The blood-testis barrier (BTB) is found between adjacent Sertoli cells in the testis where it creates a unique microenvironment for the development and maturation of meiotic and postmeiotic germ cells in seminiferous tubes. It is a compound proteinous structure, composed of several types of cell junctions including tight junctions (TJs), adhesion junctions and gap junctions (GJs). Some of the junctional proteins function as structural proteins of BTB and some have regulatory roles. The deletion or functional silencing of genes encoding these proteins may disrupt the BTB, which may cause immunological or other damages to meiotic and postmeiotic cells and ultimately lead to spermatogenic arrest and infertility. In this review, we will summarize the findings on the BTB structure and function from genetically-modified mouse models and discuss the future perspectives.

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Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a frequent complication of obesity. The aim of this review is to critically analyze the framework of obesity and ED, dissecting the connections between the two pathological entities. Current clinical evidence shows that obesity, and in particular central obesity, is associated with both arteriogenic ED and reduced testosterone (T) levels. It is conceivable that obesity-associated hypogonadism and increased cardiovascular risk might partially justify the higher prevalence of ED in overweight and obese individuals. Conversely, the psychological disturbances related to obesity do not seem to play a major role in the pathogenesis of obesity-related ED. However, both clinical and preclinical data show that the association between ED and visceral fat accumulation is independent from known obesity-associated comorbidities. Therefore, how visceral fat could impair penile microcirculation still remains unknown. This point is particularly relevant since central obesity in ED subjects categorizes individuals at high cardiovascular risk, especially in the youngest ones. The presence of ED in obese subjects might help healthcare professionals in convincing them to initiate a virtuous cycle, where the correction of sexual dysfunction will be the reward for improved lifestyle behavior. Unsatisfying sexual activity represents a meaningful, straightforward motivation for consulting healthcare professionals, who, in turn, should take advantage of the opportunity to encourage obese patients to treat, besides ED, the underlying unfavorable conditions, thus not only restoring erectile function, but also overall health.

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We assessed the rates of sperm retrieval and intracytoplasmic sperm injection outcomes, including the neonatal profile of infants conceived, in men with testicular failure. Three-hundred and sixty-five men with testicular failure who underwent micro-dissection testicular sperm extraction were included in this study. We compared their outcomes with 40 men with testicular failure who used donor sperm for injections due to failed retrieval, and 146 men with obstructive azoospermia who underwent percutaneous sperm retrieval. The retrieval rate in testicular failure was 41.4%, and the results were lower than the obstructed azoospermia (100%; adjusted odds ratio: 0.033; 95% CI: 0.007-0.164; P< 0.001). Live birth rates after sperm injections were lower in men with testicular failure (19.9%) compared with donor sperm (37.5%; adjusted OR: 0.377 (95% CI: 0.233-0.609, P< 0.001)) and obstructive azoospermia (34.2%; adjusted OR: 0.403 (95% CI: 0.241-0.676, P= 0.001). Newborn parameters of infants conceived were not significantly different among the groups. We concluded that the chances of obtaining sperm on retrieval and achieving a live birth after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) are reduced in men with testicular failure. The profile of infants conceived after sperm injection does not seem to be negatively affected by testicular failure.

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Most prostate cancers (PCas) are classified as acinar type (conventional) adenocarcinoma which are composed of tumor cells with luminal differentiation including the expression of androgen receptor (AR) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA). There are also scattered neuroendocrine (NE) cells in every case of adenocarcinoma. The NE cells are quiesecent, do not express AR or PSA, and their function remains unclear. We have demonstrated that IL8-CXCR2-P53 pathway provides a growth-inhibitory signal and keeps the NE cells in benign prostate and adenocarcinoma quiescent. Interestingly, some patients with a history of adenocarcinoma recur with small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (SCNC) after hormonal therapy, and such tumors are composed of pure NE cells that are highly proliferative and aggressive, due to P53 mutation and inactivation of the IL8-CXCR2-P53 pathway. The incidence of SCNC will likely increase due to the widespread use of novel drugs that further inhibit AR function or intratumoral androgen synthesis. A phase II trial has demonstrated that platinum-based chemotherapy may be useful for such therapy-induced tumors.

