Review
Environmental Sciences
Ruijun Xu, Yanling Zhong, Rui Li, Yingxin Li, Zihua Zhong, Tingting Liu, Qiling Wang, Ziquan Lv, Suli Huang, Yong-Gang Duan, Xinzong Zhang, Yuewei Liu
Summary: This study synthesized the exposure-response associations between ambient air pollution and semen quality. The results showed that exposure to PM2.5, PM10, and SO2 was inversely associated with sperm concentration, total sperm number, total motility, and/or progressive motility. These findings provide further evidence that air pollution may have adverse effects on the male reproductive system, and suggest that reducing exposure to air pollution may help maintain better semen quality.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Andrology
Kinga Domrazek, Ilona Kaszak, Szymon Kanafa, Mariusz Sacharczuk, Piotr Jurka
Summary: Mycoplasma spp. are difficult to detect bacteria, and PCR is the most effective diagnostic tool for detecting them. However, there is a lack of information about the pathogenicity and prevalence of different species. The impact of Mycoplasma on human and canine fertility is still controversial, but it is more common in dogs. Canine and human Mycoplasma are phylogenetically related and some species cluster together.
ASIAN JOURNAL OF ANDROLOGY
(2023)
Review
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Panagiotis Cherouveim, Constantine Velmahos, Charles L. Bormann
Summary: Despite the increasing use of assisted reproductive technologies worldwide, the success rates of fertilization and pregnancy outcomes have not significantly improved. Male infertility is a major factor, and sperm evaluation is crucial for diagnosis and treatment. However, the process of selecting a single sperm from millions in a sample is challenging and time-consuming. Artificial intelligence algorithms have the potential to revolutionize this process by providing objective and efficient sperm analysis and selection. With further training using larger and more diverse datasets, these algorithms can continue to improve over time.
FERTILITY AND STERILITY
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
S. Judycka, D. Zarski, M. A. Dietrich, H. Karol, P. Hliwa, M. Blazejewski, A. Ciereszko
Summary: The study focuses on an improved semen cryopreservation protocol for commercial fertilization in European perch, showing high sperm motility with a new extender and KCl supplementation. The enhanced procedure allows for handling prediluted semen and maintaining high fertilization rates for cryopreserved and fresh semen, enabling large-scale fertilization applications.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Guohui Zhang, Chuan Jiang, Yushang Yang, Yan Wang, Haimeng Zhou, Siyu Dai, Mohan Liu, Yanting Yang, Li Yang, Qiongyan Shen, Tao Zhang, Xiaodong Zhang, Yihong Yang, Ying Shen
Summary: In this study, we reported male infertility patients with a hemizygous nonsense mutation in the cancer-testis antigen 55 (CT55) gene, which resulted in extreme disruption in sperm production, morphology, and locomotion. Our functional experiments revealed that CT55 acts as a novel autophagic manipulator involved in spermatogenesis.
CELL DEATH AND DIFFERENTIATION
(2023)
Review
Biology
Rebeca Serrano, Luis J. Garcia-Marin, Maria J. Bragado
Summary: Approximately 24% of men undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) have idiopathic male infertility, which cannot be accurately diagnosed by current standard semen analysis. Proteomics, especially phosphoproteomics, has provided valuable insights into the regulation of sperm functions, such as motility, and male fertility. Further studies combining proteomic techniques with other omics technologies could enhance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying sperm physiology and quality.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Stephen G. Olney, Peter Chien, Daniel B. Kearns
Summary: In this study, a fluorescence-based assay was developed to investigate the degradation kinetics of SmiA-dependent on its client protein SwrA. The results showed that the interaction between SmiA and SwrA, as well as the SwrA degron, are necessary but not sufficient for proteolysis. Additionally, excess SmiA was found to inhibit LonA-dependent turnover, and the presence of SmiA was required even when SwrA levels were high.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Daria Popova, Priya Bhide, Francesco D'Antonio, Purusotam Basnet, Ganesh Acharya
Summary: This review summarises the evidence from literature regarding the association of mitochondrial DNA copy numbers and semen quality, with a particular focus on sperm motility. The findings suggest that abnormal semen analysis is associated with significantly higher mitochondrial DNA copy numbers in human sperm cells.
