title: Effects of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor vardenafil on testicular androgen-binding protein secretion, the maintenance of foci of advanced spermatogenesis and the sperm fertilising capacity in azoospermic men.
abstract: We evaluated the effects of vardenafil on testicular androgen-binding protein secretion (ABP). Bilaterally obstructed azoospermic (OA)-men (n = 19) (group A) underwent unilateral testicular biopsy. A group of nonobstructed azoospermic (NOA)-men (n = 68) (group B) underwent bilateral testicular biopsy. ABP secretion in vitro by testicular tissue was assessed in each participant of every group. In addition, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles were performed in several couples of group A or group B using frozen/thawed spermatozoa from the biopsy material. Ten OA-men (group A1), 14 NOA-men (group B1), and nine different NOA-men (group B2) had been positive for spermatozoa in the biopsy but pregnancies were not achieved in the respective female partners. Men of groups A1, B1 and B2 were treated with vardenafil, vardenafil and L-carnitine respectively. Then, the men of groups A1, B1 and B2 underwent a second testicular (unilateral) biopsy. Within the group A1 and within the group B1, ABP secretion rate was significantly larger after vardenafil treatment than prior to vardenafil treatment. In addition, fertilisation rates in ICSI cycles within groups A1 or B1 were not affected by vardenafil administration. Vardenafil administration in NOA-men increased ABP secretion and did not affect detrimentally the presence of testicular foci of advanced spermatogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Tottori University School of Medicine, Yonago, Japan.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dimitriadis
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsampalas
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tsounapi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Giannakis
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chaliasos
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Baltogiannis
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Miyagawa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takenaka
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sofikitis
mesh_terms: D000727:Androgen-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D053713:Azoospermia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001706:Biopsy; D054706:Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 5 / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013450:Sulfones / Q000494:pharmacology; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014227:Triazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D000069058:Vardenafil Dihydrochloride
chemical_list: D000727:Androgen-Binding Protein; D007093:Imidazoles; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D010879:Piperazines; D013450:Sulfones; D014227:Triazines; D000069058:Vardenafil Dihydrochloride; D054706:Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 5