Male Urogenital Tract Research Articles

Penile microbiome: decoding its impact on HIV risk.

The penile microbiome has been linked to local inflammation and increased risk for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. This review explores recent studies of this emerging area of HIV research. The male urogenital tract supports multiple distinct niches, where their associated microbiome are shaped by abiotic (e.g., oxygen, moisture) and biotic (e.g., host immunity) environmental factors and host behaviors, particularly sexual activity. In addition, male circumcision is a significant drivers of male genital microbiome in both children and adults. Recent sexual partner studies provide new insight into the exchange of genital bacteria and concurrent local immune changes that may impact HIV risk. The male genital microbiome is shaped by the local microenvironment and host behaviors including sexual activity. Improving our understanding of the connection between the male genital microbiome, local inflammation, and HIV susceptibility, as well as how pro-inflammatory genital bacteria are transmitted between sexual partners may inform new strategies to prevent HIV transmission.

HPV infection and ART: the andrologist’s point of view

Human papilloma virus infection is a common sexually transmitted disease. In addition to its tropism for epithelial mucosae and skin, HPV can also infect the male urogenital tract and strongly bind the sperm head, causing a reduction of semen quality, with detrimental effects on both natural and assisted fertility. An association between HPV and assisted reproductive technology (ART) programs has been reported, and HPV infection of semen seems to have a negative influence on the outcome of these procedures. None of the standard procedures commonly used for sperm selection before ART showed efficacy in eliminating HPV from the sperm head. Several strategies have been suggested to improve viral clearance in semen of infertile patients, such as counseling and anti-HPV vaccination. Moreover, these strategies were able to increase the natural fertility of couples with HPV semen infection. Finally, a modified swim-up with the addition of an enzymatic treatment, despite reducing sperm motility, was reported to eliminate the virus from the sperm head. In this manuscript we propose a flow chart for the management of infertile couples with HPV semen infection. KEY WORDS: HPV, HPV semen infection, assisted reproductive techniques, HPV vaccines.

Severe Bacterial Balanitis in Circumcised Adult Males

Balanitis is the inflammation of the glans penis while balanoposthitis involves both the glans penis and prepuce and occurs only in uncircumcised males. Balanitis is more common in uncircumcised males due to the occlusive effect of the foreskin, which facilitates smegma retention and bacterial and fungal overgrowth. Therefore, balanitis is rare after circumcision and severe balanitis is even rarer. In patients with recurrent balanoposthitis, circumcision is indicated, and the presence of diabetes should be ruled out. Diabetes mellitus is a frequent predisposing factor for Candida balanoposthitis and has been associated with male genital lichen sclerosus, which in progressive stages leads to phimosis. Circumcision is also indicated in the treatment of lichen sclerosus associated with phimosis. Candida albicans stands as the primary culprit in cases of acute infectious balanoposthitis, with aerobic bacteria constituting the second most common etiological factor. Among these bacteria, streptococci particularly groups B and D and staphylococci, notably S. aureus, are prevalent. Mixed infections may also occur. The typical clinical manifestations involve erythema and oedema accompanied by itching and/or pain. In instances of painful, erosive streptococcal balanoposthitis, severe balanopreputial oedema with purulent exudate can be observed. Staphylococcus haemolyticus, a prominent member of the coagulase-negative staphylococci of the skin microbiota, causes infections in the male urogenital tract, such as urinary tract infections, chronic prostatitis and epididymo-orchitis. However, it had not been associated with balanitis. Enterococcus faecalis is part of the normal gastrointestinal microflora and is also a frequent cause of urinary tract infections and of chronic prostatitis. Enterococcus has been associated with mild balanoposthitis in adults and E. faecalis has been described to cause balanoposthitis in young children, but its association with severe balanitis .....

Тестикулярный микробиом у инфертильных мужчин.

