PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371 Journal.pone.0119458 March30, 2015
Exploration of the Association between Obesity and Semen Quality in a 7630 Male Population
Chih-Wei Tsao1, Chin-Yu Liu2\, Yu-Ching Chou3, Tai-Lung Cha1,
Shih-Chang Chen4, and Chien-Yeh Hsu5,6* 1 Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital,
National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan. 2 Department of Nutritional Science, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan. 3 School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan. 4 Graduate Institute of Patent, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan. 5 Department of Information Management, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei, Taiwan. 6 Master Program in Global Health and Development, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
This study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI), other
anthropometric indexes and semen quality in a general male population in Taiwan. In
this cross-sectional cohort study, the study cohort consisted of 7941 healthy male
individuals aged 18 years or older who participated in a standard medical screening
program run by a private firm from January 2008 to May 2013. Semen parameters
including sperm concentration (SC), total sperm motility (TSM), progressive motility
(PRM), and normal sperm morphology (NSM) were recorded. Anthropometric indexes
including BMI, waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), waist-to-hip ratio
(WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and body fat percentage were measured. A total of
7630 men were enrolled for the final analysis, of whom 68.5% had a normal weight
distribution and 31.4% were overweight or obese. Total sperm motility, progressive
motility, normal sperm morphology and sperm concentration showed a statistically linear
decline with increasing age (p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001 and p=0.004). Sperm
concentration showed a significantly negatively linear association with BMI (p=0.005),
and normal sperm morphology showed an inverse association with BMI and
waist-to-height ratio (p<0.001 and p=0.004). The prevalence of abnormal total sperm
motility, progressive motility, normal sperm morphology and sperm concentration
increased with increasing age (p=0.011, p<0.001, p<0.001 and p=0.002). Lower
normal sperm morphology and sperm concentration were associated with increasing
body adiposity (p<0.05). No relationship between obesity and sperm motility was
identified.
男性學論文獎 臨床組 第二名
Andrology, 2015, 3, 902-908
The Interaction of Serum Testosterone Levels and
Androgen Receptor CAG Repeat Polymorphism on the Risk of
Erectile Dysfunction in Aging Taiwanese Men
C.-C. Liu1-3, Y.-C Lee1-2, Vincent FS Tsai4, K-H. Cheng5
, W.-J. Wu1,2,6, B.-Y. Bao7,
C.-N. Huang1,2, H.-C.Yeh2,8, C.-C. Tsai8
, C.-J. Wang1,2*, and S.-P. Huang1,2* 1Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University,
Kaohsiung, Taiwan
2Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine,
College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan 3Depratment of Urology, Pingtung Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Executive Yuan, Pingtung, Taiwan. 4Depratment of Urology, Ten-Chan General Hospital, Taoyuan, 5Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan 6Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. 7Department of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Taichung, and 8Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Municipal Ta-Tung Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Testosterone has been found to play important roles in men’s sexual function. However,
the effects of testosterone can be modulated by androgen receptor (AR) CAG repeat
polymorphism. It could also contribute to the risk of erectile dysfunction (ED). The aim
of this study is to evaluate the interaction of serum testosterone levels and AR CAG
repeat polymorphism on the risk of ED in aging Taiwanese men. This cross-sectional data
of Taiwanese men older than 40 years were collected from a free health screening held
between August 2010 and August 2011 in Kaohsiung city, Taiwan. All participants
completed a health questionnaires included five-item version of the International Index
of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) and the International Prostate Symptoms Score (IPSS),
received a detailed physical examination and provided 20cc whole blood samples for
biochemical and genetic evaluation. The IIEF-5 was used to evaluate ED. Serum albumin,
total testosterone (TT), and sex hormone-binding globulin levels were measured. Free
testosterone level was calculated. AR gene CAG repeat polymorphism was determined
by direct sequencing. Finally, 478 men with the mean age of 55.7±4.8 years were
included. When TT levels were above 330 ng/dl, the effect of testosterone level on
erectile function seemed to reach a plateau and a significantly negative correlation
between AR CAG repeat length and the score of IIEF-5 was found (r= -0.119, p=0.034).
