The prostate of weaned pups is altered by maternal malnutrition during lactation in rats

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of maternal malnutrition during lactation on prostate growth and estradiol serum concentration in the prostate of pups. At delivery,nine Wistar rats were separated into three groups：control group （C） with free access to a standard laboratory diet containing 22% protein;protein-energyrestricted group （PER） with free access to an isoenergy and protein-restricted diet containing 8% protein;and energyrestricted group （ER） receiving standard laboratory diet in restricted quantities,which were calculated according to the mean ingestion of the PER group. All pups were killed at weaning. PER and ER groups presented a significant reduction in estradiol serum concentration （C = 73.8±4.6,PER=48.7±3.2,ER = 59.7±5.5 pg mL^-1,P〈0.01）,total prostatic acini （C = 24 190.0±716.5,PER = 20 290.0±631.4,ER=19 550.0±759.1 μm^2;P〈0.01）,lumen of the prostatic acini （C = 5 590.0±165.4,PER = 3 776.0±251.3,ER = 4 658.0±198.1 μm^2;P〈0.01） and epithelial area of the prostate dorsal lobe （C=18 120.0±391.4,PER=16 520.0±799.2,ER = 14 890.0±589.8 μm^2;P〈0.01）.Testosterone concentration was significantly increased only in the PER group when compared with the C group （C = 0.09±0.01,PER = 0.44±0.04,ER=0.15±0.03 ng mL^-1,P〈0.001）. An adequate nutritional state in early life is important for normal growth of the prostate gland,which seem to be related to serum levels of estradiol.

Bladder Neck Morphologic Changes and Clinical Correlation of Smokers Submitted to Radical Prostatectomy

Introduction: Smoking is an important risky factor to many diseases, affecting arterial system, skin and urogenital system, including bladder neck stenosis. Its effect on bladder neck has not been described. Objective: Evaluate possible morphological changes caused by nicotine in the bladder neck. Material and Method: Fragments of bladder neck of 16 patients were submitted to stereological analysis, and those patients are divided into two groups, one of smokers and the other of non-smokers with 7 and 9 patients, respectively. After 90 days of surgery, they were submitted to free uroflowmetry and data analyzed by T test, having statistical significance with P 0.05. Results: An increase of 63.26% in the amount of fibers in the elastic system of the smokers group was observed, a reduction of 35.96% in the thickness of arteries, as well as an increase of IPSS and decrease of maximum flow in uroflowmetry, all with statistical significance. Discussion: Laboratorial changes are similar to those found in other studies with different tissues, such as skin, in which those findings are related to premature ageing. Clinical results, though statistically significant, do not have clinical consistence because the study was meant to morphological analysis. Conclusion: Smoking increases the amount of fibers in the elastic system and decreases the thickness of bladder neck arteries.

男性胎儿的泌尿生殖系异常

背景:很少见有对胎儿生殖泌尿系异常的发生率进行评估的研究。目的:分析男性胎儿的先天性泌尿系畸形的发生率。研究设计及对象:分析了166例保存完好的人类男性胎儿。根据足长度标准,孕龄由受孕后的周数(WPC)决定,这些胎儿的胎龄为10-35 WPC。在放大2.5倍的实体镜下解剖这些胎儿。在腹腔及盆腔各进行切口以暴露泌尿生殖器官。研究了肾脏、输尿管、膀胱、尿道、睾丸、附睾、输精管、前列腺及阴茎发生畸形的概率。结果:166例胎儿中,有7例(4.2%)存在某种泌尿生殖系畸形。2例(1.2%)有肾脏异常。在1例25孕周的胎儿身上发现单侧肾发育不全,另1例20孕周的胎儿有马蹄肾。有1例(0.6%)23孕周的胎儿双侧睾丸缺失。4例(2.4%)存在附睾分离畸形。结论:人类男性胎儿的泌尿生殖系畸形很少见,发生率约为4%。

What is the effect of Tribulus terrestris on testicular morphology and sperm production?An experimental study in the rat model

The objective of this study was to investigate whether treatment with Tribulus terrestris(Tt)has any impact on the testicular morphology and function in a rodent model.Twenty male rats were divided into a control group and a group receiving 100 mg kg^(-1) body weight of Tt supplementation.After 4o days of experiment,the animals were submitted to euthanasia;epididymal tail spermatozoa were collected;and spermatozoa concentration,motility,and viability were analyzed.In addition,testicles were collected and processed for histomorphometrical analyses.Data were compared using the Student's t-test and considered significant when P<O.05.Spermatozoa concentration,motility,and viability showed no difference between the groups.Further,testicular weight and volume,seminiferous tubule diameter,tunica propria surface density,seminiferous epithelium surface density,and intertubular compartment surface density were statistically similar between the groups.However,seminiferous epithelium height and tubular lumen surface density were augmented in animals treated with Tt.Treatment with Tt does not cause a major impact on testicular morphology,promoting only subtle modifications.No difference on spermatozoa parameters was observed.

