《亚洲男科学杂志论文.doc》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《亚洲男科学杂志论文.doc（11页珍藏版）》请在金锄头文库上搜索。
1、Expression of E-cadherin and -catenin in a varicocele-induced infertility rat modelHong Koo Ha, Hyun Jun Park and Nam Cheol ParkAbstractThe roles of E-cadherin and -catenin were evaluated in the development of varicocele-induced infertility. Analysis of the association between the expression of E-ca
2、dherin/-catenin and clinical/pathological parameters was performed. Thirty 10-week-old male rats (experimental group) were used for the experiments; the left renal vein was ligated to form a varicocele. The abdomen was incised in 30 rats (control group) and no procedure was performed on 10 rats (bas
3、eline group). The weights of the left testis, serum reactive oxygen species (ROS), testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and degenerative changes in the seminiferous tubules after 4 and 8 weeks were recorded. The expression of E-cadherin and -catenin was evaluate
4、d by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining and Western blot analysis. The ROS increased in the 8-week experimental group, compared with the baseline and control groups (P0.001 for both). Additionally, FSH significantly increased in the 4- and 8-week experimental group compared with the control groups (
5、P=0.013 and P=0.032, respectively). The ratio of degenerative changes in the seminiferous tubules of the experimental groups increased. The IHC staining showed that the expression of E-cadherin and -catenin decreased in the 4- and 8-week experimental groups. Similar to the IHC staining, the experime
6、ntal group had decreased reactivity on Western blot analysis. The expression of E-cadherin and -catenin was significantly associated with the ROS and degenerative changes in the seminiferous tubules. The results of this study suggest that damage to the bloodtestis barrier (BTB) is associated with va
7、ricocele-induced male infertility, and that ROS may cause damage to the BTB.Second to fourth digit ratio: a predictor of adult penile lengthIn HoChoi1, Khae HawnKim1, HanJung1, Sang JinYoon1, Soo WoongKim2 and Tae BeomKim11Department of Urology, Gachon University Gil Hospital, Incheon, Korea 2Depart
8、ment of Urology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, KoreaCorrespondence: Dr TB Kim, ()Received 18February2011; Revised 4April2011; Accepted 28April2011; Published online 4July2011. Top of page AbstractThe second to fourth digit ratio (2D:4D) has been proposed as a putative biomark
9、er for prenatal testosterone and covaries with the sensitivity of the androgen receptor (AR). Both prenatal testosterone and the AR play a central role in penile growth. In this study, we investigated the relationship between digit ratio and penile length. Korean men who were hospitalized for urolog
10、ical surgery at a single tertiary academic centre were examined in this study, and 144 men aged 20 years or older who gave informed consent were prospectively enrolled. Right-hand second- and fourth-digit lengths were measured by a single investigator prior to measurement of penile length. Under ana
11、esthesia, flaccid and stretched penile lengths were measured by another investigator who did not measure nor have any the information regarding the digit lengths. Univariate and multivariate analysis using linear regression models showed that only height was a significant predictive factor for flacc
12、id penile length (univariate analysis: r=0.185, P=0.026; multivariate analysis: r=0.172, P=0.038) and that only digit ratio was a significant predictive factor for stretched penile length (univariate analysis:r=0.216, P=0.009; multivariate analysis: r=0.201, P=0.024; stretched penile length=9.201dig
13、it ratio + 20.577). Based on this evidence, we suggest that the digit ratio can predict adult penile size and that the effects of prenatal testosterone may in part explain the differences in adult penile length.Keywords: digit ratio; flaccid penile length; stretched penile lengthTop of page Introduc
14、tionThe ratio of second to fourth digit length (digit ratio, 2D:4D) is sexually dimorphic in humans (the mean digit ratio is lower in males than females)1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and is thought to be fixed early in development.6, 7, 8, 9, 10 Across vertebrate species including humans, the Homeobox (Hox) a and d
15、 genes regulate limb development, including fingers and toes, as well as development of the urogenital system, including testes, ovaries and penises.6, 7, 11, 12 Manning et al.13 observed that the mean testis volume was significantly negatively correlated with the right digit ratio in azoospermic me
16、n.13 These observations have led to the suggestion that patterns of digit formation may be related to gonad function.1, 11, 14A previous study reported that the digit ratio of the right hand was negatively correlated with the foetal testosterone/foetal estradiol ratio.15 As a result, a high level of foetal testosterone relative to foetal estradiol is associated with a low digit ratio. More convincing evidence regard