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It has been postulated that the persistent short intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT) of men with lifelong premature ejaculation (LPE) is related to 5-hydroxytryptamine (HT)_2C receptor functioning. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of Cys23Ser 5-HT_2C receptor gene polymorphism and the duration of IELT in men with LPE. Therefore, a prospective study was conducted in 64 Dutch Caucasian men with LPE. Baseline IELT during coitus was assessed by stopwatch over a 1-month period. All men were genotyped for Cys23Ser 5-HT_2C receptor gene polymorphism. Allele frequencies and genotypes of Cys and Ser variants of 5-HT_2C receptor gene polymorphism were determined. Association between Cys/Cys and Ser/Ser genotypes and the natural logarithm of the IELT in men with LPE were investigated. As a result, the geometric mean, median and natural mean IELT were 25.2, 27.0, 33.9 s, respectively. Of all men, 20.0%, 10.8%, 23.1% and 41.5% ejaculated within 10, 10-20, 20-30 and 30-60 s after vaginal penetration. Of the 64 men, the Cys/Cys and Ser/Ser genotype frequency for the Cys23Ser polymorphism of the 5-HT_2C receptor gene was 81% and 19%, respectively. The geometric mean IELT of the wildtypes (Cys/Cys) is significantly lower (22.6 s; 95% CI 18.3-27.8 s) than in male homozygous mutants (Ser/Ser) (40.4 s; 95% CI 20.3-80.4 s) (P = 0.03). It is concluded that Cys23Ser 5-HT_2C receptor gene polymorphism is associated with the IELT in men with LPE. Men with Cys/Cys genotype have shorter IELTs than men with Ser/Ser genotypes.

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Alternative splicing (AS) is a crucial step in gene expression. It is subject to intricate regulation, and its deregulation in cancer can lead to a wide array of neoplastic phenotypes. A large body of evidence implicates splice isoforms in most if not all hallmarks of cancer, including growth, apoptosis, invasion and metastasis, angiogenesis, and metabolism. AS has important clinical implications since it can be manipulated therapeutically to treat cancer and represents a mechanism of resistance to therapy. In prostate cancer (PCa) AS also plays a prominent role and this review will summarize the current knowledge of alternatively spliced genes with important functional consequences. We will highlight accumulating evidence on AS of the components of the two critical pathways in PCa: androgen receptor (AR) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K). These observations together with data on dysregulation of splice factors in PCa suggest that AR and PI3K pathways may be interconnected with previously unappreciated splicing regulatory networks. In addition, we will discuss several lines of evidence implicating splicing regulation in the development of the castration resistance.

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Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men, with 1.1 million new cases worldwide reported by the World Health Organization in one recent year. Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided biopsy has been used for the diagnosis of prostate cancer for over 2 decades, but the technique is usually blind to cancer location. Moreover, the false negative rate of TRUS biopsy has been reported to be as high as 47%. Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mp-MRI) includes T1- and T2-weighted imaging as well as dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). mp-MRI is a major advance in the imaging of prostate cancer, enabling targeted biopsy of suspicious lesions. Evolving targeted biopsy techniques-including direct in-bore biopsy, cognitive fusion and software-based MRI-ultrasound (MRI-US) fusion-have led to a several-fold improvement in cancer detection compared to the earlier method. Importantly, the detection of clinically significant cancers has been greatly facilitated by targeting, compared to systematic biopsy alone. Targeted biopsy via MRI-US fusion may dramatically alter the way prostate cancer is diagnosed and managed.

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Prostate cancer (PCa) remains a principal cause of mortality in developed countries. Because no clinical interventions overcome resistance to androgen ablation therapy, management of castration resistance and metastatic disease remains largely untreatable. Metastasis is a multistep process in which tumor cells lose cell-cell contacts, egress from the primary tumor, intravasate, survive shear stress within the vasculature and extravasate into tissues to colonize ectopic sites. Tumor cells reestablish migratory behaviors employed during nonneoplastic processes such as embryonic development, leukocyte trafficking and wound healing. While mesenchymal motility is an established paradigm of dissemination, an alternate, 'amoeboid' phenotype is increasingly appreciated as relevant to human cancer. Here we discuss characteristics and pathways underlying the phenotype, and highlight our findings that the cytoskeletal regulator DIAPH3 governs the mesenchymal-amoeboid transition. We also describe our identification of a new class of tumor-derived microvesicles, large oncosomes, produced by amoeboid cells and with potential clinical utility in prostate and other cancers.

