Proteomic Analysis in Seminal Plasma of Fertile Donors and Infertile Patients with Sperm DNA Fragmentation.

Alba Fernandez-Encinas,Maria José Amengual,Jordi Benet,Javier del Rey,Agustín García-Peiró,Jordi Ribas-Maynou,Joaquima Navarro,Carlos Abad,Elena Prada

doi:10.3390/ijms21145046

Abstract

Seminal plasma proteomics studies could represent a new approach for the determination of molecular elements driving male infertility, resulting in a better male infertility characterization. The aim of this study is to investigate proteomic differences in seminal plasma samples from fertile and infertile individuals. For that, semen samples were selected according to semen analysis, clinical pathology, and values of sperm DNA fragmentation (alkaline and neutral Comet assay and Sperm Chromatin Dispersion test). A total of 24 seminal plasma samples classified in four groups were processed: fertile donors (FD), recurrent miscarriage patients (RM), asthenoteratozoospermic patients (ATZ), and asthenoteratozoospermic patients with varicocele (ATZ-VAR). Results obtained by 2D-differential gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) revealed 26 spots significantly increased in fertile donors when compared to patient groups. Also, eight spots in the ATZ group and two in the ATZ-VAR group were decreased compared to the other groups. Twenty-eight proteins were identified by mass spectrometry (MS), most of them involved in metabolic and cellular processes and with a catalytic or binding function. Protein–protein interactions through Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING) tool suggest that a large part of them were associated with each other. Furthermore, most of them were associated with ubiquitin C, indicating that it could play an important regulation role, resulting in a potential male infertility biomarker.

Highlights

Infertility is a disease involving both male and female partners with an approximate incidence of 7–15%, and male factor is involved in about half of the cases [1]
The use of 2D-differential gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) in quantitative proteomics allows the analysis of multiple study groups within the same experimental design
The singularity of the present study remains on this strict definition of homogeneous groups, performed here for the first time (Tables 1 and 3)

Summary

Introduction

Infertility is a disease involving both male and female partners with an approximate incidence of 7–15%, and male factor is involved in about half of the cases [1]. Despite the effectiveness of SDF testing for the prediction natural fertility and intra-uterine insemination outcomes, current scientific evidence is has not reached a consensus regarding if SDF is associated to pregnancy rates after ICSI cycles [9], the fact that is probably associated with a lack of standardization of some methodologies among laboratories around the world [9,10,11]. This lack of consensus may be explained by the oocyte DNA repair capacity, which is related to women’s age [12]. Younger women suffer less implantation failures after IVF cycles [13]

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Conclusion