Academic Journal
Ultrasound localisation microscopy tracks testicular microvascular adaptations to endocrine function in male infertility.
| Τίτλος: | Ultrasound localisation microscopy tracks testicular microvascular adaptations to endocrine function in male infertility. |
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| Συγγραφείς: | Papanikolaou N; Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Section of Endocrinology and Investigative Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK., Yan J; Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK; State Key Laboratory of Robotics and System, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China., Huang B; Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK., Davies R; Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Section of Endocrinology and Investigative Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK., Dunsterville C; Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Section of Endocrinology and Investigative Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK., De Silva NL; Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Section of Endocrinology and Investigative Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK; Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Ratmalana, Sri Lanka., Go C; Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Section of Endocrinology and Investigative Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK., Grachev P; Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Section of Endocrinology and Investigative Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK., Luo R; Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Section of Endocrinology and Investigative Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK., Broughton-Venner J; Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Section of Endocrinology and Investigative Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK., Minhas S; Department of Urology, Charing Cross Hospital, London, UK., Bewick G; Department of Diabetes and Obesity, King's College London, London, UK., Dhillo W; Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Section of Endocrinology and Investigative Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK., Murphy K; Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Section of Endocrinology and Investigative Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK., Lim A; Department of Imaging, Imperial College London and Healthcare NHS Trust, Charing Cross Hospital Campus, London, UK., Tang MX; Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK. Electronic address: mengxing.tang@imperial.ac.uk., Jayasena CN; Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Section of Endocrinology and Investigative Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK. Electronic address: c.jayasena@imperial.ac.uk. |
| Πηγή: | EBioMedicine [EBioMedicine] 2026 Jul; Vol. 129, pp. 106333. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Jun 18. |
| Τύπος έκδοσης: | Journal Article |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Στοιχεία περιοδικού: | Publisher: Elsevier B.V Country of Publication: Netherlands NLM ID: 101647039 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 2352-3964 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 23523964 NLM ISO Abbreviation: EBioMedicine Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Original Publication: [Amsterdam] : Elsevier B.V., [2014]- |
| Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): | Testis*/blood supply , Testis*/diagnostic imaging , Infertility, Male*/diagnostic imaging , Infertility, Male*/metabolism , Infertility, Male*/physiopathology , Infertility, Male*/etiology , Microvessels*/diagnostic imaging , Microvessels*/physiopathology , Microscopy*/methods, Ultrasonography/methods ; Male ; Humans ; Animals ; Case-Control Studies ; Adult ; Testosterone ; Hypogonadism ; Rats |
| Περίληψη: | Background: Testicular disorders, including male infertility and hypogonadism, are increasingly prevalent and current diagnostic tools have important limitations. The testicular microcirculation underpins testicular function. Ultrasound localisation microscopy (ULM) enables super-resolution mapping of microvascular structure and flow at clinically relevant organ depth. Methods: Prospective case-control study of ULM-assessed testicular activity in men and rodents using clinical and research ultrasound systems. Study 1 compared healthy men (n = 10) with hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism (HH) (n = 9). Study 2 included men with HH receiving testosterone (n = 11), gonadotrophins (n = 9), or no treatment (n = 12). Study 3 assessed 12-month fertility treatment response in HH (n = 7). A rodent pubertal-blockade model was also studied (n = 5). Findings: ULM markers discriminated HH from controls (vessel density p < 0.01; diameter p = 0.01; tortuosity p < 0.01) and correlated with testosterone (r = 0.53-0.67, p < 0.05) and inhibin B (r = -0.61, p < 0.01). Vessel density, diameter, area and flow-related index were reduced in azoospermia (p < 0.01). ULM distinguished HH treatment groups (vessel density p < 0.001; diameter p < 0.05), with density and diameter correlating with testosterone (r = 0.69, 0.62; p < 0.001) and inhibin B (r = 0.64, 0.65; p < 0.001). Vessel density (p < 0.001) and diameter (p < 0.01) were reduced in azoospermia irrespective of treatment. During fertility therapy, ULM parameters increased (p < 0.05) and detected testicular activation earlier than volume or inhibin B. In rodents, pubertal development showed dynamic microvascular remodelling driven by testis growth. Interpretation: ULM provides a treatment-responsive, biologically grounded biomarker of testicular function enabling patient stratification, early detection of therapeutic response, and potential for both refinement of clinical decision-making in HH, and application within other testicular disorders. Funding: MRC, NIHR Biomedical Research Centre Funding Scheme and the NIHR/Imperial Clinical Research Facility, Diabetes UK, BBSRC, MRC, Imperial Private Healthcare Clinical Research Fellowship Scheme, NWLP Research Grant. (Copyright © 2026 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.) |
| Competing Interests: | Declaration of interests Mengxing Tang is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Verasonics Ltd and a minority shareholder in Sonalis Imaging Ltd and Cardioacc Ltd. These affiliations are not related to this work. The remaining authors declare no conflicts of interest. |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Male hypogonadism; Male infertility; Super-resolution ultrasonography (SRUS); Testes; Ultrasound localisation microscopy (ULM) |
| Substance Nomenclature: | 3XMK78S47O (Testosterone) |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260618 Date Completed: 20260708 Latest Revision: 20260726 |
| Update Code: | 20260726 |
| PubMed Central ID: | PMC13310648 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.ebiom.2026.106333 |
| PMID: | 42314538 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 2352-3964 |
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| DOI: | 10.1016/j.ebiom.2026.106333 |