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Prostate cancer (PCa) has become to have the highest incidence and the second mortality rate in western countries, affecting men's health to a large extent. Although prostate-specific antigen (PSA) was discovered to help diagnose the cancer in an early stage for decades, its specificity is relative low, resulting in unnecessary biopsy for healthy people and over-treatment for patients. Thus, it is imperative to identify more and more effective biomarkers for early diagnosis of PCa in order to distinguish patients from healthy populations, which helps guide an early treatment to lower disease-related mortality by noninvasive or minimal invasive approaches. This review generally describes the current early diagnostic biomarkers of PCa in addition to PSA and summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of these biomarkers.

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The aim of the present study was to assess if semen quality declines during in vitro fertilization (IVF) and whether or not this phenomenon is triggered by chronic male stress. In order to test this hypothesis, we first investigated a retrospective cohort of 155 male IVF patients (testing cohort). Subsequently, we started a prospective cohort study in men undergoing their first IVF and assessed semen quality and subjective male chronic stress using a validated tool, i.e. the Fertility Problem Inventory (FPI) questionnaire. The association between stress and sperm quality decline measured 4-6 weeks before the start of IVF (T1) and at the day of oocyte retrieval (T2) was the primary outcome. Live birth rate, first trimester abortion and rate of poor responders were secondary outcomes. In the testing cohort, mean progressive motility, but not mean sperm density significantly declined. There were 78/154 (51%) men who showed a decline in semen density and 50/154 (32%) men who showed a decline in progressive motility. In the validation cohort, progressive motility declined, whereas, sperm density increased from T1 to T2. Of 78 men, 27 men had increased stress (FPI-score > 146). Sperm density and progressive motility were not significantly different in men with and without stress. However, in the presence of male stress, couples had a higher rate of poor responders, miscarriages and a lower rate of live births. Subjective stress is not associated with a decline in semen quality observed during IVF but may be associated with adverse pregnancy outcome.

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Consuming a high-fructose diet induces metabolic syndrome (MS)-like features, including endothelial dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction is an early manifestation of endothelial dysfunction and systemic vascular disease. Because mineral deficiency intensifies the deleterious effects of fructose consumption and mineral ingestion is protective against MS, we aimed to characterize the effects of 8 weeks of natural mineral-rich water consumption on the structural organization and expression of vascular growth factors and receptors on the corpus cavernosum (CC) in 10% fructose-fed Sprague-Dawley rats (FRUCT). Differences were not observed in the organization of the CC either on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) or the components of the angiopoietins/Tie2 system. However, opposing expression patterns were observed for VEGF receptors (an increase and a decrease for VEGFR1 and VEGFR2, respectively) in FRUCT animals, with these patterns being strengthened by mineral-rich water ingestion. Mineral-rich water ingestion (FRUCTMIN) increased the proportion of smooth muscle cells compared with FRUCT rats and induced an upregulatory tendency of sirtuin 1 expression compared with the control and FRUCT groups. Western blot results were consistent with the dual immunofluorescence evaluation. Plasma oxidized low-density lipoprotein and plasma testosterone levels were similar among the experimental groups, although a tendency for an increase in the former was observed in the FRUCTMIN group. The mineral-rich water-treated rats presented changes similar to those observed in rats treated with MS-protective polyphenol-rich beverages or subjected to energy restriction, which led us to hypothesize that the effects of mineral-rich water consumption may be more vast than those directly observed in this study.

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The androgen receptor (AR) is critical for the normal development of prostate and for its differentiated functions. The consistent expression of AR in prostate cancer (PCa), and its continued activity in PCa that relapse after androgen deprivation therapy (castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC)), indicate that at least a subset of these genes are also critical for PCa development and progression. This review addressed AR regulated genes that may be critical for PCa, and how AR may acquire new functions during PCa development and progression.

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Follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR), which is expressed only on Sertoli cells and plays a key role in spermatogenesis, has been paid attention for its potential in male contraception vaccine research and development. This study introduces a method for the preparation and purification of human FSHR 57-amino acid protein (FSHR-57aa) as well as determination of its immunogenicity and antifertility effect. A recombinant pET-28a(+)-FSHR-57aa plasmid was constructed and expressed in Escherichia coli strain BL21 Star ^TM (DE3) and the FSHR-57aa protein was separated and collected by cutting the gel and recovering activity by efficient refolding dialysis. The protein was identified by Western blot and high-performance liquid chromatography analysis with a band of nearly 7 kDa and a purity of 97.4%. Male monkeys were immunized with rhFSHR-57aa protein and a gradual rising of specific serum IgG antibody was found which reached a plateau on day 112 (16 weeks) after the first immunization. After mating of one male with three female monkeys, the pregnancy rate of those mated with males immunized against FSHR-57aa was significantly decreased while the serum hormone levels of testosterone and estradiol were not disturbed in the control or the FSHR-57aa groups. By evaluating pathological changes in testicular histology, we found that the blood-testis barrier remained intact, in spite of some small damage to Sertoli cells. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that the rhFSHR-57aa protein might be a feasible male contraceptive which could affect sperm production without disturbing hormone levels.

