Ureaplasma urealyticum infection and apoptosis of spermatogenic cells.
OBJECTIVE
To study the relationship between Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) infection and apoptosis of human spermatogenic cells.


METHODS
Spermatogenic cells were observed under light microscope with Wright-Giemsa staining and by means of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate (dUTP)-biotin nick-end labeling (TUNEL) technique.


RESULTS
Apoptotic rate of UU-infected males (15.5% +/- 6.8%) was significantly higher than that of controls (5.2% +/- 2.3%).


CONCLUSIONS
Apoptosis of spermatogenic cells can be caused by UU infection, which provides further evidence for UU-induced male infertility.
Center of Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical University, Wuhan 430030, China. shangxj98@hotmail.com
X J
XJ
Shang
Y F
YF
Huang
C L
CL
Xiong
J P
JP
Xu
L
L
Yin
C C
CC
Wan
D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D016869:Ureaplasma Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D016990:Ureaplasma urealyticum / Q000302:isolation & purification*