Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to F Mazzilli.
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Normal male volunteers were studied in order to set up a functional exploration test based on administration of testosterone propionate for use on the adnexal glands of the male genital tract. Seminal acid phosphatase and citric acid levels showed no significant variations compared with spontaneous physiologic oscillations. Concentration and total quantity of fructose were considerably reduced. Alkaline phosphatase showed an intermediate pattern with constant values of concentration and decrease of total quantity. The hypothesis is advanced that adnexal glands possess a secretory metabolism with a maximal basal response to androgen stimulation, but with a different mechanism of action: partly adaptable at the level of the prostate and of the "all or nothing" type at the level of the vesicles.
In order to screen for spermiophages in human semen, a Neutral Red Test was carried out in: a) normal subjects (NORMAL); b) male partners of infertile couples (INFERT); c) subjects with selected diseases. Spermiophages were observed only in 7.5% of the normospermic subjects, while the test was positive in 26.5% of INFERT. Positivity was higher in the selected pathological groups, even compared to the INFERT group. This observed increase in spermiophage activity could be an important pathogenetic factor in some cases of male infertility.
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A study was carried out on five healthy, fertile donors to evaluate refrigeration at +4 C compared to cryopreservation at -196 degrees C. These donors had produced more than two pregnancies in different women with their cryopreserved semen in an AID program. The following parameters for evaluation and comparison were used: (i) the percentage of forward sperm motility, (ii) the percentage of swollen sperm after hypoosmotic stress (swelling test) and (iii) the sperm morphology observed both with a light microscope after staining and with an electron microscope. After 48 hours of refrigeration the result obtained were comparable with those observed after one week of cryopreservation. After 72 hours of refrigeration, a sharp and significant decrease of these values was noted. Our data underlined the fact that there is an individual variability in subject response to the method of preservation employed. Our findings show the possibility of using sperm refrigerated for up to 48 hours in AIH programs.
The aim of this work was to establish whether cryopreservation procedure can trigger the production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in selected sperm populations. Semen samples were obtained from 45 subjects attending our Department of Medical Pathophysiology. Motile sperm suspensions were obtained by swim-up in Tyrode's salt solution. After dilution with TEST yolk buffer freezing medium, they were cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen. In addition to motility assessment, in basal and freeze/thaw conditions ROS detection and the Hypoosmotic Viability Test were also carried out. In 19 subjects (42.2%) there was already evidence of ROS production prior to cryopreservation, which increased after thawing. In 9 subjects (20.0%) there was no ROS production prior to cryopreservation, however, after freezing/thawing we detected evidence of the presence of ROS. It seems, therefore, that cryoprocedure can indeed provoke or increase ROS production in some semen samples. In ROS producing subjects, the post-show recovery of sperm motility and vitality was significantly lower compared to ROS-free subjects. This was probably due to damage by oxidative stress leading to lipid peroxidation of the sperm membrane. Moreover, in some ejaculates, ROS overproduction or scavenger system failure can be regarded as a cryopathogenetic factor affecting "sperm quality" recovery.