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We investigated whether inhibiting phosphorylated p70S6K (p-p70S6K) suppresses the proliferation and growth of noninvasive low-grade urothelial carcinoma (LG-URCa) in vitroand whether p-p70S6K can serve as a predictive biomarker for the recurrence of noninvasive LG-URCa of the bladder in patients. We constructed a tissue microarray (TMA) for 95 LG-URCa and 35 benign urothelium samples and performed immunohistochemical staining for p-p70S6K and p-4E-BP1. A Cox regression model was used to investigate the predictive factors for recurrence of LG-URCa. We investigated the dose-dependent antiproliferative effect of rapamycin, its antiproliferative effect and the growth-inhibition effect of p70S6K siRNA transfection in RT4 and 253J cell lines. The pT1 staged group (P < 0.05; hazard ratio (HR), 2.415) and the high p-p70S6K staining group (P < 0.05; HR, 2.249) were independent factors for predicting recurrence. Rapamycin inhibited RT4 and 253J cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner (r = −0.850, P< 0.001 in RT4 cells; r = −0.835, P< 0.001 in 253J cells). RT4 and 253J cell proliferation and growth were inhibited by the transfection of p70S6K siRNA and rapamycin, respectively (P < 0.05). Transfection of p70S6K siRNA resulted in inhibitory effects on cell proliferation and growth that were similar to those of rapamycin. Our results suggest that inhibiting p70S6K phosphorylation is important to prevent recurrence and that p70S6K phosphorylation can be used as a molecular biomarker to predict recurrence of certain LG-URCa of the bladder.

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Metastatic prostate cancer is currently incurable. Metastasis is thought to result from changes in the expression of specific metastasis-driving genes in nonmetastatic prostate cancer tissue, leading to a cascade of activated downstream genes that set the metastatic process in motion. Such genes could potentially serve as effective therapeutic targets for improved management of the disease. They could be identified by comparative analysis of gene expression profiles of patient-derived metastatic and nonmetastatic prostate cancer tissues to pinpoint genes showing altered expression, followed by determining whether silencing of such genes can lead to inhibition of metastatic properties. Various hurdles encountered in this approach are discussed, including (i) the need for clinically relevant, nonmetastatic and metastatic prostate cancer tissues such as xenografts of patients' prostate cancers developed via subrenal capsule grafting technology and (ii) limitations in the currently available methodology for identification of master regulatory genes.

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The pathophysiology of LaPeyronie's disease (PD) is considered to be multifactorial, involving genetic predisposition, trauma, inflammation and altered wound healing. However, these factors have not yet been validated using animal models. In this study, we have presented a new model obtained by tunica albuginea allograft. A total of 40, 16-week-old male rats were used. Of these, 8 rats served as controls and underwent a 10 × 2-mm-wide tunical excision with subsequent autografting, whereas the remaining 32 underwent the same excision with grafting of the defect with another rat's tunica. Morphological and functional testing was performed at 1, 3, 7 and 12 weeks after grafting. Intracavernous pressure, the degree of penile curvature and elastic fiber length were evaluated for comparison between the allograft and control groups. The tissues were obtained for histological examination. The penile curvature was significantly greater in the allografted rats as compared with the control rats. The erectile function was maintained in all rats, except in those assessed at 12 weeks. The elastin fiber length was decreased in the allografted tunica as compared to control. SMAD2 expression was detected in the inner part of the allograft, and both collagen-II- and osteocalcin-positive cells were also noted. Tunica albuginea (TA) allograft in rats is an excellent model of PD. The persistence of curvature beyond 12 weeks and the presence of ossification in the inner layer of the TA were similar to those observed in men with PD. Validation studies using this animal model would aid understanding of the PD pathophysiology for effective therapeutic interventions.

