• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제38권1호
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• pp.6-9
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• 2011

Objective: To investigate a kallikrein-related peptidase 2 (KLK2) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in relation to male infertility because of its role in semen processing. We investigated the genetic association of the KLK2+255G>A genotype with male infertility. Methods: We genotyped the SNP site located in intron 1 (+255G>A, rs2664155) of KLK2 from 218 men with male infertility (cases) and 220 fertile males (controls). Pyrosequencing analysis was performed for the genotyping. Results: The SNP of the KLK2 gene had a statistically significant association with male infertility (p<0.05). The odds ratio for the minor allele (+255A) in the pooled sample was 0.47 (95% confidence intervals, 0.26-0.85) for rs2664155. Conclusion: The relationship of KLK2 SNP to male infertility is statistically significant, especially within the non-azoospermia group. Further study is needed to understand the mechanisms associated with male infertility.

• 한국생명과학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국생명과학회 2002년도 제35회 학술심포지움 및 춘계학술대회
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• pp.96-96
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• 2002

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제35권2호
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• pp.131-141
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• 2008

목 적: 무정자증 불임부부에서 신선 (fresh) 고환정자 (testicular spermatozoa)와 냉동보존-융해(cryopreserved-thawed) 고환정자를 사용한 난자세포질내 정자주입술 (intracytoplasmic sperm injection, ICSI)의 결과를 비교하고자 하였다. 연구방법: 신선 고환정자 및 냉동보존-융해 고환정자를 사용하여 ICSI 시술을 시행하기로 계획된 총 109주기 (66명)를 대상으로 하였고 신선 고환정자를 사용하기로 계획한 군 (신선 고환정자군, fresh group)에는 92주기 (61명)이 포함되었고 냉동보존-융해 고환정자를 사용하기로 계획한 군 (냉동보존-융해 고환정자군, cryopreserved-thawed group)에는 17주기 (13명)가 포함되었다. 양 군간에 수정률, 착상률, 임신률, 유산률 등 ICSI 시술의 결과들을 비교하였고 통계학적 분석은 Mann-Whitney U 검정 및 Fisher의 정확한 검정을 적절하게 사용하였다. 결 과: 신선 고환정자를 사용하여 ICSI 시술을 시행하기로 계획된 총 92주기 중 9주기에서 고환정자를 추출할 수 없어 시술 주기가 취소되었다. 냉동보존-융해 고환정자군과 비교하여 신선 고환정자군에서 수정률이 높은 경향을 보였고 ($58.0{\pm}27.8%$ vs. $45.9{\pm}25.0%$, p=0.076) 양질의 배아 수는 통계적으로 유의하게 높았다 ($0.9{\pm}1.2$ vs. $0.2{\pm}0.5$, p=0.002). 그러나 임상적 임신율, 착상률, 유산율은 양 군간에 통계적으로 유의한 차이가 없었다. 결 론: ICSI 시술을 위하여 냉동보존-융해 고환정자를 사용하는 경우 수정률 및 배아의 질이 감소하지만 임신율, 착상률, 유산율에는 영향을 미치지 않는 것으로 사료된다. 또한, ICSI 시술이전에 고환정자를 확보하고 냉동보존-융해 고환정자를 사용한다면 난자채취 당일 정자를 확보하지 못하여 주기를 취소하는 경우나 여성배우자의 불필요한 과배란유도를 줄일 수 있으며 반복적인 고환정자추출술로 인한 고환기능의 손상을 줄일 수 있는 유용한 방법으로 사료된다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제8권2호
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• pp.45-55
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• 1981