Introduction. The concept of microbiome is a collective term for many microorganisms, such as bacteria, archaea, fungi, protists, and viruses, inhabiting various anatomical areas of the human body. The relevance of studying their quantitative and qualitative relationships is associated with the size of microbial populations, as well as the lack of awareness of the modern scientific community about the true role of most of them, including the connection between the microbiome diversity of male testicles and sperm with the presence of azoospermia and the development of idiopathic variants of infertility. The purpose: identification of the composition of the microbiome of testicular tissue in infertile men and determination of its clinical significance. Studying the influence of microbial populations of the urogenital tract of men on the development and course of diseases associated with infertility, such as azoospermia. Materials and methods. A literature review was performed based on data published in the PubMed (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/) and Scientific Electronic Library eLibrary.ru (https://elibrary.ru/) databases. The search was carried out using the following keywords: microbiome; microbiota; testicular tissue; azoospermia; sequencing; genome; male infertility. A total of 167 sources were analyzed. For this publication, 48 publications were selected. Results. Lactobacillus iners, Gardnerella vaginalis, Escherichia faecalis, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus are associated with the development of non-obstructive azoospermia. In men with different forms of azoospermia, a greater number of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes phyla were observed, while Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were significantly less common compared to healthy controls. Also, the microbial diversity between obstructive azoospermia (OA) and non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) had a higher degree of similarity than the control group. Interestingly, the microbiome modifications found in men with NOA are similar to those previously identified in the gut of older adults, which can be considered as further evidence of microbiologically early aging of NOA men at the testicular level. Conclusions. Microbiome analysis demonstrated for the first time that human testicular tissue is not a microbiologically sterile environment, and also provided new data on the bacteriological composition of the male urogenital tract and allowed us to consider excluding any potential contribution of microbial communities present in neighboring anatomical regions. Therefore, larger studies are needed to confirm our preliminary findings that the testes of azoospermic men contain a more dysbiotic bacterial community.

ROLE OF MICROBIAL FACTOR IN MALE INFERTILITY PATHOGENESIS. LITERATURE REVIEW

The role of infectious pathology in the genesis of infertility is still being studied. The present review considers possible mechanisms of infertility development associated with the microbial profile of the male reproductive system. It makes an attempt to study the role of pathogenic properties of microorganisms in the development of infertile conditions if an inflammatory process is localized in the male urogenital tract, in particular its effects on the fertility properties of spermatozoa (reduction in their number, inhibition of their motility, changes in their morphology and fertilizing capacity). Besides, the review presents a discussion on the role of reactivity and resistance of an organism in maintaining chronic inflammation in male reproductive organs.

SARS-CoV-2 Infection and the Male Reproductive System: A Brief Review.

Many studies have suggested that SARS-CoV-2, directly or indirectly, can affect the male reproductive system, although the underlined mechanisms have not been completely elucidated yet. The purpose of this review is to provide a summary of the current data concerning the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the male urogenital tract, with a particular emphasis on the testes and male fertility. The main data regarding the morphological alterations in the testes emerged from autoptic studies that revealed interstitial congestion, micro thrombosis, reduction of Sertoli, Leydig, and germinal cells, infiltrated immune cells, and atrophic seminiferous tubules consistent with orchitis. Furthermore, men with severe infection exhibit sperm parameter alterations, together with abnormalities of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testis axis, strongly suggesting that SARS-CoV-2 could increase the risk of male infertility. However, despite the inadequate number of longitudinal studies, spermatogenesis and sex hormone imbalance seem to improve after infection resolution. The yet unresolved question is whether the virus acts in a direct or/and indirect manner, as discordant data related to its presence in the testis and semen have been reported. Regardless of the direct effect, it has been postulated that the cytokine storm and the related local and systemic inflammation could strongly contribute to the onset of testis dysfunction, leading to male infertility. Therefore, multicentric and longitudinal studies involving a large number of patients are needed to understand the real impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on male reproduction.