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Serum testosterone does not correlate with androgen tissue activity, and it is critical to optimize tools to evaluate such activity in males. Ultrasound measurement of bulbocavernosus muscle (BCM) was used to assess the relationship between the number of CAG repeats (CAGn) in the androgen receptor (AR) and the BCM size; the changes in the number of CAGn over age were also evaluated. Transperineal ultrasound measurement of the BCM was also performed. AR CAGn were determined by high performance liquid chromatography, and morning hormone levels were determined using immunoassays. Forty-eight men had CAG repeat analysis. Twenty-five were <30 years of age, mean 23.7 years (s.d. = 3.24) and 23 were >45 years of age, mean 53 years (s.d. = 5.58). The median CAGn was 21 (13-29). BCM area was greater when the number of CAGn were <18 as compared to the number of CAGn >24 (P = 0.04). There was a linear correlation between the number of CAGn and the BCM area R ² = 16% (P = 0.01). In the 45 to 65-years-old group, a much stronger negative correlation (R ² = 29%, P = 0.01) was noticed. In the 19 to 29-years-old group, no such correlation was found (R ² = 4%, P = 0.36). In older men, the number of CAGn increased with age (R ² = 32%, P = 0.01). The number of CAGn in the AR correlates with the area of the BCM. Ultrasound assessment of the BCM is an effective surrogate to evaluate end-organ activity of androgens. The number of CAGn may increase with age.

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In the past 5 years, the treatment and understanding of metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) have improved dramatically. Our understanding of the mechanisms of castration resistance has allowed for the development of new drugs to target prostate cancer, and our understanding of genetic mutations may give us new tools with which to more accurately diagnose and be able to predict the course of this heterogeneous disease. This article summarizes the recent advances in the understanding of the development of CRPC, as well as the new drugs and targets, which have evolved from this basic research.

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Intermittent androgen deprivation therapy (IADT) is an alternative to continuous androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in prostate cancer patients with nonmetastatic disease. ADT is associated with numerous side effects such as hot flashes, sexual dysfunction, anemia, fatigue, loss of muscle mass, osteoporosis, metabolic syndrome and premature cardiovascular disease. IADT was developed with the intention of improving the quality of life and to delay progression of prostate cancer to castration resistance. The benefits of slightly improved quality of life by IADT compared to ADT were demonstrated in multiple clinical trials. IADT was noted to be noninferior to ADT in patients with biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer but in studies performed in patients with metastatic prostate cancer, the results were inconclusive. Our recent studies suggested that the administration of 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors during the off-cycle of IADT can significantly prolong the survival of mice bearing androgen-sensitive prostate tumors when off-cycle duration was short. This review discusses the survival benefit of 5 alpha-reductase inhibition in IADT in animal models and the potential translation of this finding into clinic.

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Prostate cancer is a leading cause of cancer death in men. Despite recent advances in our understanding and treatment of advanced disease, no systemic therapy is curative and new therapies are needed. Targeting angiogenesis is an attractive therapeutic strategy, as angiogenic pathways are upregulated in prostate tumors similar to other malignancies due to imbalance of pro- and anti-angiogenic factors secreted by tumor, endothelial and stromal cells and increased neovasculature. ^[1] Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the most well-characterized pro-angiogenenic factor, with several small molecule inhibitors (sunitinib, sorafenib, pazopanib, axitinib, others), antibodies (bevacizumab) and other drugs that target the VEGF pathway approved and/or in development for the treatment of a wide range of tumor types.

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Herein, we discuss 18-year follow-up data from the Scandinavian Prostate Cancer Group-4 (SPCG-4) trial, a randomized study comparing observation and radical prostatectomy (RP) in patients with localized prostate cancer. The results of this study are contrasted with another study employing a similar randomization, the Prostate Cancer Intervention Versus Observation Trial (PIVOT). We highlight several key differences in study eligibility and enrollment that may account for distinct results, and describe how these datasets impact the complex landscape of therapy for localized prostate cancer.

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The assumed association of sperm motility with fertility has long been a preoccupation of clinicians. Whereas assessing fertility of a couple has relatively easy end-points (time to pregnancy, number of children), assessing motility does not. The many methods developed to determine it include assessing a sperm population subjectively (by grading) and objectively (by measuring its motion-induced movement into a light beam by spectrophotometry or nephelometry), and making measurements on individual sperm cells (by stroboscopic or multiple-exposure photography or digitized video-recordings). A new technique reported recently ^[1] involves holography to determine unrestrained movement patterns of objects in deep chambers over long periods of time. It has been used to provide information on the temporal motility patterns of unrestrained spermatozoa swimming in three-dimensions (hence four-dimensional motility).

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