AIMTo investigate the role of fexofenadine, a mast cell blocker, on semen quality in the treatment of infertile men.

METHODSThe study included 16 Turkish idiopathic infertile men with azoospermia or oligozoospermia who underwent testicular biopsy to examine mast cells containing tryptase. In all patients, a complete medical history, clinical examination, semen analysis and serum hormone assay were carried out. The biopsy specimens were immunohistochemically stained with antihuman tryptase for mast cells. The number of total mast cells per seminiferous tubule was calculated and recorded as mast cell index. The patients were divided into two groups according to their mast cell index: the higher (> or =1, n=9) and the lower (<1, n=7) index groups. Fexofenadine was administered orally at a dose of 180 mg/day for 4 to 9 months. Pre- and post-treatment semen parameters, including total motile sperm counts (TMC) were recorded and compared. Spontaneous pregnancies after the treatment were registered.

RESULTSThere was no statistically significant difference in TMC between the pre-treatment and post-treatment values in patients with higher and lower mast cell index (P> or =0.05). In both groups, nobody had a significant response to the treatment and there was no spontaneous pregnancy after the treatment.

CONCLUSIONAlthough testicular dysfunction is closely associated with increased number of testicular mast cells, fexofenadine, a mast cell blocker, appears not having any benefit in the treatment of Turkish infertile men with a significant increase in testicular mast cells.

Adult ; Biopsy, Needle ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Histamine H1 Antagonists ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Male ; Mast Cells ; drug effects ; enzymology ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Semen ; drug effects ; physiology ; Serine Endopeptidases ; metabolism ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects ; Terfenadine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Testis ; anatomy & histology ; pathology ; Tryptases ; Turkey

Purpose: To study the histological changes of the preputial tissue from birth to prepubertal age in order to define unnoticed morphological changes. Materials and Methods: Prepuce samples were obtained from 79 healthy boys who underwent routine ritual circumcision. Specimens were divided into six groups according to the boys’ age: newborn, 0–1 year of age, 2–3 years of age, 4–5 years of age, 6–7 years of age, and 8–9 years of age. Histologic analysis of the specimens was performed by H&E, Masson’s trichrome, Verhoeff–Von Gieson, immunohistochemical staining. Results: Microscopic examinations showed that average epithelial thickness increased after the neonatal period (p=0.001). When collagen fiber density was evaluated, no significant differences between groups were found (p=0.083). When the elastic fibers in the dermis were evaluated, it was determined that the number and thickness of elastic fibers increased with age. Immunohistochemical examinations showed that the number of peripheral nerves marked with S100 was lower in the neonatal period than at other ages (p=0.048). When the vessels marked with CD105 antibody were counted, there was no significant difference between the groups (p=0.078). Conclusions This is the first study to examine the age-related structure of connective tissue elements in the foreskin. Our results showed that the prepuce’s prepubertal maturation process is continuous, and the first 2 years of life are appropriate not only in relation to the physiological effects of age but also the optimum structural changes for wound healing, such as vessel diameter, epithelium thickness, peripheral nerve count.

Purpose: To study the histological changes of the preputial tissue from birth to prepubertal age in order to define unnoticed morphological changes. Materials and Methods: Prepuce samples were obtained from 79 healthy boys who underwent routine ritual circumcision. Specimens were divided into six groups according to the boys’ age: newborn, 0–1 year of age, 2–3 years of age, 4–5 years of age, 6–7 years of age, and 8–9 years of age. Histologic analysis of the specimens was performed by H&E, Masson’s trichrome, Verhoeff–Von Gieson, immunohistochemical staining. Results: Microscopic examinations showed that average epithelial thickness increased after the neonatal period (p=0.001). When collagen fiber density was evaluated, no significant differences between groups were found (p=0.083). When the elastic fibers in the dermis were evaluated, it was determined that the number and thickness of elastic fibers increased with age. Immunohistochemical examinations showed that the number of peripheral nerves marked with S100 was lower in the neonatal period than at other ages (p=0.048). When the vessels marked with CD105 antibody were counted, there was no significant difference between the groups (p=0.078). Conclusions This is the first study to examine the age-related structure of connective tissue elements in the foreskin. Our results showed that the prepuce’s prepubertal maturation process is continuous, and the first 2 years of life are appropriate not only in relation to the physiological effects of age but also the optimum structural changes for wound healing, such as vessel diameter, epithelium thickness, peripheral nerve count.

Purpose: To study the histological changes of the preputial tissue from birth to prepubertal age in order to define unnoticed morphological changes. Materials and Methods: Prepuce samples were obtained from 79 healthy boys who underwent routine ritual circumcision. Specimens were divided into six groups according to the boys’ age: newborn, 0–1 year of age, 2–3 years of age, 4–5 years of age, 6–7 years of age, and 8–9 years of age. Histologic analysis of the specimens was performed by H&E, Masson’s trichrome, Verhoeff–Von Gieson, immunohistochemical staining. Results: Microscopic examinations showed that average epithelial thickness increased after the neonatal period (p=0.001). When collagen fiber density was evaluated, no significant differences between groups were found (p=0.083). When the elastic fibers in the dermis were evaluated, it was determined that the number and thickness of elastic fibers increased with age. Immunohistochemical examinations showed that the number of peripheral nerves marked with S100 was lower in the neonatal period than at other ages (p=0.048). When the vessels marked with CD105 antibody were counted, there was no significant difference between the groups (p=0.078). Conclusions This is the first study to examine the age-related structure of connective tissue elements in the foreskin. Our results showed that the prepuce’s prepubertal maturation process is continuous, and the first 2 years of life are appropriate not only in relation to the physiological effects of age but also the optimum structural changes for wound healing, such as vessel diameter, epithelium thickness, peripheral nerve count.

Purpose: To study the histological changes of the preputial tissue from birth to prepubertal age in order to define unnoticed morphological changes. Materials and Methods: Prepuce samples were obtained from 79 healthy boys who underwent routine ritual circumcision. Specimens were divided into six groups according to the boys’ age: newborn, 0–1 year of age, 2–3 years of age, 4–5 years of age, 6–7 years of age, and 8–9 years of age. Histologic analysis of the specimens was performed by H&E, Masson’s trichrome, Verhoeff–Von Gieson, immunohistochemical staining. Results: Microscopic examinations showed that average epithelial thickness increased after the neonatal period (p=0.001). When collagen fiber density was evaluated, no significant differences between groups were found (p=0.083). When the elastic fibers in the dermis were evaluated, it was determined that the number and thickness of elastic fibers increased with age. Immunohistochemical examinations showed that the number of peripheral nerves marked with S100 was lower in the neonatal period than at other ages (p=0.048). When the vessels marked with CD105 antibody were counted, there was no significant difference between the groups (p=0.078). Conclusions This is the first study to examine the age-related structure of connective tissue elements in the foreskin. Our results showed that the prepuce’s prepubertal maturation process is continuous, and the first 2 years of life are appropriate not only in relation to the physiological effects of age but also the optimum structural changes for wound healing, such as vessel diameter, epithelium thickness, peripheral nerve count.