Sommario
Il Comitato Olimpico Internazionale (CIO) consente alle atlete transgender di gareggiare nelle divisioni femminili se i loro livelli di testosterone sierico sono inferiori a 10 nmol/L dal ...almeno un anno. Tuttavia, questo valore è nettamente superiore rispetto alle donne cisgender. Gli elevati livelli di testosterone e i loro effetti fisiologici determinano un vantaggio nelle competizioni sportive. La terapia ormonale di affermazione di genere riduce i livelli di testosterone circolante e determina alcune variazioni nella fisiologia del testosterone nelle donne transgender con conseguente modifica delle prestazioni fisiche di queste atlete. Scopo di questa Rassegna è la valutazione dei cambiamenti indotti dalla terapia ormonale e l’analisi degli effetti irreversibili del testosterone e di come essi possano influire sulle capacità fisiche e atletiche di donne transgender, con lo scopo finale di rendere lo sport inclusivo ed equo per tutti gli atleti.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) disease (COVID-19) appears to have a higher mortality rate in presence of comorbidities and in men. The latter suggests the presence of a ...possible sex-dependent susceptibility. An enzymatic system involved in this different predisposition could be represented by angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). ACE2 is activated and down-regulated by the spike protein of the virus and allows the penetration of SARS-CoV-2 into epithelial cells and myocardium. Data on the experimental animal have shown that 17ß-estradiol increases the expression and activity of ACE2 in both adipose tissue and kidney. Spontaneously hypertensive male mice have a higher myocardial ACE2 expression than females and its levels decrease after orchiectomy. In addition to this first aspect, the recent evidence of an increased frequency of venous thromboembolism in patients with COVID-19 (a clinical element associated with a worse prognosis) calls the attention on the safety of treatment with testosterone, in particular in hypogonadal men with greater genetic predisposition. Evidence that sex hormones are able to modulate the expression of ACE2 could help in interpreting epidemiological results and in designing more appropriate intervention strategies. Moreover, the vitamin D deficiency in elderly men may be worthy of further study regarding the epidemiological aspects of this different susceptibility and lethality between sexes.
Male infertility affects half of infertile couples and, currently, a relevant percentage of cases of male infertility is considered as idiopathic. Although the male contribution to human ...fertilization has traditionally been restricted to sperm DNA, current evidence suggest that a relevant number of sperm transcripts and proteins are involved in acrosome reactions, sperm‒oocyte fusion and, once released into the oocyte, embryo growth and development. The aim of this review is to provide updated and comprehensive insight into the molecular biology of spermatogenesis, including evidence on spermatogenetic failure and underlining the role of the sperm-carried molecular factors involved in oocyte fertilization and embryo growth. This represents the first step in the identification of new possible diagnostic and, possibly, therapeutic markers in the field of apparently idiopathic male infertility.
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