Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a prevalent type of corpuscular anemia affecting approximately 300,000 babies born each year. The condition is characterized by hemolytic anemia and episodes of microvascular vaso-occlusion leading to ischemia-reperfusion injury and organ damage. Current treatment options for managing complications include the use of hydroxyurea (HU). In high-resource countries, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is a potential cure. However, there are significant risks, including acute toxicity and late effects, e.g., infertility caused by previous gonadotoxic conditioning.
“Cryopreservation of testicular tissues before hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is offered by specialized centers worldwide to boys with sickle cell disease (SCD). In order to elucidate whether hydroxyurea (HU) therapy or disease-related factors affect the spermatogonial quantity of SCD patients, we collected clinical data of 29 boys (age range, 2.8-15.1 years) and calculated a Z-score. Our results show that most spermatogonial numbers (n=17) were below the reference values of healthy boys. There was a correlation between the number of spermatogonia and the age at HU initiation (P=0.029, r=0.476). This study suggests that besides factors intrinsic to SCD, an HU exposure in early life may lead to further depletion of spermatogonia reducing the potential for successful fertility preservation.” Klara M. Benninghoven-Frey et al.
In Munich, images for testicular biopsy samples were captured using PreciPoint M8 Microscope and Scanner. The samples were subsequently analyzed via ViewPoint Virtual Microscopy Viewing Software.
To read the entire publication, click on Early testicular maturation is sensitive to depletion of spermatogonial pool in sickle cell disease.
