• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.266-269
• /
• 2005

An intratesticular simple cyst is a rare lesion. The pathogenesis of such lesions is uncertain. Clinically, an intratesticular simple cyst may be difficult to differentiate from a cystic neoplasm. However, preoperative diagnosis is possible using ultrasonography (US). Testis-sparing surgery with simple enucleation of the cyst has a favorable outcome. We report an intratesticular simple cyst in a 48-year-old male who had a non-tender cystic mass in the right testis for 2 years. The diagnosis was made by preoperative US. The patient underwent a testis-sparing surgery. After simple excision of the cyst, histological examination revealed a simple cyst lined by ciliated cuboidal and columnar epithelium.

• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.435-440
• /
• 2013

Previous studies, including our own, have demonstrated that the intratesticular injection of hypertonic saline (20%) decreased serum testosterone level which was similar to the surgical castration in the rat, showing the state of chemical castration. In the present study, we further verify the efficacy of this less invasive method as an alternative of surgical orchidectomy in the andrological field. Sterilized 20% saline was directly injected into the adult male rats (750 ${\mu}l$ per testis). The tested rats were divided into 3 groups including intact group (intact), orchidectomy group (ORX) and saline injection group (SAL) after bilateral orchidectomy was performed at the same day of injection. All rats were sacrificed at 4 weeks after injection. The reproductive organs (testes, epididymis, seminal vesicles and prostates) were collected and used for DNA and protein pattern analyses. Also, patho-histological studies on the testes were performed. In contrast to the intact group, similar DNA damages of testis and seminal vesicle were appeared in ORX group and SAL group. The DNA degradations seemed to be the results of necrosis rather than apoptosis. In the protein pattern analysis, all the testing tissues exerted similar patterns in the ORX group and the SAL group compared to the those of intact group. Patho-histological studies revealed that severe degenerative changes in testicular seminiferous tubules and massive infiltration of immune cells in SAL group. The present study confirmed that direct injection of hypertonic saline into the testis caused the equivalent biochemical changes in the accessory sex organs as shown in the orchidectomized animals. These results suggest that hypertonic saline injection model could be a useful castration model which can substitute for surgical castration when its safety is secured through further study in the future.

• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.307-315
• /
• 2017

Surgical castration (also known as orchidectomy, ORX) has been frequently performed to avoid uncontrolled breeding. However, it has some serious disadvantages. Several laboratories have developed chemical castration methods, using bilateral intratesticular injection (BITI) of simple chemical solutions. The present study was undertaken to compare the effects of ORX and of hypertonic saline BITI on the androgen-sensitive tissues such as pituitary and hypothalamus. Serum testosterone (T) levels of ORX animals and hypertonic saline BITI animals (SAL) after 4 weeks of the manipulations exhibited significantly drops as compared with the levels of intact animals ( $Intact:ORX:SAL=7.74{\pm}1.31:1.34{\pm}0.19:1.28{\pm}0.18ng/ml$, p<0.001). Both ORX and BITI method induced similar stimulatory effects on the pituitary gonadotropin subunits and hypothalamic KiSS-1 gene expressions. In contrast, the effects of ORX and hypertonic saline BITI on hypothalamic GnRH gene expression were different from these gene expressions, shown an inverse relationship between the two groups ($Intact:ORX:SAL=1:0.45{\pm}0.06:1:2.07{\pm}0.41:1.51{\pm}0.37AU$; ORX, p<0.001; SAL, p<0.05). In conclusion, we provided evidence that hypertonic saline BITI method has equivalent efficacy of T depletion to surgical castration in rats. The present study suggests the hypertonic saline BITI could be a promising substitute to conventional surgical castration.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.147-154
• /
• 1990

To study effects of intratesticular injection of AgNO3 and latic acid solution(ALS) on castration, 50 heads of crossbred(Large Yorkshire$\times$Landrace) pigs were used. ALS(1% or 5% in concentration) was injected(0.2ml or 0.5ml in amout) to testes of pigs(weighing 7.7kg) unilaterally or bilaterally and changes of scrotum size, residual concentration of Ag, and steroid concentration in the blood were measured. The results obtained are summarized as follows : 1. The size of testis became swollen significantly(p<0.01) on the 3rd day after the treatment and then reduced to the same size before the treatment on the 26th day. 2. The residual concentration of Ag in the bilaterally treated pigs was similar to that of the control pigs, while it was lower in the unilaterally treated pigs than in the control pigs except the 1%-0.2ml treated pigs whose concentration was similar to that of the control pigs. 3. In 92 days after the bilateral injection, the testosterone concentration was higher significantly(p<0.01) in the 5%-0.5ml treated pigs than in the control pigs. However, in 120 days it was lower significantly(p<0.05) in the treated pigs than in the control pigs. 4. In 92 days after the bilateral treatment, the androstenedione concentration was lower significantly(p<0.01) in the 1%-0.5ml treated pigs than in the control pigs and it was also lower significantly(p<0.05) in the 1% or 5% treated pigs than in the control pigs on the 120th day after the treatment.

• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.187-195
• /
• 2014

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are ubiquitous in the air, are present as volatile and particulate pollutants that result from incomplete combustion. Most PAHs have toxic, mutagenic, and/or carcinogenic properties. Among PAHs, benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) and dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) are suspected endocrine disruptors. The testis is an important target for PAHs, yet effects on steroidogenesis in Leydig cells are yet to be ascertained. Particularly, disruption of testosterone production by these chemicals can result in serious defects in male reproduction. Exposure to B[a]P reduced serum and intratesticular fluid testosterone levels in rats. Of note, the testosterone level reductions were accompanied by decreased steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and $3{\beta}$-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase isomerase ($3{\beta}$-HSD) expression in Leydig cells. B[a]P exposure can decrease epididymal sperm quality, possibly by disturbing the testosterone level. StAR may be a key steroidogenic protein that is targeted by B[a]P or other PAHs.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.21-28
• /
• 1990

19-nortestosterone(NORA)와 19-norandrostenedione(NT)는 정소내 aromatization과정중 중간 대사물로 검출된다. 본 연구는 이들을 장기간 투여하여 정소 및 부속기관의 무게, 혈청내 testosterone(T)의 농도, 정자형성에 미치는 영향을 조사하였다. NORA, NT 및 TE를 $300/50{\mu}l$농도로 주당 3회씩 12주간 정소에 직접 주사(intratesticular injection, i.t.)하였다. 또한 GnRH antagonist(RS68439)를 처리하여 혈청내 생식소자극호르몬 (GTH)을 감소시킨후 위 호르몬들을 동일방법으로 처리하여 이들의 보상작용을 조사하였다. NORA는 정소무게를 감소시키지 않았으나 GnRH antagonist를 처리하여 감소된 정소무게를 현저하게 보상하였다(P<0.05). NORA, NT, TE는 모두 부속기관의 무게를 증가시켰으며, RS68439가 감소시킨 부속기관의 무게를 현저히 증가시켰다. 그러나 이들은 부정소(epididymis)에는 영향을 주지않았으며 RS68439처리군에서는 보상작용을 나타내었다. 이들의 처리로 혈청내 LH농도는 완전히 감소하였으나 FSH의 농도에는 영향을 나타내지 않았다. 그리고 혈청내 T의 농도를 증가시켰다. NORA는 정자형성과정중 7단계의 spermatid의 수를 현저히 감소시켰다. 위 결과로 보아 NORA는 GnRH antagonist로 FSH의 분비가 억제된 쥐의 FSH분비를 촉진하며, T의 농도를 증가시켜 정자형성과정을 억제하는 것으로 추론된다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Embryo Transfer Conference
• /
• 2002.11a
• /
• pp.63-65
• /
• 2002

Identification of spermatogonial stem cell-specific surface molecules is important in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the maintenance and differentiation of these cells. We have found that spermatogonia from busulfan treated mice expressed an autoantigen that distinguishes between undifferentiated and differentiated spermatogonia. Four to six weeks after busulfan treatment, germ cells located in the basal compartment of seminiferous epithelium show isotype-specific IgG deposits that form due to autoimmunity. Before busulfan treatment, the level of testicular IgG was very low but IgG levels began to increase after week 4 and peaked at week 6. When cells from the busulfan treated testis were analyzed using laser scanning cytomeoy (LSC), the frequency of cells positive for IgG deposits, 6-integrin, and 1-integrin were 16.5${\pm}$3.8%, 11.8${\pm}$2.6%, and 9.0${\pm}$ 1.4%, respectively. Immunofluorescent staining suggested that most, if not all of the cells with IgG-deposits isolated from a laminin-coated dish, were also positive for a spermatogonial stem cell marker \ulcorner6-integrins as well as for a germ cell-specific marker TRA 98. We determined serum and intratesticular IgG levels and the soundness of seminiferous tubule basement membrane from busulfan treated mice using electron microscopy, in order to study the mechanism responsible for IgG deposits in spermatogonia. We found that the basement membranes of seminiferous tubules from busulfan treated mice were severely impaired when compared to those of normal adult, neonates and w/wv mice. Furthermore, new blood cells were observed in the surface of the damaged basement membrane along the seminiferous tubules. These results suggest that the IgG in spermatogonial stem cells accumulates from circulating blood through the impaired basement membranes induced by busulfan treatment. Taken together, our study suggests that IgG can be used as a new marker for undifferentiated spermatogonia cells.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Biology Conference
• /
• 2002.11a
• /
• pp.33-37
• /
• 2002

