Search

Purpose: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was implicated as a major contributor to the development of diabetic retinopathy (DR). This study investigated whether single nucleotide polymorphisms of A allele of rs699947 or G allele of rs10434 in the VEGF gene were associated with DR in Egyptian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods: This is a case–controlled study which was performed at Cairo University Hospital in 2012 on Egyptian patients with type 2 DM with and without DR. Healthy adults without diabetes comprised the comparison group. Patients underwent an ophthalmological examination and fundus photography. Genotyping was performed for the A allele of rs699947 and the G allele of rs10434 polymorphisms using real‑time polymerase chain reaction. Results: A total of 128 patients were enrolled in this study and divided into three groups: Group A included 46 patients with type 2 DM and DR; Group B included 41 patients with type 2 DM without DR; and Group C included 41 healthy controls. There was no significant association between rs699947 or rs10434 and any of the three groups (P = 0.5, P = 0.7, respectively). Allelic frequency in the three groups was not statistically significant for rs699947 or rs10434 (P = 0.6, P = 0.6, respectively). Conclusion: Rs699947 or rs10434 polymorphism was not associated with the presence of DR in Egyptian patients. Further studies are required before genetic testing for polymorphism can be used clinically to correlate with DR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is very clear that the epididymis plays a crucial role in the maturation of spermatozoa, and without a fully developed and functional epididymis, male infertility will result. We are especially interested in understanding the mechanisms that regulate the development of this important organ because disruptions to epididymal function will also arise as a consequence of abnormal development. Very little is known either of the process of epididymal development or the nature and causes of congenital defects that lead to male infertility. A major event during Wolffian/epididymal duct embryonic development is elongation and coiling and this short review outlines potential mechanisms by which these events occur. It is hypothesized that elongation is the result of cell proliferation coupled with directed cell rearrangements, the later regulated by the planar cell polarity signaling pathway. Coiling proceeds in a proximal to distal manner, with three-dimensional coiling beginning approximately embryonic day 16.5 to 18.5 in the mouse. The exact mechanisms of coiling are not known but we hypothesize that it involves an interaction between the Wolffian duct epithelium and the surrounding mesenchyme cells, such that the extracellular matrix is remodeled to allow coiling and growth of the duct. Cell proliferation in the Wolffian duct appears to be dependent on the presence of androgens and mesenchymal factors during embryonic development, but lumicrine factors play an additional role during postnatal development.