Oxidative stress in seminal plasma and its relation to fertility potential of human male subjects

Abstract

Background: There is growing evidence that damage to spermatozoa by reactive oxygen species (ROS) plays a key role in male infertility. Human spermatozoa are susceptible to ROS as their plasma membrane contains abundant polyunsaturated fatty acid which can undergo lipid peroxidation which may cause damage to the sperms. Lipid peroxidation of sperm membrane is an important mechanism of this ROS-induced sperm damage leading to infertility. The present study was undertaken using malondialdehyde (MDA) for assessing oxidative stress which is an end product of lipid peroxidation. Aim and Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the oxidative stress by estimating MDA (marker of lipid peroxidation) in seminal plasma of different groups of individuals and to correlate the levels with different seminogram parameters. Materials and Methods: Semen samples were obtained and analyzed for routine seminogram parameters from 150 male partners between ages 20 and 58 years of infertile couples attending reproductive biology unit. The patients were grouped into abnormal ejaculate (asthenoteratozoospermic ORIGINAL ARTICLE, oligoasthenoteratozoospermic, and azoospermic) and normal ejaculate groups. Oxidative stress was measured spectrophotometrically by estimating MDA. Results: Higher MDA levels of seminal plasma were observed in the AT and azoospermic groups as compared to normozoospermics though the difference was not statistically different. A significant rise in MDA levels was observed in the oligoasthenoteratozoospermic group. Seminogram parameters were found to be negatively correlated with seminal MDA level. Conclusion: Increased seminal plasma lipid peroxidation is likely to have an association with poor semen quality. Hence, MDA may be used as one of the biomarkers for assessing oxidative stress on sperm.