Unit of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Human Pathology of Adult and Childhood "Gaetano Barresi", University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Department of Human Pathology, Ospedale Umberto I, Siracusa, Italy.
Urol J. 2020 Jun 23;17(4):391-396. doi: 10.22037/uj.v0i0.5351.
Stem cell factor receptor (c-kit) plays a crucial role in regulating proliferation and survival of germ cells. The aim of this study was to find the correlation between the number of c-kit positive germ cells, testicular asymmetry and histological grade in varicocele affected testis samples of adolescents.
Twenty testicular biopsy samples of adolescents affected by varicocele and eight normal control testes were included. The relationship between percentage of testicular asymmetry, number of tubular c-kit positive germ cells and severity of spermatogenic failure was assessed.
The mean (SD; median) histological grade for spermatogenic failure in controls was 1.37(0.52; 1), while in the varicocele group, it was 2.70(1.08; 3) (P = .0052). Mean(SD; median) number c-kit positive germ cells in the control group were 20.1(2.52; 20), while in the varicocele group it was 12.35(7.16; 12.5) (P = .0059). Spearman test documented a significant positive correlation between percentage of hypotrophy and histological grade of spermatogenic failure (r = 0.5544 , 95% CI: 0.1345 to 0.8055, P = .0112) but a negative correlation with the number of c-kit positive cells (r = - 0.5871, 95% CI: - 0.8219 to -0.1817, P = .0065). Moreover, a significant negative correlation was found between grade of histological changes and number of c-kit positive germ cells (P < .0001).
A significant correlation between hypotrophy, histological lesions and c-kit positive germ cells exists in varicocele testes. This finding suggests a possible role for c-kit in the pathogenesis of germ cell impairment in varicocele. Histological changes and lack of c-kit germ cells were also noted in testes not displaying hypotrophy. We believe that reliable markers should be found as better predictors of testicular function in adolescent with varicocele.
干细胞因子受体（c-kit）在调节生殖细胞的增殖和存活中起着至关重要的作用。本研究旨在探讨精索静脉曲张患者睾丸组织中 c-kit 阳性生殖细胞数量与睾丸不对称性和组织学分级之间的相关性。
纳入 20 例精索静脉曲张青少年患者的睾丸活检样本和 8 例正常对照睾丸组织。评估睾丸不对称百分比、管状 c-kit 阳性生殖细胞数量与生精功能衰竭严重程度之间的关系。
对照组生精功能衰竭的平均（标准差；中位数）组织学分级为 1.37（0.52；1），而精索静脉曲张组为 2.70（1.08；3）（P =.0052）。对照组 c-kit 阳性生殖细胞的平均（标准差；中位数）数量为 20.1（2.52；20），而精索静脉曲张组为 12.35（7.16；12.5）（P =.0059）。Spearman 检验表明，睾丸萎缩百分比与生精功能衰竭的组织学分级呈显著正相关（r = 0.5544，95%CI：0.1345 至 0.8055，P =.0112），但与 c-kit 阳性细胞数量呈负相关（r = -0.5871，95%CI：-0.8219 至-0.1817，P =.0065）。此外，组织学改变的程度与 c-kit 阳性生殖细胞数量之间存在显著负相关（P <.0001）。
精索静脉曲张睾丸组织中存在睾丸萎缩、组织学病变和 c-kit 阳性生殖细胞之间的显著相关性。这一发现提示 c-kit 在精索静脉曲张导致生殖细胞损伤的发病机制中可能发挥作用。在未显示睾丸萎缩的睾丸中也观察到组织学改变和缺乏 c-kit 阳性生殖细胞。我们认为，应该找到更可靠的标志物来更好地预测精索静脉曲张青少年的睾丸功能。
