In an article published on Medscape, Brazilian researchers have identified for the first time a function of sperm other than reproduction. Indeed, a small cohort of 13 patients suffering from Covid-19 revealed, using an electron microscope, that spermatozoa activate an extracellular defense mechanism releasing filaments of decondensed chromatin on which numerous microbicidal proteins (histones, elastases, etc.) are attached. . This process of netosis has already been observed in macrophages, or polymorphonuclear neutrophils (NETs) but this is the first time that it has been observed in mammalian reproductive cells.
This cohort also showed that SARS-COV-2 could still be present in male reproductive cells more than three months after infection (11 out of 13 patients). A potential risk for assisted procreations which should then be postponed for more than 90 days after a confirmed Covid episode. However, these results remain to be confirmed because the sample is really small.
So, gentlemen, more than ever, stay covered!
Prostate cancer: cutting-edge technologies at the Institut Curie
The diagnosis of prostate cancer benefits the Institut Curie from the latest innovations.
As a first approacha non-invasive test for urinary markers is currently being evaluated. The clinical study, called HOPE – coordinated by the Institut Curie, in partnership with the Henri Mondor Hospital and the Institut Mutualiste Montsouris, tested biomarkers in non-coding DNA present in urine for early detection of cancer of the prostate. Analysis of the results of the trial carried out on 118 men should be completed in a few months. It will make it possible to determine the effectiveness and interest in continuing the development of this test for the diagnosis, prognosis and active surveillance of prostate cancers, making it possible to avoid unnecessary biopsies. The biomarkers were identified using next-generation sequencing and innovative artificial intelligence and bioinformatics algorithms.
Pathology sideit has now been two years since all the slides from tumor samples from new patients have been digitized. In November 2024, a new step will be taken with the use of an artificial intelligence tool intended for the diagnosis of prostate cancer developed by Ibex. The tool allows rapid, seamless analysis which facilitates the work of the pathologist to refine the diagnosis and facilitate therapeutic choices.
Treatment sidethe Institut Curie, since mid-October 2024, has been offering “RIV” therapies as part of early access.
IVR, for vectorized internal radiotherapy, is one of the treatment options for metastatic cancers. It is now used in the treatment of thyroid cancers and neuroendocrine tumors and is now being developed for the prostate. The Curie Institute explains that “Unlike conventional external radiotherapy, this nuclear medicine technology consists of intravenous injections of radiopharmaceutical molecules which attach specifically to tumor cells to destroy them. A radioactive isotope (lutetium, Lu) is grafted to a specific molecule (PSMA, a membrane antigen characteristic of the prostate) which will deliver a dose of radiation to the tumor cell. This innovative technique therefore has the double advantage of sparing healthy cells while targeting the entire body and not a specific location. The RIV is subject to very strict regulations, particularly in terms of radioactive waste management and training of qualified health personnel authorized to use radiopharmaceutical products.“
Health
