Biomedical subjects

V Savolainen

Publications and source records attributed to V Savolainen.

25 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1996

Glutathione S-transferase-M1 'null' genotype and alcohol-induced disorders of human spermatogenesis.

The association between alcohol-induced disorders of human spermatogenesis and glutathione S-transferase-M1 genotype was investigated in an autopsy study comprising 271 subjects, including interviews with relatives or close acquaintances on the alcohol consumption of the deceased. Of the 50 moderate drinking men (reported mean daily alcohol consumption < 40 g), 21 (42.0%) had normal spermatogenesis, whereas 24 men (48.0%) had partial, and five (10.0%) complete arrest of spermatogenesis. Of the 21 men with normal spermatogenesis, nine (42.9%) had GST M1 'null' genotype, while this genotype was found in 13 (44.8%) of the 29 men with partial or complete spermatogenic arrest. Of 212 heavy-drinking men (reported mean daily alcohol consumption > 80 g), only 45 (21.2%) had normal spermatogenesis, whereas 77 (36.3%) had partial spermatogenic arrest. Complete arrest of spermatogenesis was found in 81 men (38.2%) and nine men had Sertoli-cell-only syndrome (4.2%). Of the 45 heavy drinkers with normal spermatogenesis, 27 (60%) men had GST M1 'null' genotype (OR 2.7 with 95% confidence intervals: 1.0-4.0, when compared to those with disorders of spermatogenesis). The frequency of GST M1 'null' genotype in heavy drinkers with normal spermatogenesis also differed from that of corresponding moderate drinkers, whereas the frequency of GST M1 'null' genotype in heavy drinkers with disorders of spermatogenesis was similar to moderate drinkers with or without disorders of spermatogenesis. The finding that > 20% of men in the heavy-drinking group had normal spermatogenesis suggests individual variations in sensitivity to alcohol-induced disorders of this process. Heavy drinkers with GST M1 'null' genotype were slightly less prone to develop disorders of spermatogenesis. Thus, the GST M1 locus may be associated with susceptibility to develop alcohol-induced disorders of spermatogenesis.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Polymorphism in the cytochrome P450 2E1 gene and alcohol-induced disorders of human spermatogenesis.

The association between alcohol-induced disorders of human spermatogenesis and four restriction fragment polymorphisms (DraI, MspI, PstI and RsaI) of the cytochrome P450 2E1 gene was investigated in an autopsy study on 254 men. Acquaintances were interviewed and the mean daily alcohol consumption of the subjects was calculated on the basis of the interviews. Spermatogenesis score and testicular morphology were assessed by light-microscopy, and cytochrome 2E1 polymorphic genotypes were determined using the polymerase chain reaction. Of the 204 heavy-drinking men, 42 (20.6%) men had normal spermatogenesis (p < 0.001, compared to moderate drinkers). Partial spermatogenic arrest was observed in 76 (37.3%) men and complete spermatogenic arrest in 79 (38.7%) men (p < 0.001, compared to moderate drinkers), whereas seven men (3.4%) had Sertoli cell only syndrome. The overall allelic frequencies for the common and rare polymorphic alleles were 0.98 and 0.02 (MspI) and 0.99 and 0.01 (PstI and RsaI), respectively. No associations between heterozygosity in the MspI, PstI or RsaI loci, or the allelic frequencies of common and rare alleles, and disorders of spermatogenesis were observed. The allelic frequencies for the common and rare polymorphic alleles in the DraI locus were 0.90 and 0.10, respectively. No significant difference was observed, either among moderate or heavy drinkers, in the frequency of the rare allele between men with disorders of spermatogenesis and those with normal spermatogenesis in the respective group, although men with disorders of spermatogenesis in general had a slightly lower frequency of the rare allele when compared to those with normal spermatogenesis. In conclusion, we were unable to demonstrate a significant association between any polymorphisms in the CYP2E1 gene and disorders of spermatogenesis. RsaI, MspI and PstI polymorphisms were extremely rare in our population and could thus possibly be excluded as reasons for genetic susceptibility to disorders of spermatogenesis in our series.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Moderate alcohol consumption and disorders of human spermatogenesis.

Environmental factors are suspected to be responsible in part for the deterioration in semen quality observed worldwide during the recent few decades. Alcohol might be one factor, considering the frequent changes in testicular function associated with heavy drinking. The dose-dependent effects of alcohol on human spermatogenesis are, however, not well known. We analyzed spermatogenesis and testicular tissue morphology of 195 men, aged 35-69 years, with computer-assisted microscopy in this autopsy study. The men were categorized into controls and four "consumption groups" according to the average daily alcohol consumption, which was determined on the basis of blind interviews with relatives and acquaintances. When the average daily alcohol consumption was 40 g or less, 59 (66%) of the 90 men showed normal spermatogenesis, whereas 31 (34%) had partial spermatogenic arrest (SA). Of the 31 men with average daily intake between 40 and 80 g, 17 (54%) showed normal spermatogenesis, 13 (42%) had partial or complete SA, and 1 man exhibited more severe testicular damage-"Sertoli cell only" (SCO) syndrome. Among men with daily intake between 80 and 160 g, only 13 of 35 men showed normal spermatogenesis (37%), 19 (54%) had partial or complete SA (odds ratio = 2.92), and 3 (9%) had the SCO syndrome (odds ratio = 16.85). The frequencies of spermatogenic disorders were similar in men drinking in excess of 160 g. Both SA and the SCO syndrome showed a clear dependence on daily dose; p < 0.0001 and p < 0.0004, respectively. We conclude that long-term average daily consumption of < 40 g of alcohol seems not to be associated with disorders of spermatogenesis. Consumption of moderate amounts of alcohol may affect semen quality more often than previously thought, whereas high alcohol consumption may even be associated with serious disorders of spermatogenesis.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Effects of ingested phytoecdysteroids in the female soft tick Ornithodoros moubata.

