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To study the structure and function of human sperm mitochondria before and after the freezing-thawing process.Human sperm from healthy donors were subjected to the slow freezing-thawing process, and the sperm mitochondrion-related indexes compared before and after cryopreservation. The ultrastructural changes of the mitochondria were observed under the projection electron microscope, the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and seminal adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content measured by immunofluorescence labeling and ELISA, respectively, and the sperm oxidative stress related indexes detected before and after sperm cryopreservation.Electron microscopy showed loose structures and widened crests of the sperm mitochondria, some with vacuole-like changes after the freezing-thawing process. The sperm after cryopreservation, compared with those before it, exhibited significantly increased contents of oxygen free radicals (［11.6 ± 3.8］% vs ［9.6 ± 4.1］%, P0.05) and malondialdehyde (［3.2 ± 1.4］ vs ［2.3 ± 1.2］ nmol/108, P0.05), but decreased antioxidant capacity (［0.6 ± 0.4］ vs ［0.9 ± 0.4］ nmol/108, P0.05), superoxide dismutase activity (［0.9 ± 0.4］ vs ［9.1 ± 3.9］ nmol/108, P0.05), MMP (［52.2 ± 6.2］% vs ［55.7 ± 4.9］%, P = 0.026) and ATP production (［56.5 ± 9.0］ vs ［61.3 ± 10.4］ pmol/106, P = 0.014).The freezing-thawing process can cause ultrastructural disorder of human sperm mitochondria, reduce their membrane potential and decrease their ATP production.

Testosterone supplementation may be effective for the treatment of hypogonadism in men with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but the evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is inconclusive. We aimed to systematically summarize results from intervention studies and assess the effects of testosterone supplementation therapy (TST) on lipid metabolism in RCTs of hypogonadal men with T2DM by meta-analysis. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for studies reporting the effect of TST on lipid metabolism in hypogonadal men with T2DM until December 31, 2016. Seven RCTs from 252 trials, enrolling a total of 612 patients in the experimental and control groups with a mean age of 58.5 years, were included in this study. The pooled results of the meta-analysis demonstrated that TST significantly decreased TC and TG levels in hypogonadal men with T2DM compared with the control group, with mean differences (MDs) of -6.44 (95% CI: -11.82 to -1.06; I2 = 28%; p = 0.02) and -27.94 (95% CI: -52.33 to -3.54; I2 = 76%; p = 0.02). Subgroup analyses revealed that the heterogeneity (I2 = 76%) of TG originated from different economic regions, in which economic development, genetic and environmental factors, and dietary habits affect lipid metabolism of human, with a decrease (I2 = 45%) in developed countries. Additionally, subgroup analyses showed that TST increased HDL-C level in developing countries compared with the control group (MD = 2.79; 95% CI: 0.73 to 4.86; I2 = 0%; p = 0.008), but there was no improvement in developed countries (MD = 1.02; 95% CI: -4.55 to 6.60; I2 = 91%; p = 0.72). However, LDL-C levels were not improved consistently. Because the relationship between lipid metabolism and atherosclerosis is unequivocal, TST, which ameliorates lipid metabolism, may decrease the morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular disease in hypogonadal men with T2DM by preventing atherogenesis.