After adjusting for other covariates, the longer AR CAG repeat length was still an
independent risk factor for ED in subjects with TT above 330 ng/dl (p=0.006), but not in
TT of 330 ng/dl or below. In conclusion, both serum testosterone levels and AR CAG
repeat polymorphism can influence erectile function concomitantly. In subjects with
normal TT concentration, those with longer AR CAG repeat lengths have a higher risk of
developing ED.
男性學論文獎 基礎組 第一名
PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371 Journal.pone.0120722 March16,2015
SEPT12/SPAG4/LAMINB1 Complexes are Required for Maintaining the Integrity of the Nuclear Envelope in Postmeiotic Male Germ Cells
Chung-Hsin Yeh1,2, Pao-Lin Kuo3, Ya-Yun Wang3, Ying-Yu Wu4
, Mei-Feng Chen5, Ding-Yen Lin6
, Tsung-Hsuan Lai2,7,8, Han-Sun Chiang2,4, Ying-Hung Lin4 1Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Shin-Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, 2School of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University,
3Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology,
National Cheng Kung University, College of Medicine,
4Graduate Institute of Basic Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University,
5Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, Chang Gung University,
6Institute of Bioinformatics and Biosignal Transduction, College of
Bioscience and Biotechnology National Cheng Kung University, 7Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cathay General Hospital, 8Institute of Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, National Central University.
Male infertility affects approximately 50% of all infertile couples. The male-related
causes of intracytoplasmic sperm injection failure include the absence of sperm,
immotile or immature sperm, and sperm with structural defects such as those caused by
premature chromosomal condensation and DNA damage. Our previous studies based
on a knockout mice model indicated that SEPT12 proteins are critical for the terminal
morphological formation of sperm. SEPT12 mutations in men result in teratozospermia
and oligozospermia. In addition, the spermatozoa exhibit morphological defects of the
head and tail, premature chromosomal condensation, and nuclear damage. However,
the molecular functions of SEPT12 during spermatogenesis remain unclear.
To determine the molecular functions of SEPT12, we applied a Y-2-H system to identify
SEPT12 interactors. Seven proteins that interact with SEPT12 were identified: SEPT family
proteins (SEPT4 and SEPT6), nuclear or nuclear membrane proteins (protamine 2,
sperm-associated antigen 4, and NDC1 transmembrane nucleoproine), and
sperm-related structural proteins (pericentriolar material 1 and obscurin-like 1).
Sperm-associated antigen 4 (SPAG4; also known as SUN4) belongs to the SUN family of
proteins and acts as a linker protein between nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton proteins
and localizes in the nuclear membrane. We determined that SEPT12 interacts with
SPAG4 in a male germ cell line through coimmunoprecipitation. During human
spermiogenesis, SEPT12 is colocalized with SPAG4 near the nuclear periphery in round
spermatids and in the centrosome region in elongating spermatids. Furthermore, we
observed that SEPT12/SPAG4/LAMINB1 formed complexes and were coexpressed in the
nuclear periphery of round spermatids. In addition, mutated SEPT12, which was
screened from an infertile man, affected the integration of these nuclear envelope
complexes through coimmunoprecipitation.
This was the first study that suggested that SEPT proteins link to the SUN/LAMIN
complexes during the formation of nuclear envelopes and are involved in the
development of postmeiotic germ cells.