Clinical Study on Gonococcal Infection of the Penile Raphe

Introduction: Gonococcal infection of the penile raphe is rarely encountered in the clinical setting. The study aimed to understand the incidence, sites, clinical manifestations, and treatment of gonococcal infection of the penile raphe. Methods: We enrolled men with gonococcal infection of the penile raphe and men with urethral gonorrhea from January 2010 to December 2021. All patients’ demographic data and clinical characteristics were recorded. All patients were treated with ceftriaxone. Incision and drainage were performed in patients with non-ruptured abscesses. Nodules and sinus tract-like lesions that did not resolve after 1 month of treatment were excised. Results: Among 2,736 men who presented with urethral gonorrhea from January 2010 to December 2021, 5 (0.18%) had accompanying gonococcal infection of the penile raphe. An additional two men presented with gonococcal infection of the penile raphe without urethritis. Thus, 7 (0.26%; confidence interval, 0.11–0.56%) of 2,738 men had urethral gonorrhea or gonococcal infection of the penile raphe confirmed both clinically and by laboratory testing. Lesions were present in the frenulum of the prepuce and at the median aspect, proximal end, distal end, and both the proximal and distal ends of the penile raphe. The lesions manifested as abscesses, ulcers, a nodule, and a nodule with a sinus-like lesion. All lesions exhibited tenderness. All seven patients were cured after treatment. Conclusion: Gonococcal infection of the penile raphe is a rare, atypical type of involvement of the male urogenital tract by Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It may be a local complication of urethral gonorrhea or an independent primary infection. The proximal end, distal end, and median aspect of the penile raphe can be infected by N. gonorrhoeae. Cutaneous lesions present as abscesses, ulcers, nodules, and sinus-like lesions. Ceftriaxone is effective, but sinus-like lesions require surgery.

Polyorchidism: An Up-to-Date Systematic Review.

Polyorchidism is a rare male urogenital tract anomaly characterized by at least one supernumerary testis in the scrotum or ectopically. According to data based on our systematic review, 76% of the supernumerary testes (SNTs) were located in the scrotum, and 24% were extra-scrotal (p < 0.001). Among testes located outside the scrotum, 87% were found in the inguinal canal and 13% in the abdominal cavity. In 80% of cases, the diagnosis of SNT was made based on imaging tests, and the remaining 20% of cases were detected incidentally during surgery. The imaging tests performed (US or MRI) resulted in a significantly higher rate of patients who qualified for observation vs. surgical treatment (45% vs. 35%, p < 0.001). The most common conditions associated with SNT were ipsilateral inguinal hernia (15% of cases) and cryptorchidism (15% of cases). Surgery (orchidopexy/orchidectomy) was performed on 54% of patients with SNT, and the decision to observe the SNT was made in a total of 46% of patients (p = 0.001). The therapeutic approach depends on the location of the SNT and the presence of factors that raise suspicion of neoplastic proliferation.

HPV infection of the male urogenital tract: is there aa association with infertility and chronic prostatitis?

HPV infection of the male urogenital tract: is there aa association with infertility and chronic prostatitis?

The Possible Role of SARS-CoV-2 in Male Fertility: A Narrative Review

The spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome—Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) around the world has rapidly sparked the interest of the scientific community to discover its implications in human health. Many studies have suggested that SARS-CoV-2 is directly or indirectly involved in the male reproductive tract impairment. Some evidence supports the possible role of the virus in male infertility. Therefore, this review aims to summarize the relationship between the male urogenital tract, male fertility, and the gonadal hormone profile. The testis is one of the organs with the highest expression of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) 2-receptor that allows the virus to penetrate human cells. Orchitis is a possible clinical manifestation of COVID-19 and testicular damage has been found on autopsy in the testes of patients who died from the disease. SARS-CoV-2 infection can compromise the blood-testis barrier, favoring testicular damage and the production of anti-sperm autoantibodies. Some studies have detected the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in semen and a high percentage of patients with COVID-19 have altered sperm parameters compared to controls. Finally, lower testosterone levels, higher luteinizing hormone (LH) levels, and decreased follicle-stimulating (FSH)/LH and testosterone/LH ratios suggest primary testicular damage. In conclusion, further studies are needed to evaluate the exact mechanisms by which SARS-CoV-2 affects the male reproductive system and fertility and to evaluate the reversibility of its long-term effects.