To study the protective effect of Qilin Pills (QLP) on the reproductive function of rats with oligoasthenospermia (OAS) induced by tripterygium glycosides.Twenty-eight male SD rats were randomly divided into a normal control, an OAS model control, a low-dose QLP, and a high-dose QLP group of equal number. OAS models were made in the latter three groups by intragastrical administration of tripterygium glycosides at 40 mg per kg of the body weight per day, and meanwhile the animals in the low- and high-dose QLP groups were treated with QLP at 1.62 and 3.24 g per kg of the body weight per day, respectively, while those in the OAS model group with normal saline, all for 30 consecutive days. Then all the rats were executed for obtaining the testis weight, testis viscera index, epididymal sperm concentration and motility, reproductive hormone levels, and antioxidation indexes and observation of the histomorphological changes of the testis tissue by HE staining.After 30 days of intervention, the low- and high-dose QLP groups, as compared with the OAS model controls, showed significantly improved epididymal sperm concentration (［14.57 ± 3.95］ and ［39.71 ± 11.31］ vs ［4.71 ± 1.25］ ×10⁶/ml, P0.05) and motility (［3.71 ± 1.11］ and ［4.29 ± 1.80］ vs ［0.57 ± 0.53］%, P0.05), increased levels of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) (［94.83 ± 11.17］ and ［88.05 ± 9.21］ vs ［56.74 ± 8.29］ nmol/L, P0.05) and free testosterone (FT) (［27.27 ± 3.63］ and ［32.80 ± 2.51］ vs ［22.81 ± 2.75］ nmol/L, P0.05), decreased level of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (［1.49 ± 0.62］ and ［1.12 ± 0.83］ vs ［1.71 ± 0.52］ mIU/ml, P0.05), but no significant change in the total testosterone (TT) level. Meanwhile, the level of superoxide dismutase (SOD) was markedly elevated in the low- and high-dose QLP groups in comparison with the OAS model control group (［277.14 ± 15.84］ and ［299.60 ± 20.83］ vs ［250.04 ± 31.06］ U/ml, P0.05) while that of reactive oxygen species (ROS) remarkably reduced (［397.61 ± 62.71］ and ［376.84 ± 67.14］ vs ［552.20 ± 58.07］ IU/ml, P0.05). HE staining showed that QLP intervention significantly increased the layers and quantity of spermatogenic cells in the testicular seminiferous tubules of the OAS rats.QLP can effectively protect the reproductive system of oligoasthenospermia rats by raising sperm quality, elevating reproductive hormone levels, reducing oxidative stress injury, and improving histomorphology of the testis.目的： 研究麒麟丸对雷公藤多苷所致少弱精子症模型雄性大鼠的生殖功能保护作用。方法： 取28只雄性SD大鼠，随机分成正常对照组、模型组、麒麟丸低、高剂量组，除正常对照组外，其他各组灌服雷公藤多苷40 mg/(kg·d)，同时麒麟丸给药组同日给予不同剂量麒麟丸保护，低剂量组给予麒麟丸1.62 g/(kg·d)，高剂量组给予麒麟丸3.24 g/(kg·d)。连续给药30 d后，处死大鼠，称重大鼠睾丸，计算睾丸脏器指数，检测附睾精子浓度、活动率，检测生殖激素水平，评估抗氧化指标，HE切片观察大鼠睾丸组织形态学改变。结果： 实验结束后，麒麟丸低、高剂量组精子浓度分别为(14.57±3.95) ×10⁶/ml 、(39.71±11.31) ×10⁶/ml ，精子活力为(3.71±1.11)%、 (4.29±1.80)% 皆较模型组(4.71±1.25)×10⁶/ml、(0.57±0.53)%有明显提高（P0.05）；与模型组FSH (1.71±0.52) mIU/ml比较，麒麟丸低、高剂量组FSH下降，分别为(1.49±0.62) mIU/ml 、(1.12±0.83) mIU/ml ；fT水平较模型组升高(27.27±3.63) nmol/L 、(32.80±2.51) nmol/L vs (22.81±2.75) nmol/L，SHBG水平升高(94.83±11.17) nmol/L 、(88.05±9.21) nmol/L vs (56.74±8.29) nmol/L，差异皆有显著性（P0.05），但T水平无明显变化（P0.05）。与模型组比较，麒麟丸低、高剂量组SOD水平升高(277.14±15.84) U/ml 、(299.60±20.83) U/ml vs (250.04±31.06) U/ml；ROS水平下降(397.61±62.71) IU/ml 、(376.84±67.14) IU/ml vs (552.20±58.07) IU/ml（P0.05）。与模型组比较，低、高剂量组HE染色显示麒麟丸能增加少弱精子症大鼠睾丸生精小管内各级生精细胞层次和数量。结论： 麒麟丸能明显提高少弱精子症大鼠精子质量，改善生殖激素水平，减轻氧化应激损伤，改善大鼠睾丸组织形态，对生殖系统有较好的保护作用。.

