Asian journal of andrology最新文献

{"title":"No difference in ICSI outcomes from cryopreserved testicular spermatozoa from patients with azoospermia or cryptozoospermia.","authors":"Jin-Yan Xu, Ding-Ming Li, Bo Liu, Sha-Sha Liu, Xue-Feng Luo, Chen Luo, Wen-Rui Zhao, Yuan Liu, Li-Juan Ying, Yang Xian, Fu-Ping Li","doi":"10.4103/aja202592","DOIUrl":"10.4103/aja202592","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with cryopreserved testicular spermatozoa retrieved via testicular sperm aspiration (TESA) or microdissection testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE) is an effective treatment for azoospermia and cryptozoospermia. The current research on testicular sperm cryopreservation has primarily focused on comparing ICSI outcomes between fresh and frozen-thawed testicular spermatozoa. Another focus of these researches is evaluating treatment efficacy differences between ICSI using spermatozoa from patients with obstructive azoospermia (OA) versus non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA). However, few studies have investigated ICSI outcomes among patients with OA, NOA, and cryptozoospermia. This retrospective cohort study analyzed the data from 688 patients at Sichuan Human Sperm Bank (Chengdu, China) between September 2021 and April 2024, comparing cryopreservation efficacy, sperm utilization rate, ICSI outcomes, and delivery outcomes of cryopreserved testicular sperm suspensions in OA group ( n = 542), NOA group ( n = 114), and cryptozoospermia group ( n = 32). Post-thaw analysis revealed that the median sperm viability before and after freezing, as well as the viability ratio, did not differ among the three groups (all P > 0.05). Sperm utilization in NOA group (60.5%) was significantly higher (both P < 0.0001) compared with cryptozoospermia group (31.3%) and OA group (19.9%), while no significant difference was found between OA and cryptozoospermia groups ( P > 0.05). Of 162 couples undergoing ICSI, there were no differences in fertilization, clinical pregnancy, delivery, and miscarriage rates among patients with OA, NOA, and cryptozoospermia (all P > 0.05). In the cryptozoospermia group with five newborns, all were full-term with normal birth weights, but this group had the highest maternal pregnancy complication rate.</p>","PeriodicalId":93889,"journal":{"name":"Asian journal of andrology","volume":" ","pages":"321-326"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13258197/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147346077","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring better methods for treating urethral stricture caused by lichen sclerosus.","authors":"Jia-Qi An, Jian-Wei Wang","doi":"10.4103/aja202597","DOIUrl":"10.4103/aja202597","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Lichen sclerosus (LS) is a chronic inflammatory dermatosis significantly associated with urethral stricture disease (USD), particularly affecting the genitalia in both sexes. While topical corticosteroids remain the first-line therapy for LS, their efficacy for deep urethral involvement is limited. Surgical intervention, primarily urethroplasty utilizing buccal mucosa grafts or lingual mucosa grafts, is often required for LS-associated USD but is associated with risks of recurrence and complications. This review explores the etiology, highlighting the roles of immune dysregulation, genetic factors, and the resulting fibrosis. Furthermore, we emphasize the emerging potential of urethral tissue engineering, which uses scaffolds seeded with progenitor or stem cells, as a promising approach for reconstructing complex LS-related strictures, although clinical translation remains limited. Future research should focus on optimizing tissue engineering solutions.</p>","PeriodicalId":93889,"journal":{"name":"Asian journal of andrology","volume":" ","pages":"240-245"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13258196/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146055119","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Are men aware of normal penile length and sexual function? A narrative review of the literature.","authors":"Yoonus Faizal, Winston Wu, Vincent Chan, Glenn Duns, Kathryn M Schubach, Darren J Katz","doi":"10.4103/aja202572","DOIUrl":"10.4103/aja202572","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Men frequently present to their health practitioners with concerns that they are not \"normal\" in the domains of sexual anatomy and function. This narrative review aims to synthesize the existing evidence on the general male population's perception of normative sexual anatomy (penile length) and function (erectile and