The Effect of Gram Negative Bacteria on Semen Parameters of a Sample of Infertile Men and Antibiotic Susceptibility Tests

The most Gram statistically significant cause of male infertility is male urogenital tract infection, being related to 8%-35% of male infertility. The detrimental effect of bacterial infection on male infertility was in no whole agreement. The aim of this work showed the influence of Gram negative bacteria on semen quality among infertile males. A total of 50 semen specimens were collected from infertile men and 50 samples from the healthy individual as the control group were attending Kamal Al-Sammrai Hospital / Baghdad during the period 25 May 2020 to 15 October 2020. Bacteriospermia identification in semen specimens was first prepared by the classical culture methods and confirmed by Vitek 2 system. The present study revealed that 38% of isolates were Gram negative and 62% was no growth. Escherichia coli (22%) followed by Enterobacter cloacae (4%), Klebsiella pneumonia (4%), and each of Raoultella ornithinolytica, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Citrobacter freundii at a percentage (2%) and only one (1%) unidentified. This work indicated that some Gram negative bacteria lead to poor health of seminal fluid. Record of Gram negative bacilli was sensitive to Vancomycin, Rifampicin, and Trimmethoprim/sulfamethoxazole combination drug while Fusidicacid was resistant from most Gram negative bacilli. Semen investigation for bacterial detection in infertile males should be done regularly because bacteria may be hurting the semen quality.

Ligilactobacillus salivarius PS11610 exerts an effect on the microbial and immunological profile of couples suffering unknown infertility.

Unknown or idiopathic infertility has been associated with urogenital tract dysbiosis, reducing pregnancy and delivery ratios during assisted reproductive treatments (ART). The Ligilactobacillus salivarius PS11610 strain has shown extraordinary antimicrobial activity in vitro against urogenital pathogens as well as other probiotic characteristics. Therefore, an intervention study was performed to evaluate the effect of L. salivarius PS11610 on the microbial composition of urogenital tract in infertile couples with bacterial dysbiosis. Seventeen couples undergoing ART diagnosed with unknown infertility were selected. After confirming urogenital dysbiosis, they started a 6-month treatment with L. salivarius PS11610 (1 dose/12 h for female and 1 dose/24 h for male). Vaginal, seminal, glans, uterine and plasma samples were collected for determination of the microbiome and immune profile at the beginning and the end of the treatment. Supplementation with L. salivarius PS11610 significantly modified the urogenital microbiome composition in male and female samples, solving dysbiosis of 67% of the couples. Pathogens disappeared from the vaginal samples whereas Lactobacilli percentage increased after 3 and 6 months of treatment. Moreover, L. salivarius PS11610 changed the uterine microbiome that could be associated with a change of the uterine immune profile. Additionally, the probiotic intake could be associated with the observed change in the systemic immunological profile of couples. Finally, the pregnant and delivery ratio were improved. Probiotic supplementation with L. salivarius PS11610 improved the male and female urogenital tract microbiome, modulating the immune system and increasing pregnancy success in couples undergoing ART.

Role of Infection and Leukocytes in Male Infertility.

Male infertility is considered as a multifactorial complex reproductive illness, and male urogenital infection and inflammation are crucial etiologies contributing up to 35% of all cases. Mostly triggered by sexually transmitted diseases and uropathogens, chronic manifestation of such infection may cause irreversible infertility in the male. Male urogenital infection involves bacterial, viral, protozoal, and fungal infections many of which remain asymptomatic most of the time and are passed to the sexual partner leading to fertilization failure, pregnancy loss, and even development of illness in the offspring. The abundance of leukocytes in semen can be used as an indicator of urogenital infection. Its contribution in male infertility can be as high as 30% and the clinical condition is referred to as leukocytospermia. Seminal bacterial load together with increased leukocytes contribute to the impairment of male fertility parameters such as, sperm motility, DNA integrity, acrosome reaction, and damage sperm molecular structure. Pathophysiology of bacteriospermia-induced impairment of male infertility is probably mediated by the involvement of bacterial pathogens in the intrinsic apoptotic pathway resulting in sperm death, whereas that of seminal leukocytes operates through excessive generation of ROS. Although the application of antibiotics forms the frontline therapeutic approach, the growing resistance to antibiotics poses a concern in the management of microbes-induced male urogenital infection. Complementary and alternative medicine may offer additional management options in combating such infections. On the other hand, both broad spectrum antibiotics and antioxidant therapy have showed promising results in the management of infertile men with leukocytospermia. Use of herbal medicine may also play a promising role in the management of such patients. However, recent molecular biology techniques have noted the association of elevated levels of IL-8 with both the Chlamydial infection of the male urogenital tract as well as the clinical condition of leukocytospermia. On the basis of such common pathogenesis, further research involving advanced molecular techniques may pave the way towards the development of better diagnostic tools in the clinical management of male urogenital infection and leukocytospermia.

