Cell Journal (Yakhteh)
Volume:26 Issue: 3, Mar 2024

Infertility is a common clinical condition and about half of the major causes are due to male-related infertility. Pathogenesis of this abnormality is generally undefined; so establishing a proper treatment option is relatively uncertain. In recent years, several evidences demonstrated that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be a hope for innovative and efficient treatment of male infertility. This study reviews possible applications of MSCs in the restoration of spermatogenesis in male infertility of both humans and animals to suggest new avenues for future clinical practices. Articles published in “PubMed” and “Google Scholar” from January 1, 2000, to August 1, 2023, were investigated by searching items of “mesenchymal stem cells”, “cell therapy”, “cell transplantation”, and, “regenerative medicine” keywords, in addition to the “urology”, “andrology”, “reproductive medicine”, “male infertility”, “azoospermia”, and “spermatogenesis”. The results obtained from the transplantation of MSCs in the treatment of male infertility seemed encouraging and they revealed the safety and efficacy of these cells to recover spermatogenesis; eventhough further stem cell research is still required before recruiting clinical application of MSCs in the treatment of human male infertility. Undertaking more well-defined, standardized, and reproducible protocols and enrolling larger sample sizes during a longer follow-up period can benefit the relevance of MSC transplantation in the restoration of spermatogenesis and treatment of male infertility. It seems that developing and utilizing stem cell transplantations, exosomes, scaffold delivery systems, and three dimensional (3D) culture methods may open a new window to getting more benefits from cell therapy in the treatment of men infertility.

Objective

Multiple sclerosis (MS) has a multi-factorial etiology involving genetic factors. Fingolimod (Gilenya ®, FTY720) modulates the G-protein-coupled sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) receptors, S1PR1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Variation in the human S1PR1 coding sequence results in heterogeneity in the function of the receptor. Interleukin-17, producing CD4+ T cells, tends to be increased after treatment with Fingolimod. The aim of the study was to investigate single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the S1PR1 gene or interleukin-17 (IL-17) levels in a small group of Iranian relapsing-remitting MS patients treated with Fingolimod.

In this case-control study, the genomic DNA of 94 MS patients treated with Fingolimod was extracted and Sanger sequencing was performed on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products to detect variants in the S1PR1 gene. Quantification of IL-17 from the serum of the patients was performed using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Among 94 relapsing-remitting MS patients treated with Fingolimod, 69 (73.4%) were responders and 25 (26.6%) were non-responders. There were four novel and five common SNPs in the S1PR1 gene and no significant association between SNP genotype and drug response was detected. In a subset of 34 patients, there was no significant difference in IL-17 serum concentrations before or after treatment and no association with S1PR1 polymorphisms was determined.

This study is the first in Iran to investigate association between SNPs of the S1PR1 gene or IL-17 levels with fingolimod response in a small group of Iranian relapsing remitting MS patients. There was no association with S1PR1 gene SNPs or IL-17 levels before or after treatment.

Schwann cells are the main cells for myelination and regeneration of peripheral nerves. Idebenone is a synthetic antioxidant used to treat central nervous system diseases. The aim of the study is to determine whether idebenone can protect Schwann cells and increase cell activity under conditions of oxidative stress caused by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in vitro.

In this experimental study, Schwann cells were pre-treated with various concentrations of idebenone and H2O2; after determining the appropriate doses, the cells were treated with 10 μM idebenone for 48 hours and 1000 μM H2O2 for the last two hours. The malondialdehyde (MDA) level, and activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were assessed by ELISA. Cell viability was assessed by the MTT assay. Western blot analysis was conducted to determine the expressions of myelin protein zero (MPZ) and peripheral myelin protein 22 (PMP22), and expression ratio of the Bax/Bcl-2 proteins. The percentage of cell apoptosis was evaluated by annexin V staining using flow cytometry.

Schwann cells under oxidative stress conditions caused by H2O2 and treated with idebenone had increased cell viability; increased SOD, CAT, and GPx activity; and increased expressions of the MPZ and PMP22 proteins. There was a decreased level of MDA, a decreased expression ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 proteins, and a decrease in the percentage of apoptotic cells stained with Annexin V.

The appropriate dose of idebenone may improve both the survival and function of Schwann cells exposed to H2O2 by reducing oxidative stress and apoptosis.

Celiac disease is a common chronic inflammatory condition of the small intestine caused by permanent intolerance to gluten/gliadin. It has been demonstrated that oxidative stress is one of the mechanisms that is involved in gliadin toxicity, and there is a correlation between oxidative damage with this disease. Similarly, increased oxidative stress was repeatedly reported in infertile men which led to low-quality of sperm function. Therefore, we aimed to assess sperm parameters and chromatin status in men with Celiac disease.

In this case-control study, semen samples were collected from 11 fertile men without Celiac and 10 men with diagnostic Celiac disease. Basic semen analyses were performed according to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2010 protocol. The percentage of sperm with persistence histones, protamine deficiency, DNA fragmentation, malondialdehyde (MDA), and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were assessed using aniline blue, chromomycin A3, sperm chromatin structure assay, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay, and diacetyldichlorofluorescein staining, respectively.

Unlike the sperm parameters, which did not show significant differences between men with Celiac disease and fertile individuals, sperm chromatin maturation (persistence histones and protamine deficiency) and sperm DNA damage in men with Celiac disease were significantly higher compared to fertile individuals (P<0.05). In addition, the percentage of sperm viability in these individuals was significantly lower than that in the fertile individuals (P<0.05). We did not observe any significant differences in sperm lipid peroxidation and intracellular ROS levels between the two study groups (P>0.05).

Celiac disease affects sperm chromatin maturation and DNA fragmentation, emphasizing its impact on reproductive health.

The rapid development of knowledge on healthy nutrition, and hygiene practices, as well as the advent of antibiotics and vaccines, has led to increased life expectancy in the recent century. The extended lifespan has brought new challenges for healthcare professionals, including the management of chronic degenerative diseases, malignancies, and autoimmune disorders. Advanced therapeutic medicinal products (ATMPs) have emerged as a promising frontier alongside conventional therapeutic modalities, offering innovative solutions through cell-based therapies, gene therapy, and tissue engineering. Recent years have witnessed remarkable advancements in regenerative medicine and the launching of innovative ATMPs. Numerous ATMPs have been registered and approved by regulatory agencies for the management of different diseases in 2023. The approval of groundbreaking therapies around the world has made 2023 an exceptional year. Novel ATMPs and the development of artificial intelligence (AI) in 2023 will pave the way for the integration of ATMPs and advanced technologies in personalized medicine, early diagnosis, and targeted treatments.

In this article published in Cell J, Vol 18, No 2, Jul-Sep (Summer) 2016, on pages 179-188, the authors found that Figure 2A was the same as the one that has already been published and it was confusing. The following figure’s legend is corrected in reference 9.
The authors would like to apologies for any inconvenience caused.