Clomiphene citrate. antiestrogen, was given to 39 infertile males whose spermatogenesis were disturbed and the efficacy of the drug was evaluated at the Department of Urology in 1980. (Table 1). Patients were divided into 3 clinical observation groups such as group I composed of 19 cases of idiopathic azoospermia, group II consisted of 15 cases of oligospermia following the vasovasostomy, and group III comprised 5 cases of testicular azoospermia. (Table 2). Clinical characteristics of these patients were as follows: Age of the patients ranged from 26 to 43 years old with mean of 34, and that of their wives ranged from 24 to 41 years old with mean of 31. Duration of marital life ranged from 1 to 21 years with mean of 5 years. Sizes of testis ranged from 6 to 25 ml with mean of 16 ml. Coital frequency ranged from 0.5 to 6 per week with mean of 2.4 per week. Levels of plasma FSH ranged from 3.15 to 23.06 lU/1 with mean of 8.15 lU/1, those of LH ranged from 2.98 to 19.89 lU/1 with mean of 8.18 lU/1 and those of testosterone ranged from 3.09 to 9.97 ng/ml with mean of 6.48 ng/ml. (Table 3). Clomiphene citrate was given in dosage of 50 mg per day (in d.) orally to 31 patients for 3 to 9 months and in dosage of 100 mg per day (b.i.d.) orally to 8 patients for 3 to 9 months. (Table 8). Semen samples were analysed monthly on each patient by routine analysis techniques. For the assessment of the efficacy of Clomiphene citrate on faulty spermatogenesis following empirical criteria were used: For semen quality: Improvement (I) represents that semen parameter increased more than 25% from basal level after the treatment, Unchange (U) expresses that semen parameter increased less than 25% of basal level or not changed after the treatment and Deterioration (D) means that semen parameter decreased from basal level after the treatment. For fertility unit (total counts ${\times}$ motility ${\times}$ morphology ${\div}10^6$): Improvement (I) represents that fertility unit increased more than 10 units after the treatment, Unchange (U) expresses that fertility unit increased less than 10 units or not changed after the treatment, and Deterioration (D) means that fertility unit decreased after the treatment. (Table 4). Results obtained from the Clomiphene therapy were as follows: Changes of spermiograme before and after the Oomiphene therapy shown in the Table 5. Sperm counts increased from 23 to 31 ${\times}10^6$/ml in group I, from 17 to 29 ${\times}10^6$/ml in group II. Other parameters of spermiogramme were not changed significantly after the treatment. Fertility units increased from 14 to 18 units after the treatment in group I, and from 16 to 18 units after the treatment in group II. Effectiveness of Clomiphene citrate on spermatogenesis was summarised in the Tables 6 and 7. After the treatment, sperm count increased in 11 patients, motility increased in 6 patients, morphology increased in 4 patients and fertility units increased in 9 patients. No sperm could be produced by Clomiphene citrate in group III of testicular azoospermia. Dosage of 50 mg of Clomiphene citrate per day for 3 to 6 months was proved to be the most effective in the present series. (Table 8). Pregnancy occurred in 2 patients after the treatment. No particular side effects were noted by the treatment. Pharmacologic compounds used for male infertility were shown in the Table 9. Reported results of Clomiphene citrate were shown in the Table 10.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제37권2호
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• pp.425-438
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• 1997

To assess the testicular toxicity induced by DA-125, a new anthracycline anticancer agent, the test substance was intraveneously administered to male beagle dogs at dose levels of 0, 0.0023, 0.0375, 0.15, and 0.6 mg/kg/day, 6 days a week for 26 weeks. At 0.6 mg/kg/day, 1 out of 3 dogs had died on day 42 of treatment and the other dogs were sacrificed on days 46 and 122 of treatment due to the increasingly severe clinical condition. Clinical signs considered to be related to treatment were included anorexia, vomiting, salivation, decreased activity, mucous and/or dark faeces, diarrhea, and swelling, abscess and/or ulceration of injection sites. Suppression in body weight gain, reduction in food intake, decreases in testicular weight and size, and hemorrhage of epididymis were also observed in male dogs. Microscopically, severe degenerative changes such as atrophy of seminiferous tubules, loss of germ cells, degeneration of germ cells, vacuolization of Sertoli cells, and hyperplasia of Leydig cells were observed in all dogs. Azoospermia in epididymal tubules, atrophy of epithelia in the cauda epididymis, and prostate atrophy were also found. At 0.15 mg/kg/day, anorexia, vomiting, salivation, diarrhea, and swelling of injection sites were observed. In addition, suppression in body weight gain and decreases in testicular weight and size were found in male dogs. Atrophy of seminiferous tubules, decrease of germ cells, degeneration, exfoliation and retention of germ cells, vacuolization of Sertoli cells, and hyperplasia of Leydig cells were observed by histopathological examination. Azoospermia in epididymal tubules and prostate atrophy were also found. At 0.0375 mg/kg/day, there were no clinical signs considered to be indicative of a reaction to treatment, but testicular size was significantly reduced. Microscopically, decreases in the number of spermatogonia and epidydimal speramtozoa were found. There were no evidences of general or testicular toxicity at 0.0023 mg/kg/day. These results indicate that DA-125 produces significant and persistent damage to the spermatogenic compartments of the testes in male beagle dogs.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.145-149
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• 2008