The present was performed to identify the effects of tributyltin (TBT) in the immature mice testes. 3-week-old male ICR mice were orally administrated on one time basis of TBT dose of O (Vehicle control, VC), 25 (TBT 25 mg/kg, T$_{25}$ ), 50 (TBT 50 mg/kg, T$_{50}$ ), 100 (TBT 100 mg/kg, T$_{100}$ ) mg/kg per each one. After 3 days the time treated of TBT, mice were sacrified and wighted body, testis, epididymis, seminal vesicle, vas deferens, and prostate. As the result of weighing, wights of each oragan and gonad index were tendency decresed in comparing groups of TBT treated with that (C) of unteated (p <0.05). As the result of examination of steroid hormones in the immature male mice, The concentrations of serum and intratesticular testosterone were significatly increased rather than the control group. But concentrations of estradiol were decresed objectly. A group of the highest change of concentrations of steroid hormones is T$_{100}$ . The high dose group, T$_{100}$ , was decreased all of concentrations of steroid hormones rather than those of T$^{25}$ . The result of observation with histological changes in testis showed a tendency for innercellular wall to increase damage and extinction in seminiferous tubles. As the result of investigation apoptotic cell numbers in the testis using teminal deoxy-nucleotidyl transferase -mediated dUTP-digoxygenin nick end-labeling immunohistochemical straia, The ratio of Apoptic cells significantly was incensed in depending on treatment of TBT does. In conclusion, these results shows that TBT triggers apoptosis on reproductive cell in testis and changes level of concentrations of steroid hormones in the immature male mice , as endocrine disruptors (EDs).

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.45 no.1
• /
• pp.48-51
• /
• 2018

We report the case of a 46-year-old Chinese male patient who visited our clinic complaining of infertility. Semen analysis revealed azoospermia, and azoospermia factor c region partial deletion (b1/b3) was detected using Y chromosome microdeletion analysis. Testicular sperm extraction was performed after genetic counseling. The bilateral ductus deferens and a portion of the epididymis were absent, whereas the remaining epididymis was expanded. Motile intratesticular spermatozoa were successfully extracted from the seminiferous tubule. On histopathology, nearly complete spermatogenesis was confirmed in almost every seminiferous tubule. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of b1/b3 deletion with a congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens and almost normal spermatogenesis.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.305-314
• /
• 1994

19-norandrostenedione(19-NORA) is known as an intermediate in the metabolic pathway from androstenedione to estrone. Administration of esterified 19-nortestosterone, anabolic steroid, reduces serum gonadotropin and testosterone concentration, and results in reversible azoospermia in men. 19-NORA have been isolated from testis, but its function in testis is not clear yet. Therefore, this study was designed to determine the effect of 19-NORA on steroidogenesis and on spermatogenesis. 19-NORA was administrated by single intratesticular injection to adult male rats weighing 350-400 g in dose of 1 mg/50${\mu}l$. The serum and testis were collected on 1, 3, 7, 12, 48 hr after injection. The histological differences in testis were observed by routine paraffin method. The concentrations of testosterone and estradiol in serum and in left testis were determined by the conventional radioimmunoassays. One hour after 19-NORA treatment, serum concentrations of testosterone and estradiol increased significantly, compared to those of pre-treated(0 hr) group, and reduced gradually to the control level on 7 hour after injection. The concentration of testosterone in left testis increased slightly 1 hour after injection, and estradiol level increased significantly(p<0.05). Also, testosterone and estradiol level of control group revealed no difference with pre-treated (0 hr) group. Gonad index, structure of seminiferous tubules, and the number of step 7 th spermatid were simillar to control group. The present study suggests that the elevation of testosterone level results from increment of estradiol followed by the rapid metabolism of 19-NORA at 7 hour after injection, and then testosterone concentration may be recovered to control level by feedback mechanism of hypothalamus-hypothysis-testis axis.