BJOG-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yun Xiang, Rui Lyu, Junjie Hu
Summary: Membrane curvature is generated by constructing a curved oligomeric scaffold formed by endoplasmic reticulum tubule-forming proteins. The mechanism of curvature generation remains elusive.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Review
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Cennikon Pakpahan, Andri Rezano, Ria Margiana, Bella Amanda, Agustinus Agustinus, Darmadi Darmadi
Summary: Elevated lipid levels may have an impact on semen quality, although the findings of studies are not consistent. This review suggests that lipids significantly affect sperm quality and highlights the importance of maintaining lipid levels for preserving sperm quality and overall quality of life.
REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Dilip Kumar Swain, Pratishtha Sharma, Nadeem Shah, Manisha Sethi, Abhishek Mahajan, Shashikant Gupta, Abhishek Kumar Mishra, Sarvajeet Yadav
Summary: Sperm motility is regulated by complex signaling and communication mechanisms, in which regulatory membrane proteins called sperm ion channels play important roles. Ion channels are involved in the regulation of sperm motility, energy homeostasis, membrane integrity, and fertilization processes.
ANIMAL REPRODUCTION SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Sylwia Judycka, Mariola A. Dietrich, Daniel Zarski, Halina Karol, Katarzyna Palinska-Zarska, Maciej Blazejewski, Andrzej Ciereszko
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effects of final glucose and sperm concentrations, different activation solutions for sperm motility, and dilution of semen on the cryopreservation success of cultured pikeperch semen. Results showed that specific concentrations and dilution methods had significant impacts on sperm motility and successful cryopreservation. Future efforts should focus on controlling spontaneous motility to further improve cryopreservation techniques for pikeperch semen.
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Elisabetta Baldi, Meurig T. Gallagher, Stepan Krasnyak, Jackson Kirkman-Brown
Summary: The sixth edition of the World Health Organization manual explores extended examination methods that offer key diagnostics for investigating male reproductive system function. These methods go beyond basic semen analysis and can specifically guide the clinical characterization of fertile or infertile men. Multiparametric scoring for sperm morphological defects, sperm DNA fragmentation, and computer-assisted analysis of sperm or semen are among the most widely used and debated techniques.
FERTILITY AND STERILITY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Kristin A. Hook, Lauren M. Wilke, Heidi S. Fisher
Summary: Research shows that the width of the sperm hook in rodents is negatively correlated with sperm aggregation and swimming speed, indicating that larger hooks may hinder sperm movement within this group.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Alireza Behnamifar, Berenice Bernal, Olga Torres, Hector Luis-Chincoya, Maria G. Gil, Pedro Garcia-Casado, Shaban Rahimi, Henri Woelders, Julian Santiago-Moreno
Summary: Chicken semen cryopreservation is important for genetic diversity and breed conservation, but improvements are needed due to lower fertility rates. Studied methods of adding cryoprotectant and using bovine serum albumin showed positive effects on sperm motility and viability after freezing, with BSA resulting in significantly higher viability in the ASG medium.
Article
Andrology
Martin J. Campbell, Francesco Lotti, Elisabetta Baldi, Stefan Schlatt, Mario P. R. Festin, Lars Bjorndahl, Igor Toskin, Christopher L. R. Barratt
Summary: This study analyzed data from more than 3500 subjects from 12 countries and five continents, updating the lower reference values for semen parameters in fertile men. Increasing the number of subjects provides robust information that is also more geographically representative.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Diego Assis Goncalves, Victoria Ribeiro, Ana Gualberto, Fernanda Peres, Michaela Luconi, Jacy Gameiro
Summary: The study conducted in Brazil reveals that obesity plays a significant role in the severity of COVID-19, with obese patients having a higher risk of death and a greater need for intensive care and ventilatory support. Understanding this relationship can help in more effective prevention strategies and better management of obese individuals with COVID-19.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
G. De Filpo, G. Cantini, G. Rastrelli, G. Vannini, T. Ercolino, M. Luconi, M. Mannelli, M. Maggi, L. Canu
Summary: This study retrospectively analyzed clinical data of 20 patients with metastatic PPGLs and found that older age at initial diagnosis, abdominal PGL localization, larger tumors, and sporadic disease were associated with worse prognosis.
JOURNAL OF ENDOCRINOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION
(2022)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
M. Sottili, T. Filardi, G. Cantini, L. Cosmi, S. Morano, M. Luconi, A. Lenzi, C. Crescioli
Summary: RGZ exerts anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting CXCL10 release in human CD4 + T cells and DCs, and reducing TNF alpha release in CD4 + T cells. In human cardiomyocytes, RGZ impairs IFN gamma/TNF alpha signaling, leading to decreased CXCL10 expression, IL-6 and IL-8 release. Future studies may further investigate the anti-Th1 effect of RGZ in predicting type 2 diabetes and coronary events.
