement with transition nuclear protein and protamine. These proteins are required for packing and condensation of sperm chromatin. JHDM2A is a histone demethylase that directly binds to promoter regions of Tnp1 and Prm1 genes and controls their expression by removing H3K9 at their promoters.

The association between polymorphisms of exon 12 and exon 24 in JHDM2A gene and male infertility were evaluated for the first time.

In this experimental study, 400 infertile men (oligospermia and azoospermia) and normal healthy fathers were evaluated (n=200). Single Strand Conformation Polymorphism (SSCP-PCR) and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) methods were used for screening any polymorphisms that are exist in exon 12 and exon 24.

Exon 24 PCR products were analyzed by RFLP but no polymorphism was found in this exon at the restriction site of EcoRV enzyme. Our monitoring along the whole nucleotides of exon 12 and exon 24 were continued using SSCP method, but we found no change along these exons.

Generally, this study evaluated the association between polymorphisms in exon 12 and exon 24 of JHDM2A gene and male infertility which suggests that polymorphisms of these exons may not be associated with the risk of male infertility.

Sodium arsenite can impair male reproductive function by inducing oxidative stress. Silymarin is known as a potent antioxidant.

This study was performed to investigate if silymarin can prevent the adverse effect of sodium arsenite on ram sperm viability, motility and mitochondrial membrane potential.

Epidydimal spermatozoa obtained from ram were divided into five groups: 1) Spermatozoa at 0 hr, 2) spermatozoa at 180 min (control), 3) spermatozoa treated with sodium arsenite (10 μM) for 180 min, 4) spermatozoa treated with silymarin (20 μM) sodium arsenite (10 μM) for 180 min and 5) spermatozoa treated with silymarin (20 μM) for 180 min. MTT assay and Rhodamine 123 staining were used to assess sperm viability and mitochondrial membrane potential respectively. Sperm motility was performed according to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.

Viability (p

Silymarin could compensate the adverse effect of sodium arsenite on viability, nonprogressive motility and mitochondrial membrane potential of ram sperm.

Bisphenol A (BPA), an environmental pollutant, can generate free radicals which damages the reproductive system. Vitamin C is an antioxidant which may prevent the adverse effects of free radicals.

The aim was to investigate the effect of vitamin C on the ovary tissue in rats treated with BPA.

In this experimental study, 24 female Wistar rats (200±20 gr) were randomly divided into 4 groups (n=6): control, BPA (60 µg/Kg/day), vitamin C (150 mg/Kg/day) and BPA vitamin C and orally treated for 20 days. The left ovaries were taken out, fixed for tissue processing and studied using stereological methods. Data were analyzed with SPSS using one-way ANOVA, and the means were considered significantly different at (p

The total volume of ovary and cortex (p

Vitamin C can be used as a potential antioxidant in the case of BPA toxication.

Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common sexually transmitted bacterial pathogen worldwide. Early detection and treatment of C.trachomatis genital infection prevent serious reproductive complications.

Performances of enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and major outer membrane protein (MOMP)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for diagnosis of genital C.trachomatis infection in women were compared.

In this cross sectional study a total of 518 women volunteers were included (33.67±8.3 yrs) who had been referred to Gynecology clinics of Qom province, Iran, were included. Endocervical swab specimens were collected to detect lipopolysaccharide (LPS) antigen in EIA and to amplify MOMP gene of C.trachomatis in PCR. Results were confirmed using ompI nested-PCR. Sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) were calculated for performance of the tests. Odds ratios were determined using binary logistic regression analysis.

In total, 37 (7.14%) cases were positive by EIA and/or MOMP-PCR. All discrepant results were confirmed by nested-PCR. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV values of EIA were 59.46%, 100%, 100% and 96.98%, and those of MOMP-PCR were 97.30%, 100%, 100%, 99.79%, respectively. Reproductive complications including 2.7% ectopic pregnancy, 5.4% stillbirth, 5.4% infertility, and 10.8% PROM were recorded. The risk of developing chlamydiosis was increased 4.8-fold in volunteers with cervicitis (p

C.trachomatis infection should be regarded in women of reproductive ages especially those with cervicitis. Primary screening of women by using the low cost antigen-EIA is recommended; however, due to the low sensitivity of Ag-EIA, verification of the negative results by a DNA amplification method is needed.

Measuring of maternal serum pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) in first trimester can be a way for early detection of adverse prenatal outcome due to faulty placenta.

The aim was to Determination of association between placental thickness in second trimester with low level of PAPP-A in first trimester.

In this cohort study, serum PAPP-A of 187 pregnant women was measured in the first trimester of pregnancy. Patients who had PAPP-A ≤0.8 MOM were in exposed and others who had PAPP-A >0.8 defined as unexposed group. The criteria of placental thickness in ultrasound study was thickness of 4 cm or more than 50% of placental length.

Of 187 patients, 87 patients had PAPP-A >0.8 and 93 patients had PAPP-A ≤0.8. Women with low levels of PAPP-A in the first trimester, had an increased incidence placental thickness of 34.4%, whereas another group had about 15% (p=0.002). Also, PAPP-A levels had acceptable sensitivity and specificity for placental thickness detection (71.1% and 54.8%, respectively.

Our study showed that serum level of PAPP-A generally was low (≤0.8) in women with a thick placenta (>4 cm or >50% of placental length). The first trimester of pregnancy measurement of PAPP-A will be more predictable for healthy placenta.