The effects of the ingestion of some phytoecdysteroids were studied in the soft tick Ornithodoros moubata. Supernumerary moulting and malformations of first leg pairs were obtained with 22-oxo-20-hydroxy-ecdysone, 20-hydroxyecdysone-22-acetate, and 20-hydroxyecdysone-22-benzoate. Egg-yield was reduced with 20-hydroxyecdysone-22-acetate and carthamosterone. Finally, drying-out of eggs was observed with carthamosterone and 22-deoxy-20,26-dihydroxyecdysone. In addition, we demonstrated that there is a correlation between the number of completed gonotrophic cycles and the impossibility of inducing supernumerary moulting.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Early perivenular fibrogenesis--precirrhotic lesions among moderate alcohol consumers and chronic alcoholics.

Cirrhosis is believed to be preceded by "precirrhotic" lesions indicating initial fibrogenesis in the perivenular area. We investigated three previously described markers of early perivenular fibrogenesis: the thickness of the rim of the terminal hepatic venule, perivenular fibrosis and perivenular fibronectin deposition. The frequencies of these features were evaluated and compared to long-term daily alcohol intake in autopsy series of 120 males comprising abstainers, moderate alcohol consumers and chronic heavy alcohol consumers. Thickening of the rim of the terminal hepatic venule showed no correlation to the long-term daily ethanol intake. In contrast, compared to abstainers, daily alcohol intake between 40 and 80 g for an average of 25 years was associated in an increased number of subjects with perivenular fibrosis (13.3% vs 38.9%, p < 0.05), and with perivenular fibronectin deposition (13.3% vs 44.4%, p < 0.025). Similarly, daily intake exceeding 80 g was associated in an increased number of subjects with perivenular fibrosis (56.1%, p < 0.001) and with perivenular fibronectin deposition (56.1%, p < 0.001). A daily intake exceeding 80 g (110 g/d vs 240 g/d) did not, however, further increase the occurrence of these lesions. A daily intake below 40 g of absolute alcohol was not associated with signs of early perivenular fibrogenesis. In this study, the frequencies of subjects with perivenular fibrosis and perivenular fibronectin deposition correlated with the amount of daily alcohol intake. A daily intake between 40 and 80 g was associated with approximately a three-fold and a daily intake exceeding 80 g with approximately a five-fold increase in the risk of these features. This could suggest that daily intake between 40 and 80 g represents a "threshold" level, beyond which the risk of alcoholic liver fibrosis increases significantly. The majority (50-70%) of chronic heavy alcohol consumers presented signs of early perivenular fibrogenesis, whereas cirrhosis was found in only 20% of heavy consumers. This could suggest that alcohol-induced fibrotic lesions of the liver may develop in the majority of people, but factors other than cumulative alcohol consumpation may have a critical impact on the progression of early liver fibrosis to cirrhosis.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Molecular phylogeny of families related to Celastrales based on rbcL 5' flanking sequences.

The region between the rbcL and atpB chloroplast genes and the first 53 codons of the rbcL gene have been sequenced for 19 species of angiosperms. Nine of these belong to the four largest families within the order Celastrales sensu Cronquist (i.e., Aquifoliaceae s.l., Icacinaceae, Celastraceae, and Hippocrateaceae). Both phenetic and cladistic approaches were used to test the monophyly of the order and to specify its relationships with Euphorbiaceae, Rhamnaceae, Rosaceae, and Theaceaea. Based upon this molecular analysis, the order Celastrales is polyphyletic and is divided into two major clades. The first group, containing Aquifoliaceae s.l. and Icacina, is related to Camellia (Theaceae). The second, containing Euonymus (Celastraceae), Hippocratea, and Salacia (Hippocrateaceae), is related to Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae).

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1994

The atpB and rbcL promoters in plastid DNAs of a wide dicot range.

The plastid atpB-rbcL intergene has been analyzed within a wide range of plants covering the major dicot lineages. New sequences from 13 plant species were determined and aligned with three already-known sequences. The promoters of the rbcL and the atpB genes were localized and analyzed according to published observations in spinach and tobacco. The evolutionary conservation of two atpB promoters, separated by 113-262 nucleotides, is strong support that both are functionally active, and it also allows a discrimination between the previously reported atpB transcripts. Moreover, the radically distinct sequences of the two atpB promoters suggest that they interact with two distinct initiation complexes. The alignment also confirms the much higher conservation of the leader sequence in the rbcL mRNA than in the atpB mRNA among dicots, presuming a function at the posttranscriptional level.

Base Sequence↗