Abstract. In this study we aimed to examine the effects of genetic variants of GSTM1 and GSTP1 (Ile105Val and Ala114Val) on GST activity, seminal oxidative stress and sperm chromatin status in infertile men with oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT). The study population (n = 121) consisted of 95 infertile men with OAT and 26 controls with normozoospermia. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) methods were utilized to detect the aforesaid genetic variants. We measured GST activity and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of seminal plasma by spectrophotometry. Sperm chromatin integrity and maturity were assessed using toluidine blue and chromomycin A3 (CMA3-positive sperm) staining, respectively. The analysis showed that subgroups of GSTM1 null and GSTP1 C/T+T/T genotypes in comparison with GSTM1 present and GSTP1 wild type (C/C) genotypes did not have statistically significant differences in both OAT or normozoospermic men considering sperm concentration and motility, percentage of CMA3-positive sperm, seminal plasma TAC, sperm chromatin integrity and GST activity. Thus, the findings of our study suggest that there are no significant associations between GSTM1 and GSTP1 polymorphisms and sperm parameters at conventional or at molecular levels including OS status, sperm chromatin integrity or maturity in Iranian infertile men with OAT and normozoospermia. However, these polymorphisms could be related to the fertility status of the studied population but not evaluated in this study.

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Purpose Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) is one the many causes of male infertility (10 %) resulting from testicular failure. Multiple testicular biopsies fail to find mature sperm in at least 50 % of cases Therefore; hunting for sensitive and specific biomarkers of spermatogenesis that could better determine the fertility status in NOA can lead to improved management of male infertility. Therefore, we evaluated sperm production through analyses of germ cell-specific transcripts (DAZ, TSPY1, SPTRX3 and SPTRX1) in semen and testicular biopsies of men with azoospermia. Methods We collected semen (N=83) and testis biopsies (N= 31) from men with non-obstructive azoospermia. We later extracted RNA and synthesized cDNA using washed semen precipitate and testicular tissues. We also performed seminested PCR with designed specific primers. Using H&E method, an expert pathologist performed the histopathological evaluation. Having categorized the patients into three groups based on histopathological results, we calculated the agreement between molecular results of semen and tissues with histopathological findings for each patient using Kappa statistical test. Results Molecular findings of precipitated semen and testicular tissues were in disagreement with histopathological results in most cases. Molecular analysis of testis biopsies showed significant difference (Kappa coefficient=0.009, P value= 0.894) with histopathological results; TSPY1, DAZ, SPTRX3 and SPTRX1 were respectively detected in 94 %, 94 %, 17.6 % and 52.9 % of men diagnosed with germ cell aplasia.Capsule The molecular analysis of testicular tissues and semen precipitates for the presence of germ cell-specific transcripts is a diagnostic test that could be of help in the detection of active spermatogenesis in men with non-obstructive azoospermia.

In recent years, advances in cancer treatment have improved the survival rate of cancer patients significantly. However, destructive damage to ovaries due to the therapies or cancer itself can cause different degrees of infertility in women of reproductive age that can affect their quality of life seriously. In this study, fertility cryopreservation options for female cancer patients in oncology guidelines were reviewed. Cryopreservation methods have a long history in reproductive biology and oncology. However, embryo and oocyte cryopreservation were the eligible restoration strategies in clinical oncology practice. Ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC) is the latest option recommended for fertility preservation in pre-pubertal and adult patients who cannot delay their treatment or in whom taking IVF hormones may have adverse effects on their cancer. Reports show that frozen-thawed ovarian tissue transplantation has led to more than 130 live births so far in patients, most of whom were cancer patients. Although OTC is indeed generally recognized as an investigational method, it is recommended in some important guidelines, such as ASCO 2018. Therefore, based on many clinical pieces of evidence , it is predicted that the investigational label will soon be removed, and OTC might be considered as one of the main fertility preservation options for female cancer patients in clinical oncology practice.