The corpus cavernosum after treatment with dutasteride or finasteride： a histomorphometric study in a benign prostatic hyperplasia rodent model

Erectile dysfunction is a common side effect of finasteride and dutasteride treatments. The objective of this study was to investigate the structural changes in the penis using a benign prostatic hyperplasia （BPH） rodent model treated with dutasteride or finasteride. Sixty male rats were divided into the following groups： C, untreated control rats; C ＋ D, control rats receiving dutasteride; C ＋ F, control rats receiving finasteride; H, untreated spontaneously hypertensive rats （SHRs）; H ＋ D, SHRs treated with dutasteride; and H ＋ F, SHRs treated with finasteride. Treatments were performed for 40 days, and penises were collected immediately thereafter. The organs were analyzed using histomorphometric methods to determine the cross-sectional penile area, as well as the surface density （Sv） of smooth muscle fibers, connective tissue, elastic system fibers, and sinusoidal spaces of the corpus cavernosum. The results were compared using a one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni＇s posttest. Groups C ＋ D and C ＋ F had a significantly smaller penile cross-sectional area, but more elastic system fiber Sv compared to Group C. Group C ＋ D showed less smooth muscle Sv, and Group H showed more connective tissue but a smaller sinusoidal space Sv in the corpus cavernosum compared to Group C. Groups H ＋ D and H ＋ F had less smooth muscle Sv than Group H. Group H ＋ D also had more connective tissue and elastic system fiber Sv than Group H. Both dutasteride and finasteride promoted penile modifications in the control rat penis, although this affect was ~reater in Group H animals. In this rodent model, dutasteride was the drug that most affected the corpus cavernosum.

Immediate and late effects of chronic stress in the testes of prepubertal and adult rats

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of chronic stress on the testes of prepubertal and adult rats and to evaluate whether any alterations could be reversed when stress induction is ended. Seventy-six male rats were assigned to eight groups depending on the type of treatment （control or stressed）, the age at which stress was initiated （prepubertal or adult）, and the time of evaluation （immediate or late）. Stress stimuli were applied for 6 weeks. Stressed prepubertal and adult rats evaluated immediately after the last stress stimulus were included in SP-I and SA-I groups, respectively. The late prepubertal （SP-L） and adult （SA-L） groups of stressed rats were evaluated 6 weeks after the last stress stimulus. Age-matched rats were used as controls （CP-I, CA-I, CP-L, and CA-L groups）. Application of stress stimuli to rats in the SP-I group resulted in body weight and seminiferous tubule diameter reduction. The rats in the SA-I group also showed several functional （testosterone level and sperm parameter） and morphological （testicular weight and seminiferous tubule diameter） reductions. The rats in the SP-L group showed increased body weight and intertubular compartment volumetric and absolute densities and reduced tubular compartment volumetric density. The rats in the SA-L group presented only reduced sperm viability. Stress stimuli promoted changes in the rats in all the study groups. The testes of the adult rats were the most affected by chronic stress. However, the stressed adult rats recovered well from the testicular alterations.

Resveratrol attenuates metabolic,sperm,and testicular changes in adult Wistar rats fed a diet rich in lipids and simple carbohydrates

High-fat diets affect male reproduction and sexual function.Therefore,we evaluated the effects of prolonged resveratrol administration on the metabolic,sperm,and testicular parameters of rats fed a cafeteria diet.Male Wistar rats were divided at weaning into control(Cv n=20)and cafeteria(CAF,n=16)groups.At 3 months,half of them were given daily supplementations of resveratrol(C-R,n=10;CAF-R,n=8)at a dosage of 30 mg kg-1 body mass for 2 months.Animals were killed at 5 months of age,and blood,spermatozoa,and testes were collected for further analysis.Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA,and P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.The CAF diet promoted hyperglycemia(P<0.0001),and treatment with resveratrol reversed this condition(P<0.0001).The CAF diet reduced sperm viability and motility,while resveratrol improved these parameters(F<0.05).Regarding testicular morphology,the height of the seminiferous epithelium was reduced in the CAF group compared with that of the C group(P=0.0007).Spermatogenic cell proliferation was also reduced in the CAF group compared with that of the C group.However,the CAF-R showed an increase in cell proliferation rate compared with that of the untreated CAF group(P=0.0024).Although it did not modify body mass,the consumption of a CAF diet promoted hyperglycemia,adverse testicular morphology remodeling,and abnormal sperm,which were attenuated by treatment with resveratrol,thus suggesting a protective effect of this antioxidant on spermatogenesis.