ejaculatory function). A structured literature search was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, limited to English language studies that involved adult participants from non-medical backgrounds. Of the 1098 studies identified, only seven met the predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, indicating an insufficiency in research directly addressing men's perceptions of normative sexual anatomy and function. The studies included in this review found that there was an inaccurate understanding of what empirically constitutes \"normal\". Men considered above-average penis lengths to be common and perceived themselves as \"small\" despite being within the normal range. They tended to overestimate typical intercourse durations and were inaccurate in self-diagnosing ejaculatory dysfunction and erectile dysfunction. The inability to differentiate normal and abnormal sexual function reflects a poor understanding of what constitutes normal. These findings may inform future research and provide guidance for educating clinicians and the public to improve sexual health.</p>","PeriodicalId":93889,"journal":{"name":"Asian journal of andrology","volume":" ","pages":"223-229"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13258189/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146013860","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Methamphetamine-induced inhibition of Mettl21c in undifferentiated spermatogonia impairs male fertility in mice.","authors":"Xue-Heng Zhao, Dai Zhou, Shuang Lu, Wei-Tao Yan, Li-Qing Fan","doi":"10.4103/aja202558","DOIUrl":"10.4103/aja202558","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Chronic methamphetamine (Meth) exposure has been recognized as a critical risk factor for male reproductive dysfunction, yet its mechanistic underpinnings remain elusive. This study elucidates the molecular pathways through which Meth compromises spermatogenesis in a murine model. Male mice subjected to 15 days of chronic Meth administration presented severe testicular atrophy, characterized by seminiferous epithelial disorganization and diminished sperm reserves in both the testes and epididymides. Quantitative assessments revealed marked reductions in sperm motility and increased tail abnormalities. Transcriptomic profiling revealed significant down-regulation of methyltransferase-like 21C ( Mettl21c ), an undifferentiated spermatogonial-enriched methyltransferase, within pathways governing germ cell differentiation. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed predominant Mettl21c colocalization with undifferentiated spermatogonial marker ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase L1 (Uchl1), with minimal overlap in tyrosine-protein kinase Kit (Kit) positive differentiated populations. In vitro suppression of Mettl21c in C18-4 lines triggered proliferation arrest and increased apoptosis. These findings establish Mettl21c as a pivotal mediator of Meth-induced spermatogenic failure through spermatogonial maintenance pathways. Our work provides novel insights into the epigenetic regulation of drug-associated male infertility and identifies Mettl21c as a potential therapeutic target for preserving fertility in substance abuse cases.</p>","PeriodicalId":93889,"journal":{"name":"Asian journal of andrology","volume":" ","pages":"267-275"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13258334/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145961084","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seasonal Gleason scores: compelling observations amid methodological complexity.","authors":"Raeesa Islam, David M Golombos, Saum Ghodoussipour","doi":"10.4103/aja202579","DOIUrl":"10.4103/aja202579","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":93889,"journal":{"name":"Asian journal of andrology","volume":" ","pages":"343"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13258281/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146208473","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Retraction note: The calcium-sensing receptor participates in testicular damage in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.","authors":"Wei-Yuan Kong, Li-Quan Tong, Hai-Jun Zhang, Yong-Gang Cao, Gong-Chen Wang, Jin-Zhi Zhu, Feng Zhang, Xue-Ying Sun, Tie-Hui Zhang, Lin-Lin Zhang","doi":"10.4103/aja2025121","DOIUrl":"10.4103/aja2025121","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":93889,"journal":{"name":"Asian journal of andrology","volume":"28 3","pages":"344"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13258185/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147791797","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical features and genetic analysis of androgen receptor gene variants in 30 prepubertal patients with androgen insensitivity syndrome.","authors":"Jia-Nan Li, Jiang Wei, Jing Hui, Zi-Xuan Wang, Ji-Yun Yang","doi":"10.4103/aja202578","DOIUrl":"10.4103/aja202578","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS; Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man [OMIM; #300068]) is an X-linked recessive disorder caused by pathogenic variants in the androgen receptor (AR) gene located in the Xq11-q13 region. In this retrospective study of 30 patients with AIS, next-generation sequencing identified 24 variants in AR, including 20 missense, 1 nonsense, and 3 splice-site variants. Seven novel variants were detected in 8 patients. Of the 24 variants, 15 were classified as likely pathogenic, 8 as pathogenic, and 1 as of uncertain significance. Variants included 5 de novo and 24 familial cases. These AR variants were predominantly located in the functional domains, with the ligand-binding domain (LBD) harboring 10 variants, the DNA-binding domain (DBD) harboring 5 variants, the N-terminal domain (NTD) harboring 2 variants, and the hinge region (HR) harboring 1 variant. The highest variant detection rate occurred in exon 5 (11/30), followed by exon 3 (9/30). These findings advance our understanding of genotype including 20 missense, 1 nonsense, and 3 splice-site variants through the identification of 7 novel variants.</p>","PeriodicalId":93889,"journal":{"name":"Asian journal of andrology","volume":" ","pages":"335-342"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13258195/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146013903","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transcriptional and epigenetic changes associated with lead exposure in spermatozoa.","authors":"Xu Zhang, Xiao-Rong Shen, Bin Wu, Xue-Mei Wang, Hui-Juan Shi, Tian-Cheng Zhang","doi":"10.4103/aja202563","DOIUrl":"10.4103/aja202563","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Lead (Pb) exposure is a risk factor of male infertility, while the transcriptional and epigenetic changes associated with lead exposure in spermatozoa are poorly understood. Our previous findings revealed significant changes in DNA methylation of the calcium (Ca) homeostasis pathway of human spermatozoa in men with a blood Pb level over 5 µg dl -1 , which was associated with decreased sperm motility. In this study, we explored the effects of Pb exposure on expression of differentially methylated genes (DMGs) by analyzing semen samples from six healthy, non-smoking, and non-drinking men (aged 20-40 years). Using methylated DNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeDIP-seq) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), we compared DNA methylation and RNA abundance patterns between two groups: three men with blood Pb level 0-2.5 µg dl -1 and three men with blood Pb level 5-10 µg dl -1 . Additionally, we experimentally validated the regulatory function of the differentially methylated regions associated with 11 hub genes using dual-luciferase reporter assays. We revealed differences in promoter activity between methylated and unmethylated promoter regions of seven cloned genes, namely calcium voltage-gated channel subunit alpha1 H ( CACNA1H ), calcium voltage-gated channel subunit alpha1 G ( CACNA1G ), calcium voltage-gated channel subunit alpha1 I ( CACNA1I ), calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinase II gamma ( CAMK2G ), ATPase sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca² + transporting 3 ( ATP2A3 ), solute carrier family 8 member A2 ( SLC8A2 ), and glutamate ionotropic receptor NMDA type subunit 2D ( GRIN2D ). Our results of Pb exposure-induced expression changes of essential genes associated with the calcium signaling pathway, particularly CACNA1H , SLC8A2, and GRIN2D , in spermatozoa, may be a potential cause of low sperm quality.</p>","PeriodicalId":93889,"journal":{"name":"Asian journal of andrology","volume":" ","pages":"297-303"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13258290/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145961083","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of individualized surgical strategies for pediatric hypospadias: a multicenter penile morphometric analysis.","authors":"Yi-Wei Fang, Hong-Cheng Song, Yun-Man Tang, Lu-Gang Huang, Yi Yang, Min Chao, Hong Ma, Jing-Ti Zhang, Xu-Hui Zhang, Shou-Lin Li, Ning Li, Chao Chen, Da-Wei He, Wen-Bo Wu, Hua Xie, Yong Guan, Yan-Fang Yang, Jian-Guo Zhang","doi":"10.4103/aja202571","DOIUrl":"10.4103/aja202571","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This