46,XX 남성은 여성의 핵형을 가지나, 남성의 표현형을 나타내는 경우를 말한다. SRY 유전자는 Y 염색체(Yp 11.31)의 단완에 위치하며 인간에서 성을 결정하는 중요한 요인이다. 본 증례는 무정자증의 임상증상이 보이는 46,XX 남성의 정확한 원인분석을 위해 말초혈액분석에서 세포유전학적인 방법과 분자유전학적인 방법을 함께 병행한 보고이다. 남성 표현형과 비교하여 성에 불일치 소견이 보여, 그 원인을 찾기 위해 QF-PCR, FISH와 Multiplex PCR 분석 등의 분자유전학적 방법을 적용하였다. 그 결과, 여성의 성 염색체 XX를 가지되 SRY 유전자가 존재하여 남성 표현형을 보이면서 무정자증이 된 경우이다. 따라서, 일반적인 세포유전학 방법을 기초로 QF-PCR, FISH와 Multiplex PCR 분석 등과 같은 분자유전학적 방법을 병행하면 환자의 정보를 빠르고 정확하게 제공하는데 효과적이고 유용하다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.103-109
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• 1999

Objective: Heat shock protein 70-2 (Hsp70-2) gene knockout mice are found to have premeiotic arrest at the primary spermatocyte stage with a complete absence of spermatids and spermatozoa. This observation led to the hypothesis that hspA2 may be disrupted in human testes with abnormal spermatogenesis. To test this hypothesis, we studied the mRNA expression of hspA2 in infertile men with azoospermia. Design: The mRNA expression were analyzed by competitive RT-PCR among testes with normal spermatogenesis, pachytene spermatocyte arrest, and sertoli-cell only syndrome. Materials and methods: Testicular biopsy was performed in men with azoospermia (n=15). Specimens were subdivided into three groups: (group 1) normal spermatogenesis (n=5), (group 2) spermatocyte arrest (n=5), (group 3) Sertoli-cell only syndrome (n=5). Total RNA was extracted by Trizol reagent. Total extracted RNA was reverse transcribed into cDNA and amplified by PCR using specific primers for hspA2 target cDNAs. A competitive cDNA fragment was constructed by deleting a defined fragment from the target cDNA sequence, and then coamplified with the target cDNA for competitive PCR. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) gene was used as an internal control. Results: On Competitive RT-PCR analyses for hspA2 mRNA, significant amount of hspA2 expression was observed in group 1, whereas a constitutively low level of hspA2 was expressed in groups 2 and 3. Conclusion(s): The study demonstrates that the hspA2 gene expression is down-regulated in human testes with abnormal spermatogenesis, which in turn suggests that hspA2 gene may play a specific role during meiosis in human testes.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제17권5호
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• pp.613-618
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• 2007

무정자증에 영향을 미치는 AZFa, b, c 영역은 남성불임환자에서 잦은 미세결실이 발견됨으로써 정자형성과정에서 중요한 역할을 할 것으로 주목 받아왔다. 이들 영역에 있는 유전자중 RBMY1, CDY1 그리고 VCY2유전자는 고환에서 남성의 생식선 세포의 분화와 연관되어 있는 것으로 알려졌다. 42명의 무정자증 환자의 고환조직을 RT-PCR법으로 분석해본 결과 RBMY1, CDY1 그리고 VCY2 유전자는 각각 34%, 66%, 그리고 27%의 환자에서 발현되지 않는 것으로 조사되었다. RBMY1 과 VCY2유전자가 발현되지 않는 개체는 CDY1유전자도 역시 발현이 되지 않았다. 세르토리 세포만 가진 환자에서는 CDY1 유전자가 발현되지 않았다. 따라서, CDY1 유전자는 한국인 집단에서 정자형성과정의 필수적인 요인인 것으로 사료된다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.121-132
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• 2005

