Mesenchymal stem cell secretome: A promising therapeutic strategy for erectile dysfunction?

Objective:The secretome,comprising bioactive chemicals released by mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs),holds therapeutic promise in regenerative medicine.This review aimed to explore the therapeutic potential of the MSC secretome in regenerative urology,particularly for treating erectile dysfunction(ED),and to provide an overview of preclinical and clinical research on MSCs in ED treatment and subsequently to highlight the rationales,mechanisms,preclinical investigations,and therapeutic potential of the MSC secretome in this context.Methods:The review incorporated an analysis of preclinical and clinical research involving MSCs in the treatment of ED.Subsequently,it delved into the existing knowledge regarding the MSC secretome,exploring its therapeutic potential.The methods included a comprehensive examination of relevant literature to discern the processes underlying the therapeutic efficacy of the MSC secretome.

Stem cell therapy and diabetic erectile dysfunction:A critical review

Erectile dysfunction(ED)has been identified as one of the most frequent chronic complications of diabetes mellitus(DM).The prevalence of ED is estimated to be about 67.4%in all DM cases worldwide.The pathophysiological process leading to ED involves endothelial,neurological,hormonal,and psychological factors.In DM,endothelial and neurological factors play a crucial role.Damages in the blood vessels and erectile tissue due to insulin resistance are the hallmark of ED in DM.The current treatments for ED include phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors and penile prosthesis surgery.However,these treatments are limited in terms of just relieving the symptoms,but not resolving the cause of the problem.The use of stem cells for treating ED is currently being studied mostly in experimental animals.The stem cells used are derived from adipose tissue,bone,or human urine.Most of the studies observed an improvement in erectile quality in the experimental animals as well as an improvement in erectile tissue.However,research on stem cell therapy for ED in humans remains to be limited.Nevertheless,significant findings from studies using animal models indicate a potential use of stem cells in the treatment of ED.

Inflammatory bowel disease(ulcerative colitis type)severity shows inverse correlation with semen parameters and testosterone levels

Individuals with inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)have been reported to be at an increased risk of infertility and sexual dysfunction.Although the relationship between them remains unclear,IBD severity is suspected to affect hormone levels and fertility.To analyze the impact of IBD severity on semen parameters and sex hormone levels in ulcerative colitis-type IBD(UC-IBD),we conducted a cross-sectional study involving 120 patients with UC-IBD in Adam Malik General Hospital,Medan,Indonesia.The patients were classified into three groups based on the Mayo score for Uc,followed by a comparison of various semen and hormone parameters among these groups.In addition to the cross-sectional analysis,a simple correlation test was conducted irrespective of the patient grouping.Sperm concentration,motility,and morphology were found to decline significantly with an increase in IBD severity.Without classifying patients with IBD into subgroups,the Mayo score showed negative correlations with sperm concentration(r=-0.375,P<0.0001),rapid progressive motility(r=-0.660,P<0.0001),free testosterone(r=-0.732,P<0.0001),and total testosterone(r=-0.721,P<0.0001),and positivecorrelations with immotile sperm(r=0.660,P<0.0001),abnormal morphology(r=0.657,P<0.0001),and sex hormone-binding globulin(SHBG;r=0.278,P=0.002).Sperm concentration,motility,and morphology declined significantly with the severity of IBD.This study suggests a significant negative impact of IBD severityonsemenqualityand sexhormones.