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In this cross-sectional study 1852 men aged 40–70 years attending primary health care were invited to fill out the aging male symptoms (AMS) scale. Out of these, 1222 men were found positive for the AMS and agreed to provide blood samples for the general blood test, lipid profile, glucose levels, and assessment of both total and free testosterone (T) levels. Men were screened for the following morbidities and syndromes: dyslipidemia, arterial hypertension, obesity, type II diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Testosterone deficiency was diagnosed if total T ≤ 3.46 ng/mL or free T ≤ 72 pg/mL. Among all 1222 men with positive AMS, decreased blood testosterone levels were detected in 669 men (55%). A total of 402 men were found healthy and 820 men were detected with different morbidities. Out of 669 men with testosterone deficiency, only 2.8% had no co-morbidities and 97.2% were men with co-morbidities. Testosterone levels were found significantly higher among healthy men (median 4.7 ng/mL) as compared to the men with morbidities (median 2.55 ng/mL, p<.001), adjusted for age. Testosterone deficiency was detected in significantly lower proportion of 402 men without co-morbidities as compared to the 820 men with co-morbidities: in 19 men (4.7) and in 650 men (79.3%, p<.05), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The PMCA gene family consists of 4 genes and at least 21 splice variants; among these, the Ca2+ ATPase 4 (PMCA4) gene encodes a plasma membrane protein abundantly expressed in several tissues, including the kidney, heart, and sperm. Knockout of PMCA4 causes infertility due to immotile sperm in mouse models. We therefore investigated variants in this gene for potential association with infertility in groups of Estonian (n = 191) and Latvian (n = 92) men with reduced sperm motility. Methods: All exons, exon- intron boundaries, 5' and 3' untranslated regions, and the promoter region of the PMCA4 gene were analysed by direct sequencing for a group of Estonian infertile men. Genotyp- ing of guanine and adenine alleles of rs147729934 was performed, using a custom-designed TaqMan® probe for a group of Latvian infertile men as well as additional groups from Latvia and several groups of people with proven ethnicity from the Baltic region. Results: Although we did not identify any significant associations between variants in the gene and infertility, our results indicated that in all studied Latvian and Estonian groups the adenine allele of the variant rs147729934 was present at a higher frequency than expected. Analysis of additional samples indicated that the adenine allele of rs147729934 likely originated once in the modern- day Baltic or western Russia area, as the frequency of the minor adenine allele observed in this region is remarkably higher than that in the general European population. Conclusions: Our results revealed no significant difference in frequencies of genetic variants in PMCA4 gene between men with normal and those with reduced sperm motility. The adenine allele of the variant rs147729934 is potentially an informative tool for future population studies concerning ancient Baltic and Finno-Ugric history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work was the detection of growth factors, metabolic enzymes, genes and apoptosis in invalid for implantation human conceptus. Different n 2-6 days old 63 embryos, retardated in growth, were donated after IVF and ICSI. Immunohistochemistry was used for the detection of lactate dehydrogenase (LD), hexokinase, bFGF, FGFR1, IGF, IGF1R, TGFα, Oct 3/4, wnt, barx1, caspase 6. The results showed the variable expression of LD on the 3rd day and increase on the 4th day. Few cells were hexokinase positive on the 3rd and the 6th day. Despite variable bFGF expression, FGFR1 was richly expressed on the 3rd and the 4th day. IGF was seen in occasional cells of the 4-day-old embryo, but IGF1R was found in all the developmental time, except the 4th day. Few cells showed Oct3/4 and TGFα expression in 3-day-old embryo. Apoptosis affected blastomeres on the 3rd and the 4th day. barx1 and wnt were expressed from the 4-cell embryos. Conclusions. The variable expression of LD, bFGF, rich for FGF1R and limited for hexokinase and TGFα between days 3 and 4 possibly is the reason for growth retardation in invalid for implantation human embryos. Downregulation of IGF1R expression correlates to the increase of apoptosis. First gene expression starts from the 4-cell stage and blastomeres show pluripotency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]