Restoration of Erectile Function with Intracavernous Injections of Endothelial
Progenitor Cells after Bilateral Cavernous Nerve Injury in Rats
1,2,3C.-H. Liao, 2,3Y.-N. Wu, 4
Y.-H. Lin, 3R.-F. Syu Huang, 5S.-P. Liu and 1,2,3,4H.-S. Chiang 1Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Cathay General Hospital, 2School of Medicine, 3
PhD Program in Nutrition & Food Science, 4Graduate Institute of Basic Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, and 5Department of Urology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are bone marrow-derived endothelial cells capable of
circulating, proliferating, and differentiating into mature endothelial cells. Circulating
EPCs can be directly recruited to some extent at sites of injury, and their administration
could accelerate repair or endothelialization of the damaged tissue. We investigated the
effects of intracavernous injections of EPCs into the corpora cavernosa of rats with
erectile dysfunction (ED) caused by bilateral cavernous nerve (CN) injury. Overall, 24
male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomized into three groups: sham surgery,
vehicle-only, or EPC treatment. Rats in the EPC treatment and vehicle-only groups were
subjected to bilateral CN injury before injection of EPCs or vehicle, respectively, into the
corpora cavernosa.
Four weeks after surgery, erectile function was assessed by measuring maximum
intracavernosal pressure (ICP), change in ICP, area under the ICP curve, and ratio of
change in ICP and mean arterial pressure (MAP; DICP/MAP). Penile tissue was
histomorphometrically analyzed for the expression of neural nitric oxide synthase
(nNOS), neurofilament-1 (NF-1), von Willebrand factor (vWF), endothelial NOS (eNOS),
and smooth muscle cell content. Maximum ICP and all other functional parameters of
erectile function were significantly reduced in the vehicle-only group vs. the sham and
EPC treatment groups (all p < 0.001). Smooth muscle cell content was decreased in the
vehicle-only vs. the sham and EPC treatment groups (both p < 0.01). Expressions of vWF
and eNOS in the dorsal artery were significantly higher in the EPC treatment than the
vehicle-only group (p < 0.05).
In conclusion, EPC treatment restored erectile function in a rat model of bilateral CN
injury through recruitment of EPCs toward the dorsal artery and preservation of smooth
muscle cells in the corpus cavernosum. These findings elucidate the therapeutic
potential of EPCs for treating ED in humans.
臺灣楓城泌尿學會男性學論文獎
Journal of Sexual Medicine 2015;12:1694-1702
The Impact of Illicit Use of Amphetamine on Male Sexual Functions
Nan-Hua Chou, MD,*
Yung-Jui Huang, MS,+ and Bang-Ping Jiann, MD‡ *Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital,
Kaohsiung and School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan. +Human Clinical Trial and Subject Protection Center, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital,
Kaohsiung and Graduate School of Human Sexuality, Shu-Te University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ‡Division of Basic Medical Research, Department of Medical Education and Research,
Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital
Kaohsiung and School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Introduction: Data concerning the impact of amphetamine on male sexual functions are
limited, although amphetamine has been used as an aphrodisiac.
Aims: This cross-sectional study was to assess the impact of illicit use of amphetamine on
male sexual functions.
Methods: Male illicit drug users in a Drug Abstention and Treatment Center were
recruited to complete a self-administered questionnaire and data were compared with
age-matched controls.
Main Outcome Measures: The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) and global
assessment questions were used to assess sexual functions.
Results: Of 1159 amphetamine mono-illicit drug users, the mean age was 31.9 ± 7.5
(18–57) years, and mean duration of drug use was 30.7 ± 52.2 (median 9, range
0.1–252) months. Half of them reported that drug use had no impact on their sexual
functions. The other half reported drug impacts as reduced erectile rigidity and sexual
life satisfaction, enhanced orgasmic intensity, and prolonged ejaculation latency time
more often than the opposite effects, while they reported enhanced or reduced effect
equally on sexual desire. Dosing frequency of amphetamine was associated with its
impact on sexual functions, but duration of its use had little association with that.
Compared with 211 age-matched controls, the amphetamine mono-illicit drug users
had lower IIEF scores in the domains of erectile function, orgasmic function and overall
satisfaction, but there are no significant differences in intercourse satisfaction and sexual
desire scores. The prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) was significantly higher in the
drug users than in the controls (29.3% vs. 11.9%). The odds ratio of ED for amphetamine
use was 2.1 (95% confidence interval 1.2–3.6) after adjustment for other risk factors.
Conclusions: The impact of illicit use of amphetamine on male sexual functions varied
among users, and their ED prevalence was higher than the controls.