Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36260523›Full record

ArticleThe Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism2023

Autopsy Study of Testicles in COVID-19: Upregulation of Immune-Related Genes and Downregulation of Testis-Specific Genes.

Alessio Basolo, Anello Marcello Poma, Elisabetta Macerola, Diana Bonuccelli, Agnese Proietti, Alessandra Salvetti, Paola Vignali, Liborio Torregrossa, Laura Evangelisti, Rebecca Sparavelli and 5 more

Open access · greenAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
2.6field-weighted citation impact, top 10% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 14 citations in OpenAlex.

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  5. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Alessio BasoloObesity and Lipodystrophy Center, Endocrinology Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-6888-7080
Anello Marcello PomaDepartment of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56100 Pisa, Italy.
Elisabetta MacerolaDepartment of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56100 Pisa, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-0235-799X
Diana BonuccelliDepartment of Forensic Medicine, Azienda USL Toscana Nordovest, 55100 Lucca, Italy.
Agnese ProiettiDepartment of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56100 Pisa, Italy.
Alessandra SalvettiDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
Paola VignaliDepartment of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56100 Pisa, Italy.
Liborio TorregrossaDepartment of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56100 Pisa, Italy.
Laura EvangelistiDepartment of Forensic Medicine, Azienda USL Toscana Nordovest, 55100 Lucca, Italy.
Rebecca SparavelliDepartment of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56100 Pisa, Italy.
Riccardo GianniniDepartment of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56100 Pisa, Italy.
Clara UgoliniDepartment of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56100 Pisa, Italy.
Fulvio BasoloDepartment of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area, University of Pisa, 56100 Pisa, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-1657-5020
Ferruccio SantiniObesity and Lipodystrophy Center, Endocrinology Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-1706-0822
Antonio TonioloGlobal Virus Network, University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy.
University of Pisa · ITAzienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Pisana · ITAzienda Usl Toscana Centro · ITUniversity of Insubria · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

contextInfection by SARS-CoV-2 may be associated with testicular dysfunction that could affect male fertility.

objectiveTesticles of fatal COVID-19 cases were investigated to detect virus in tissue and to evaluate histopathological and transcriptomic changes.

methodsThree groups were compared: (a) uninfected controls (subjects dying of trauma or sudden cardiac death; n = 10); (b) subjects dying of COVID-19 (virus-negative in testes; n = 15); (c) subjects dying of COVID-19 (virus-positive in testes; n = 9). SARS-CoV-2 genome and nucleocapsid antigen were probed using RT-PCR, in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Infiltrating leukocytes were typed by IHC. mRNA transcripts of immune-related and testis-specific genes were quantified using the nCounter method.

resultsSARS-CoV-2 was detected in testis tissue of 9/24 (37%) COVID-19 cases accompanied by scattered T-cell and macrophage infiltrates. Size of testicles and counts of spermatogenic cells were not significantly different among groups. Analysis of mRNA transcripts showed that in virus-positive testes immune processes were activated (interferon-alpha and -gamma pathways). By contrast, transcription of 12 testis-specific genes was downregulated, independently of virus positivity in tissue. By IHC, expression of the luteinizing hormone/choriogonadotropin receptor was enhanced in virus-positive compared to virus-negative testicles, while expression of receptors for androgens and the follicle-stimulating hormone were not significantly different among groups.

conclusionIn lethal COVID-19 cases, infection of testicular cells is not uncommon. Viral infection associates with activation of interferon pathways and downregulation of testis-specific genes involved in spermatogenesis. Due to the exceedingly high numbers of infected people in the pandemic, the impact of virus on fertility should be further investigated.

Indexed as

COVID-19TestisAutopsyDown-RegulationHumansMaleRNA, MessengerSARS-CoV-2Up-RegulationRNA, MessengerautopsyCOVID-19innate immunitySARS-CoV-2testistestis-specific genes

Identifiers

PMID36260523
PMCPMC9620766
OpenAlexW4306831036

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.