Evaluation of carcinogenicity following intratesticular transplantation of autologous bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in non-obstructive azoospermia patients: a retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND

Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) cases may have severely deficient spermatogenesis and inadequate sperm production. Despite increasing clinical investigations emphasizing the safety of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy in NOA cases, no article has recently reviewed the adverse events and carcinogenicity after transplantation.

OBJECTIVE

the study was conducted to evaluate the safety and potential carcinogenic effects of autologous human bone marrow- MSCs implanted into the testes of patients with NOA.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study was conducted throughout the period from January2017 to January 2022, encompassed 100 patients aged 20-40 years with primary infertility, with NOA for at least 2 years duration who had a confirmed diagnosis of NOA, based on two separate semen analyses showing azoospermia with centrifugation, conducted at least three months apart. Patients were submitted to intratesticular transplantation of autologous bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Records of all participants were examined to acquire the demographic data of patients, laboratory investigations including β-HCG, ECG, AFP, LDH, and scrotal ultrasound examination.

RESULTS

there is no significant malignancy or cancer occurrence post- MSCs therapy as indicated by the normal level of the tumor marker levels for LDH (183.4 ± 31.5) u/L, AFP (3.16 ± 1.6) ng/ ml, CEA (2.27 ± 1.1) ng/ ml, and β-HCG (0.95 ± 0.2) mIU/mL. Additionally, scrotal ultrasound showed no focal findings in all cases.

CONCLUSIONS

there is no carcinogenic effect of mesenchymal stem cells implanted into testes.