multicenter study aimed to establish a quantitative, individualized surgical decision algorithm for pediatric hypospadias by analyzing multicenter penile anatomical data, surgical approaches, and follow-up outcomes. To achieve this purpose, clinical data from 1500 primary hypospadias cases across 17 tertiary centers in China (December 2018 to September 2021) were retrospectively reviewed, with patients stratified into urethral plate preservation group ( n = 715) and transection group ( n = 785). Using multivariate logistic regression, key predictors for intraoperative urethral plate transection were identified, and morphometric parameters were analyzed to guide surgical selection. This analysis led to the development of a predictive nomogram and risk stratification thresholds, which were subsequently validated. The results demonstrated that significant predictors of transection included glans length (odds ratio [OR]: 1.17, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07-1.29), glans width (OR: 0.35, 95% CI: 0.29-0.43), and penile curvature (OR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.06-1.08), with the nomogram showing excellent discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC]: 0.914 in training and 0.87 in validation). Furthermore, for urethral plate preservation, a urethral plate width threshold of 4.25 mm differentiated optimal candidates for tubularized incised plate urethroplasty (width ≥4.25 mm) versus onlay island flap (width <4.25 mm). Notably, in transected cases, a urethral defect length of >3.55 cm was associated with higher complication rates in single-stage repairs (45.8% vs 33.4%, P < 0.05), favoring staged approaches. This algorithm integrates preoperative morphometrics and intraoperative measurements to provide objective, quantifiable guidance for individualized surgical planning, particularly benefiting less experienced surgeons.</p>","PeriodicalId":93889,"journal":{"name":"Asian journal of andrology","volume":" ","pages":"259-266"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13258199/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145960951","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"SPACA4 regulates the structure and molecular basis of spermatid maturation and ultimately affects sperm quality in mice.","authors":"Xu Chen, Hai-Qian Wu, Dan-Yang Wan, Xiang-Zheng Zhang, Xin-Li Zhou, Xue-Jiang Guo, Hui Zhu","doi":"10.4103/aja202553","DOIUrl":"10.4103/aja202553","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Sperm quality is crucial for sperm function and can even affect embryo quality and offspring health. Spermatid maturation is extremely complex, as spermatids undergo morphological changes, laying the foundation for the execution of sperm function. The function of sperm acrosome-associated 4 (SPACA4) in spermatogenesis is not well known. The present study revealed that SPACA4 was specifically expressed in the acrosomes and cytoplasm of mouse spermatids. Spaca4 knockout mice demonstrated that the loss of SPACA4 led to male subfertility. The quality of mature sperm was abnormal in Spaca4 -/- mice, manifested by decreased motility and multiple deformities. Spaca4 -/- sperm exhibited irregular nuclear shapes, abnormal nuclei with vacuoles, missing or incompletely fused acrosomes, and multiple cross-sections enclosed in the same sperm cell membrane. Electron microscopy and molecular expression analyses of testicles revealed that the loss of SPACA4 affected the differentiation of the acrosome, acroplaxome, and manchette, resulting in abnormalities in nuclear elongation, chromatin condensation, and flagellar development. Interestingly, SPACA4 did not regulate spermiogenesis via the acetylcholine signaling pathway. Analysis of the differential protein expression profile revealed that the expression of 9 proteins was significantly decreased in Spaca4 -/- spermatids. A decreased protein, transformation-related protein 53 target 5 (TRP53TG5), was knocked down in spermatids and found that the phenotype was consistent with Spaca4 knockout mice. These results revealed that the absence of SPACA4 leads to abnormal spermatid maturation and affects sperm quality in mice. Abnormal sperm quality in Spaca4 -/- mice results in decreased sperm capacitation and a decreased acrosome response, ultimately affecting the fertility of male mice.</p>","PeriodicalId":93889,"journal":{"name":"Asian journal of andrology","volume":" ","pages":"310-320"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13258286/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145961071","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}