Industrialization and environmental pollution are bringing more problems to human reproduction and increasing the prevalence of male infertility. Western medicine has shown its limitations in the management of male infertility, especially that of oligoasthenospermia. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), however, has long and rich experiences in the treatment of oligoasthenospermia, with a large variety of medicinal prescriptions based on the TCM theories, among which Qilin Pills shows a particularly significant therapeutic effect on oligoasthenospermia, especially when combined with Western medicine. At present, published studies on Qilin Pills are mainly in the stage of clinical observation, while basic researches and studies on its relevant mechanisms are rarely seen.随着人类工业化进程快速发展以及环境污染等情况的出现，人类生殖面临诸多困境，男性不育症患病率逐年升高，西医在治疗男性不育症，尤其是少弱精子症方面有诸多局限。祖国传统中医药在治疗少弱精子症方面历史悠久，经验丰富；形成了以中医理论为基础的大批药剂，在治疗少弱精子症方面发挥着重要作用。麒麟丸作为其中的典型代表，在治疗少弱精子症方面有显著疗效，尤其和西药联合应用疗效更加明显。目前，麒麟丸研究主要集中于临床疗效观察阶段，基础研究较少，缺乏相关机制的研究。.

Fertility preservation is a hotspot of research in reproductive medicine, and that of male adolescent cancer patients is drawing even more attention from reproductive and oncologic clinicians. Both cancer and its treatment can decrease semen quality and even induce irreversible damage to fertility. Sperm cryopreservation is an effective method for fertility preservation. In the past few years, marked advances have been made in the cryopreservation, transplantation, and in vitro culture of testis tissue and stem spermatogonial cells. Although still experimental, these approaches may offer some options to those with no mature sperm in the testis. Unfortunately, very few people know and participate in the studies of fertility preservation and the utilization rate of cryopreserved sperm remains low. Therefor reproductive physicians and oncologists are required to make more efforts to search for effective fertility preservation methods for male adolescent cancer patients.生育力保护是目前生殖医学领域的研究热点。男性青少年肿瘤患者的生育力保护问题更应该引起肿瘤科及生殖科医师的高度关注。肿瘤及其治疗过程都会降低精液质量，甚至引起生育力不可逆的损伤。目前自体精液保存仍是生育力保护最为成熟的方式。睾丸组织和精原干细胞冻存、移植及体外培养近年来虽取得了很大发展,这种保护方式为睾丸内无成熟精子的人群提供了选择可能，但其进入临床应用阶段尚需更多的研究证据。目前，国内外对生育力保护的研究现状表现为知情人少、参与人数少、冻存精子最终使用率低等现象，该现状的改善就需要加强男性青少年肿瘤患者生育力保护的全面而有效的探索。.

At present, the treatment of oligoasthenospermia with western medicine is ineffective. Qilin pill (QLP) is a Chinese traditional medicine for treating male infertility. Recent multicenter clinical studies in China reported that QLPs markedly improved sperm quality. However, the mechanism of action of QLPs on oligoasthenospermia remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the mechanistic basis for improvement of semen parameters and reversal of testis damage by QLPs in a rat model of oligoasthenospermia induced by treatment with tripterygium glycosides (TGs) (40 mg/kg) once daily for 4 weeks. Rats were administered QLPs (1.62 g/kg or 3.24 g/kg) each day for 60 days, with untreated animals serving as controls. The concentration and motility of sperm extracted from rat epididymis were determined, whereas histopathological examination and immunohistochemical apoptosis analysis of rat testes was performed. Expression profiles of apoptosis-related genes were determined by microarray analysis; the results were validated by quantitative real-time PCR, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. Sperm concentration and motility in the QLP treatment group were increased relative to those in control rats. Testis tissue and DNA damage were reversed by QLP treatment. The improvement function of QLPs on sperm and testis works mainly by suppressing mitochondrial apoptosis in the testis via modulation of B cell lymphoma (Bcl)-2, Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), cytochrome C, caspase-9 and caspase-3 expression. QLPs could improve sperm quality and testis damage in a rat model of oligoasthenospermia by inhibiting the Bax-Caspase-9 apoptosis pathway and exerting therapeutic effects.