Efficacy of resveratrol in male urogenital tract dysfunctions: an evaluation of pre-clinical data.

Resveratrol is a polyphenol found naturally in fruits and plants. Recently, studies in humans and animal models have suggested beneficial properties of this polyphenol, such as improvements to metabolic and lipid profiles, along with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative effects. In the urogenital tract (UGT), resveratrol has also been tested clinically and experimentally as a therapeutic drug in several diseases; however, the translational efficacy of resveratrol, especially in UGT, is still a matter of debate. In the present review, we address the pre-clinical efficacy of resveratrol in UGT-related dysfunctions, focusing on lower urinary tract symptoms, non-cancerous prostatic disease (benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostatitis) and erectile dysfunction. In vitro studies indicate that resveratrol reduces inflammatory markers and oxidative stress, and improves endothelial function in UGT organs and cells isolated from humans and animals. Despite displaying low oral bioavailability, in vivo administration of resveratrol largely improves erectile dysfunction, benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostatitis and voiding impairments, as evidenced in different animal models. Resveratrol also acts as a microbiota modulator, which may explain some of its beneficial effects in vivo. In contrast to the large amount of pre-clinical data, there are insufficient clinical trials to establish resveratrol treatment efficacy in human UGT-related diseases. In summary, we provide an overview of the in vivo and in vitro efficacy of resveratrol in animal and human UGT dysfunctions, which may support future clinical trials.

Сondition of urogenital tract microbiotes and pro- and antioxidant system in male azoospermia

Over the past 20 years, there has been a clear trend to increase in the number of infertile men in Ukraine, their percentage reaches 50% in infertile couples. There is a significant percentage of male infertility caused by azoospermia – the lack of sperm in the ejaculate. In male infertility, azoospermia is found in 10–15% of patients, among other forms of pathospermia. Given the ambiguity of ideas about the etiology, pathogenesis and treatment and diagnostic approaches for various types of infertility, it remains important to clarify the relationship of urogenital infections with the regulatory systems of cells, including the state of the pro- and antioxidant system and the search for additional markers. 119 patients with various forms of azoospermia were examined. All patients underwent the following studies: spermogram, infectious screening, inhibin B, lipid peroxidation, activity of enzymes of the glutathione antioxidant system in sperm plasma and blood serum. Infectious screening included analysis of urethral secretions, bacteriological examination of sperm or prostate secretion, assessment of the species and quantitative composition of the microflora of the male urogenital tract. According to the results of spermogram and other diagnostic methods, a non-obstructive form of azoospermia was detected in 69 patients. In obstructive azoospermia, ejaculate as such was absent. It is suggested that inhibin B may be an important medical diagnostic test for azoospermia. As a result of the conducted researches the importance of determining the concentration of inhibin B as a marker of azoospermia was demonstrated and a negative correlation of moderate strength between the content of inhibin B and testosterone level in the plasma of men with non-obstructive azoospermia was revealed. It was found that Ureaplasma pervum and Ureaplasma urealyticum infect the male genitourinary system to the greatest extent among a number of microorganisms, both in non-obstructive and obstructive forms of azoospermia. Enterococcus faecalis is more pronounced in the sperm fluid in the non-obstructive form of azoospermia and prostate secreton in the obstructive form of azoospermia. In the non-obstructive form of azoospermia in the seminal plasma and serum, the processes of lipid peroxidation intensify, the concentration of reduced glutathione decreases and the activities of the enzymes of the glutathione antioxidant system (glutathione peroxidase and glutathione transferase) decrease. It can be considered that an important diagnostic test for the nonobstructive form of azoospermia is the ratio of reduced glutathione to oxidized glutathione in sperm plasma.