연구목적: 본 연구에서는 비폐쇄성 무정자증 환자에서 나타나는 정자형성과정의 이상과 고환세포의 세포자연사와의 연관관계 여부를 확인하였다. 또한 SELDI-TOF MS 분석을 통하여 고환 내 단백질 발현 양상을 확인하고, 질환에 따른 효과적인 biomarker 개발 가능성 여부를 확인하였다. 재료 및 방법: RT-PCR 및 면역조직화학법을 사용하여 고환에서의 Fas, FasL, Bcl-2, Bax와 Caspase-3의 발현 양상을 확인하고, in situ DNA 3'-end-labelling 방법으로 고환세포의 세포자연사 양상을 확인하였다. SELDI-TOF MS 분석법에 의한 고환의 병리학적 소견에 따른 단백질 발현 변화는 소수성 칩 ($H_4$)을 사용하여 분자량 10~100 kDa 범위 내에서 분석하였다. 결 과: 정상적인 정자형성과정을 보이는 폐쇄성 무정자증 환자의 고환에 비해 지주세포 증후군 (Sertoli cell only syndrome)과 성숙정지 (maturation arrest)를 보이는 고환 내 생식세포와 지주세포에서 세포자연사가 현저하게 증가한 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 세포자연사 관련인자들의 발현 양상을 확인한 결과, 지주세포 증후군과 성숙정지 환자군에서 Fas와 FasL mRNA의 발현이 증가하였으나, bcl-2, bax와 caspase-3 mRNA 발현의 경우에는 두 질환 모두에서 유의한 차이를 확인할 수 없었다. FasL 단백질 발현의 경우, 세포자연사의 증가가 관찰되었던 지주세포 증후군과 성숙정지를 보이는 환자의 간질세포와 지주세포에서 증가하는 양상을 나타내었다. SELDI-TOF MS 분석 결과에서 폐쇄성 무정자증 환자군에 비해 전체적인 단백질 발현양이 지주세포 증후군과 성숙정지 환자의 고환에서 감소하는 양상을 보였으며, 특히, 16.730 kDa 단백질의 현저한 감소를 확인할 수 있었다. 결 론: 본 연구결과를 통해 비폐쇄성 무정자증 환자에서 나타나는 정자형성과정의 장애는 생식세포의 비정상적인 세포자연사와 연관되어 있으며, 고환 내 Fas와 FasL의 비정상적인 발현이 주된 원인인 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 또한, SELDI-TOF MS 분석법을 통한 단백질 발현 양상의 연구는 무정자증 환자에서의 다양한 병리학적 소견을 쉽게 파악할 수 있는 biomarker 발굴뿐만 아니라 질환의 원인규명을 위한 연구에도 유용하게 이용될 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• 제8권4호
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• pp.201-205
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• 2010

The H1 histone family, member N, testis-specific (H1FNT) is exclusively expressed in the testis, and had its possible role for sperm chromatin formation. The purpose of this study is to investigate any genetic association of H1FNT gene with male infertility, especially at the promoter region. We examined the promoter single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of H1FNT gene which is located within transcription factor binding site for its association with male infertility. The statistical analysis showed that the -1129A>T polymorphism was present at a statistically significance in male infertility (p=0.0059 and 0.0349 for hetero and risk type, respectively). The dual-luciferase promoter assay was performed to examine the polymorphic effect of this promoter SNP by the cloning of promoter region (1700bp fragment) into pGL3-basic vector. In our plasmid based reporter system, there is no big difference between wild and risk type. In conclusion, H1FNT -1129A>T promoter SNP is statistically significant with male infertility, especially with subfertile (non-azoospermia) group. Further analysis of its functional polymorphic effect in vivo may provide the biological significance of testis-specific histone with spermatogenesis.