European journal of endocrinology / European Federation of Endocrine Societies, Jan 4, 2015
Objective: Although an inhibin B assay may be useful in the assessment of testicular function in ... more Objective: Although an inhibin B assay may be useful in the assessment of testicular function in a number of genital conditions, reliable reference ranges are still lacking. This study sought to establish the reference range for serum inhibin B by applying the updated Gen II assay. Design: This prospective study included 818 men referred for semen analysis: 377 were normozoospermic (reference group) and 441 presented at least one abnormal semen parameter (case group). Methods: Semen parameters were interpreted according to the 2010 WHO manual and David's modified classification for normal morphology. The inhibin B concentration was determined with the currently enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: In the reference group, the 2.5th percentile for inhibin B was 92 pg/mL and the 97.5th percentile for FSH was 7.8 IU/L. In the overall population, an inhibin B level <92 pg/ml was associated with increased odds ratio [95% Confidence Interval] for oligozoospermia (16.93 [9.82-...
Although electron microscopy provides a detailed analysis of ultrastructural abnormalities, this ... more Although electron microscopy provides a detailed analysis of ultrastructural abnormalities, this technique is not available in all laboratories. We sought to determine whether certain characteristics of the flagellum as assessed by light microscopy were related to axonemal abnormalities. Forty-one patients with an absence of outer dynein arms (type I), a lack of a central complex (type III) and an absence of peripheral doublets (type IV) were studied. Sperm morphology was scored according to David&#39;s modified classification. Flagella with an irregular thickness were classified as being of normal length, short or broken. There were correlations between missing outer dynein arms and abnormal, short or coiled flagellum. Type III patients showed the highest flagellar defects (a short (P = 0.0027) or an absent flagellum (P = 0.011)). Just over 68% of the irregular flagella were short in Type III patients, whereas this value was only 34.5% in type I and 26.4% in type IV (P = 0.002). There was a negative correlation between misassembly and spermatozoa of irregular flagella (r = -0.79; P = 0.019). It is concluded that light microscopy analysis of flagellum abnormalities may help provide a correct diagnosis, identify sperm abnormalities with fertility potentials and outcomes in assisted reproduction technologies and assess the genetic risk.
Cancer cells can undergo a metabolic reprogramming from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis t... more Cancer cells can undergo a metabolic reprogramming from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis that allows them to adapt to nutrient-poor microenvironments, thereby imposing a selection for aggressive variants. However, the mechanisms underlying this reprogramming are not fully understood. Using complementary approaches in validated cell lines and freshly obtained human specimens, we report here that mitochondrial respiration and oxidative phosphorylation are slowed in metastatic melanomas, even under normoxic conditions due to the persistence of a high nuclear expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). Pharmacologic or genetic blockades of the HIF-1α pathway decreased glycolysis and promoted mitochondrial respiration via specific reduction in the expression of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase-3 (PDK3). Inhibiting PDK3 activity by dichloroacetate (DCA) or siRNA-mediated attenuation was sufficient to increase pyruvate dehydrogenase activity, oxidative phosphorylation, and mito...
European journal of endocrinology / European Federation of Endocrine Societies, Jan 4, 2015
Objective: Although an inhibin B assay may be useful in the assessment of testicular function in ... more Objective: Although an inhibin B assay may be useful in the assessment of testicular function in a number of genital conditions, reliable reference ranges are still lacking. This study sought to establish the reference range for serum inhibin B by applying the updated Gen II assay. Design: This prospective study included 818 men referred for semen analysis: 377 were normozoospermic (reference group) and 441 presented at least one abnormal semen parameter (case group). Methods: Semen parameters were interpreted according to the 2010 WHO manual and David's modified classification for normal morphology. The inhibin B concentration was determined with the currently enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: In the reference group, the 2.5th percentile for inhibin B was 92 pg/mL and the 97.5th percentile for FSH was 7.8 IU/L. In the overall population, an inhibin B level <92 pg/ml was associated with increased odds ratio [95% Confidence Interval] for oligozoospermia (16.93 [9.82-...
Although electron microscopy provides a detailed analysis of ultrastructural abnormalities, this ... more Although electron microscopy provides a detailed analysis of ultrastructural abnormalities, this technique is not available in all laboratories. We sought to determine whether certain characteristics of the flagellum as assessed by light microscopy were related to axonemal abnormalities. Forty-one patients with an absence of outer dynein arms (type I), a lack of a central complex (type III) and an absence of peripheral doublets (type IV) were studied. Sperm morphology was scored according to David&#39;s modified classification. Flagella with an irregular thickness were classified as being of normal length, short or broken. There were correlations between missing outer dynein arms and abnormal, short or coiled flagellum. Type III patients showed the highest flagellar defects (a short (P = 0.0027) or an absent flagellum (P = 0.011)). Just over 68% of the irregular flagella were short in Type III patients, whereas this value was only 34.5% in type I and 26.4% in type IV (P = 0.002). There was a negative correlation between misassembly and spermatozoa of irregular flagella (r = -0.79; P = 0.019). It is concluded that light microscopy analysis of flagellum abnormalities may help provide a correct diagnosis, identify sperm abnormalities with fertility potentials and outcomes in assisted reproduction technologies and assess the genetic risk.
Cancer cells can undergo a metabolic reprogramming from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis t... more Cancer cells can undergo a metabolic reprogramming from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis that allows them to adapt to nutrient-poor microenvironments, thereby imposing a selection for aggressive variants. However, the mechanisms underlying this reprogramming are not fully understood. Using complementary approaches in validated cell lines and freshly obtained human specimens, we report here that mitochondrial respiration and oxidative phosphorylation are slowed in metastatic melanomas, even under normoxic conditions due to the persistence of a high nuclear expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). Pharmacologic or genetic blockades of the HIF-1α pathway decreased glycolysis and promoted mitochondrial respiration via specific reduction in the expression of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase-3 (PDK3). Inhibiting PDK3 activity by dichloroacetate (DCA) or siRNA-mediated attenuation was sufficient to increase pyruvate dehydrogenase activity, oxidative phosphorylation, and mito...
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Papers by Caroline Ballot