Abstract 3091: Relevance of iNOS expression in bladder cancer stem cells

Abstract Background: Bladder cancer (BC) is one of the most common tumors of the male urogenital tract and an important worldwide cause of death. Increasing evidence has indicated the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in many types of tumors, associated with aggressiveness, chemoresistance and relapse. The expression of inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase (iNOS) in human BC is a poor prognostic factor associated with increased invasion and tumor recurrence. Although there is evidence supporting the role of NO/iNOS in the promotion and progression of BC, the possibility that there are CSCs dependent on endogenous NO generation was not yet been clearly defined. In this study we evaluate the role of NO in CSC maintenance, modulating its production, using pharmacological inhibitors or silencing iNOS expression in a murine BC model. Also, we analyzed the correlation between iNOS expression and stemness-related genes (SG) in human BC samples with different invasion grades. Methods: iNOS pharmacological inhibitors (pan-NOS or iNOS specific) or shRNA were used on murine BC model with different iNOS expression and invasiveness grade: MB49 [iNOS+, non-muscle invasive (NMI)] and MB49-I [iNOS++, muscle invasive (MI)], in order to analyze cell proliferation, number of CSC determined as spheres forming efficiency (SFE) and SG (Sox 2, Oct4 and Nanog expression) by qPCR. iNOS expression and SG were also analyzed in human BC samples (16 NMI low grade (LG), 10 NMI high grade (HG) and 17 MI). Results: The number of CSCs was higher in MB49-I than NMI MB49 line (p&amp;lt;0.05), in concordance with the higher expression of iNOS and Sox2, Oct4 and Nanog (p&amp;lt;0.001). iNOS inhibition diminished CSC in both cell lines (p&amp;lt;0.05 vs MB49; p&amp;lt;0.001 vs MB49-I). Inhibition of SG was only observed in MB49-I line (p&amp;lt;0.05). Moreover, the reduction of CSC and SG were more evident in MB49-I-shiNOS (p&amp;lt;0.0001 vs MB49-I scr; p&amp;lt;0.001 vs MB49-I-scr). The in vivo tumorigenic potential of cells derived from MB49-I spheres were higher than the cells growing in monolayers. MB49-I spheres cells treated with iNOS inhibitors did not developed tumors in vivo. Furthermore, MB49-I shiNOS spheres showed an incipient growth and regressed about 5 weeks post inoculation, in correlation with low iNOS and SG expression. Regarding human samples, iNOS was expressed in 78% of MI, 55% HG and 50% LGNMI (p&amp;lt;0.05 vs NMI). SG expression were significantly higher in MI than in NMI LG. Sox2 was expressed 82% in MI, 25% LG and 40% HG in NMI (p=0.0002). 76% of MI samples were positive for Nanog and Oct4 (p&amp;lt;0.05 vs NMI LG). A positive correlation between iNOS and SG expression was found (sox2: p&amp;lt;0.0001; Oct4: p&amp;lt;0.0001 and Nanog: p&amp;lt;0.05). Conclusion: Together, this results show that iNOS plays an important role in maintenance of CSC and in vivo BC growth by regulating stemness and self-renewal ability. Thus, iNOS identification and inhibition could be a potential target to eradicate CSC, responsible for tumor recurrences. Citation Format: Denise Belgorosky, Yanina Langle, Julie Girouard, Jovane Hamelin-Morrissette, Lina Marino, Eduardo I. Agüero, Héctor Malagrino, Carlos Reyes-Moreno, Ana M. Eiján. Relevance of iNOS expression in bladder cancer stem cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 3091.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 gene expression in human male urological tissues: implications for pathogenesis and virus transmission pathways

BackgroundSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection occurs through binding and internalization of the viral spike protein to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor on the host cell membrane. Pathological changes are caused by damage and failure of vital organs that express high levels of ACE2, including the lungs, the heart and the kidneys. The aim of this study was to investigate ACE2 gene expression in the human male urogenital tract using a public database.MethodsA search of transcriptomic datasets from a database to investigate ACE2 gene expression in human urogenital tract tissue.ResultsThe gene expression profile demonstrated that ACE2 gene expression was higher in human kidney cortex and testis than human lung tissue. The gene expression profile demonstrated that ACE2 gene expression in the human bladder and prostate was comparable to human lung tissue.ConclusionsMale urogenital tissues are directly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection through the expression of ACE2. Moreover, the SARS-Cov-2/ACE2 interaction may disturb the male genital and reproductive functions.