JOURNAL OF ENDOCRINOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION
(2022)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Giulia Cantini, Laura Fei, Letizia Canu, Giuseppina De Filpo, Tonino Ercolino, Gabriella Nesi, Massimo Mannelli, Michaela Luconi
Summary: Fascin-1 (FSCN1) is associated with an invasive phenotype of solid carcinomas and has been identified in the bloodstream of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) patients. Circulating levels of FSCN1 may serve as a new minimally-invasive prognostic marker for advanced ACC, particularly when measured before surgery for histological diagnosis.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Elisabetta Baldi, Meurig T. Gallagher, Stepan Krasnyak, Jackson Kirkman-Brown
Summary: The sixth edition of the World Health Organization manual explores extended examination methods that offer key diagnostics for investigating male reproductive system function. These methods go beyond basic semen analysis and can specifically guide the clinical characterization of fertile or infertile men. Multiparametric scoring for sperm morphological defects, sperm DNA fragmentation, and computer-assisted analysis of sperm or semen are among the most widely used and debated techniques.
FERTILITY AND STERILITY
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Letizia Canu, Soraya Puglisi, Paola Berchialla, Giuseppina De Filpo, Francesca Brignardello, Francesca Schiavi, Alfonso Massimiliano Ferrara, Stefania Zovato, Michaela Luconi, Anna Pia, Marialuisa Appetecchia, Emanuela Arvat, Claudio Letizia, Mauro Maccario, Mirko Parasiliti-Caprino, Barbara Altieri, Antongiulio Faggiano, Roberta Modica, Valentina Morelli, Maura Arosio, Uberta Verga, Micaela Pellegrino, Luigi Petramala, Antonio Concistre, Paola Razzore, Tonino Ercolino, Elena Rapizzi, Mario Maggi, Antonio Stigliano, Jacopo Burrello, Massimo Terzolo, Giuseppe Opocher, Massimo Mannelli, Giuseppe Reimondo
Summary: This study was the first to assess the risk of developing a second malignant tumor in PPGL patients, showing that they have a higher incidence of additional malignant tumors compared to the general population who had a first malignancy. The main tumors associated with second malignancies differed by gender, with an impact on surveillance strategy.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Giulia Cantini, Laura Fei, Letizia Canu, Elena Lazzeri, Mariangela Sottili, Michela Francalanci, Maria Lucia Angelotti, Giuseppina De Filpo, Tonino Ercolino, Stefania Gelmini, Monica Mangoni, Gabriella Nesi, Constanze Hantel, Massimo Mannelli, Mario Maggi, Michaela Luconi
Summary: Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignancy with poor prognosis, and the chemokine CXCL12/CXCR4 axis plays an important role in ACC development. Treatment with the PPAR gamma-ligand rosiglitazone (RGZ) effectively inhibits tumor growth in ACC and is associated with the modulation of the CXCL12/CXCR4/CXCR7 axis.
JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Carme Grau-Bove, Carlos Gonzalez-Quilen, Giulia Cantini, Patrizia Nardini, Beatriz Espina, Daniele Bani, Ximena Terra, MTeresa Blay, Esther Rodriguez-Gallego, Michaela Luconi, Anna Ardevol, Montserrat Pinent
Summary: This study investigated the secretion mechanisms of GLP1 and PYY in the human colon and discovered a potential direct paracrine function of GLP1 through the expression of its receptors in the colon epithelium.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Lars Bjorndahl, Christopher L. R. Barratt, David Mortimer, Ashok Agarwal, Robert J. Aitken, Juan G. Alvarez, Natalie Aneck-Hahn, Stefan Arver, Elisabetta Baldi, Lluis Bassas, Florence Boitrelle, Riana Bornman, Douglas T. Carrell, Jose A. Castilla, Gerardo Cerezo Parra, Jerome H. Check, Patricia S. Cuasnicu, Sally Perreault Darney, Christiaan de Jager, Christopher J. De Jonge, Joel R. Drevet, Erma Z. Drobnis, Stefan S. Du Plessis, Michael L. Eisenberg, Sandro C. Esteves, Evangelini A. Evgeni, Alberto Ferlin, Nicolas Garrido, Aleksander Giwercman, Ilse G. F. Goovaerts, Trine B. Haugen, Ralf Henkel, Lars Henningsohn, Marie-Claude Hofmann, James M. Hotaling, Piotr Jedrzejczak, Pierre Jouannet, Niels Jorgensen, Jackson C. Kirkman Brown, Csilla Krausz, Maciej Kurpisz, Ulrik Kvist, Dolores J. Lamb, Hagai Levine, Kate L. Loveland, Robert McLachlan, Ali Mahran, Liana Maree, Sarah Martins da Silva, Michael T. Mbizvo, Andreas Meinhardt, Roelof Menkveld, Sharon T. Mortimer, Sergey Moskovtsev, Charles H. Muller, Maria Jose Munuce, Monica Muratori, Craig Niederberger, Cristian O'Flaherty, Rafael Oliva, Willem Ombelet, Allan A. Pacey, Michael A. Palladino, Ranjith Ramasamy, Liliana Ramos, Nathalie Rives, Eduardo Rs Roldan, Susan Rothmann, Denny Sakkas, Andrea Salonia, Maria Cristina Sanchez-Pozo, Rosanna Sapiro, Stefan Schlatt, Peter N. Schlegel, Hans-Christian Schuppe, Rupin Shah, Niels E. Skakkebaek, Katja Teerds, Igor Toskin, Herman Tournaye, Paul J. Turek, Gerhard van der Horst, Monica Vazquez-Levin, Christina Wang, Alex Wetzels, Theodosia Zeginiadou, Armand Zini
Summary: Biomedical science is making rapid progress in terms of transparency, openness, and reproducibility of scientific publications, particularly in studies based on human semen examination. Two recent documents, the 6th edition of the WHO Laboratory Manual for the Examination and Processing of Human Semen, and the International Standard ISO 23162:2021, provide guidelines for authors to follow these laboratory methods and use a checklist to ensure the reliability of their studies when publishing in peer-reviewed journals.
HUMAN REPRODUCTION
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Michaela Luconi, Miguel A. Sogorb, Udo R. Markert, Emilio Benfenati, Tobias May, Susanne Wolbank, Alessandra Roncaglioni, Astrid Schmidt, Marco Straccia, Sabrina Tait
Summary: Developmental toxicity testing needs new methods to better understand the biology of the maternal/fetal interface and reduce the impact of animal experiments. This article reviews in vitro and in silico methods for studying developmental toxicity and discusses the regulatory context. The development of a human feto-placental organ-on-chip platform is introduced as a future alternative tool.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Giulia Cantini, Giovanni Quartararo, Niccolo Ghezzi, Diego Assis Goncalves, Laura Fei, Arianna Pia Propato, Luca Galtarossa, Marcello Lucchese, Mario Maggi, Michaela Luconi
Summary: This study investigates the predictive value of adiponectin in abdominal visceral tissue for excess weight loss after bariatric surgery, and finds that adiponectin in abdominal visceral tissues is the only marker significantly correlated with weight loss in females.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBESITY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Michele Mannelli, Bianca Bartoloni, Giulia Cantini, Elena Nencioni, Francesca Magherini, Michaela Luconi, Alessandra Modesti, Tania Gamberi, Tania Fiaschi
Summary: Cachexia worsens the quality of life and treatment outcomes of oncologic patients. The secretome from colon carcinoma CT26 induces cachectic features in adipocytes, leading to metabolic alterations. The STAT3 signaling cascade is responsible for these changes in lactate dehydrogenase and adiponectin levels.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Aldesia Provenzano, Massimiliano Chetta, Giuseppina De Filpo, Giulia Cantini, Andrea La Barbera, Gabriella Nesi, Raffaella Santi, Serena Martinelli, Elena Rapizzi, Michaela Luconi, Mario Maggi, Massimo Mannelli, Tonino Ercolino, Letizia Canu
Summary: This study describes a new PHD2 (EGLN1) gene variant in a patient with metastatic Pheo and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The findings highlight the necessity of genetic analysis in all Pheo/PGL cases and suggest testing for PHD2 (EGLN1) gene variants in patients with metastatic disease and no evidence of polycythemia. A possible correlation between PHD2 (EGLN1) pathogenic variants and CML clinical course is also proposed.
MEDICINA-LITHUANIA
(2022)