Semen quality and total microbial load: An association study in important Indian Goat breeds during different seasons.

The invasion of the male urogenital tract by microorganisms, and its subsequent effects on sperm fertilising ability, has not been well discussed in bucks. The present study was conducted to assess the bacterial load in fresh semen of the 2-6years old bucks. For conducting the experiment, semen ejaculates from 18 bucks (6 from each breed namely Jakhrana, Jamunapari and Barbari) were used. We collected 5 ejaculates from each buck in each season (Summer-April to June, Rainy-July to Sept and Winter-November to January). Semen was collected with the artificial vagina (AV) method, and separate AV was used for each buck every time. The semen collection frequency was once in a week. Immediately after initial evaluation, collected semen samples were transferred to the microbiology laboratory of the institute. Thereafter, the semen samples were subjected to bacteriological examination to assess the microbial load. The results of the current study indicate that the microbial load in the semen was significantly (p<0.05) higher in the Jamunapari bucks and in aged bucks. Bacteriospermia in different seasons was not significantly varied; however, nonsignificant increase in microbial load during the rainy season was observed. Overall, the average bacterial load in the semen of Jamunapari, Barbari and Jakhrana bucks was found 540.50±55.88CFU/ml, 391.81±46.33CFU/ml and 388.93±44.71CFU/ml respectively. No significant difference in bacterial counts in the subsequent ejaculates among bucks was observed. Moreover, correlation analysis revealed that the proportions of motility, viability, plasma membrane integrity and acrosomal integrity were negatively influenced by the increased bacterial contamination of buck semen.

In silico analysis of putative metal response elements (MREs) in the zinc-responsive genes from Trichomonas vaginalis and the identification of novel palindromic MRE-like motif.

Zinc is an essential micronutrient that plays an important role as a co-factor to several proteins, including zinc-responsive transcription factors. Trichomonas vaginalis is able to survive in the presence of high zinc concentrations in the male urogenital tract. Several genes in T. vaginalis have been shown to respond to changes in zinc concentrations, however, the zinc-dependent mechanism remains undetermined. Recently, we identified in T. vaginalis the zinc finger protein, TvZNF1, which is an ortholog of the mammal metal transcription factor (MTF1). We searched for several of the zinc-responsive genes in T. vaginalis to determine whether if they contain metal response elements (MRE), cis-acting DNA elements that specifically bind MTF1. Six highly conserved over-represented sequence motifs (TvMREs), which share similarity with other eukaryotic MREs, were identified in the zinc-responsive genes in T. vaginalis. We also demonstrated that some of the TvMREs assemble as divalent complexes either as two closely spaced TvMREs or as two overlapping TvMREs forming a palindromic-like sequence: TGCC(N3)GGCA. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays were used to detect the zinc-dependent binding of TvZNF1 and nuclear proteins from T. vaginalis to this specific palindromic motif. Our results support a novel mechanism used by T. vaginalis for the transcriptional regulation of associated zinc-responsive genes through a MTF1/MRE-like system.

The role of infections and leukocytes in male infertility.

Declining birth rates are one of the problems facing society today. Male counterparts are responsible for about half of the infertility cases, and genitourinary tract infections may play a contributing role in approximately 15% of male infertility cases. Leukocytospermia is an established indicator of infection in the male urogenital tract, although other microorganisms such as bacteria and virus may also be contributors to the etiology of male infertility. The pathophysiology of these infectious agents may be initiated by a local inflammatory reaction resulting in an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS). This results in testicular injury, thereby affecting sperm morphology, sperm motility, sperm viability and elevation of the seminal leukocyte as a result of the genital tract infection. The infectious and inflammatory changes can result in male infertility. It is proposed that high concentrations of seminal leukocyte and infectious agents may affect sperm function resulting in clumping of motile spermatozoa, decreasing acrosomal functionality and also causing alterations in sperm morphology. However, the literature has poorly clarified the role of infection in male infertility, provoking further debate and research on this topic.