Reproductive Dysfunction and Testicular Epigenetic Alterations in Male Rats with Experimental Amebiasis: Evaluation of SPATA6 Methylation and Therapeutic Outcomes.

Science linking environmental contaminant exposures with fertility and reproductive health impacts in the adult male

Sperm count and sperm motility in incidental high-grade varicocele

Adenopus breviflorus fruit is used in traditional medicine against the outbreak of measles and the treatment of gonorrhoea in men. The fruit has been shown to have anti‐implantation activity. However, the safety of the aqueous extract of Adenopus breviflorus (AEAB) fruit on the function of the liver and male reproduction has not been studied. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of the oral administration of the AEAB fruit on rat liver function enzymes, cytochrome c release, caspase 3 expression and male reproductive functions. Adult male rats (15) were randomly divided into three groups of 5 animals per group. Animals in group 1 received distilled water while animals in groups 2 and 3 received an oral dose of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg of AEAB fruit for 30 days, respectively. Alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and aspartate transaminase enzyme activities were assayed spectrophotometrically. Cytochrome c and caspase 3 protein expressions in rat liver tissues were determined using immunohistochemistry. Sperm abnormality, sperm count and sperm motility were also determined. The result obtained showed that there was no significant (p < 0.05) difference in serum alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and aspartate transaminase between the treated groups and the control. Immunohistochemistry showed that cytochrome c release and caspase 3 proteins were significantly (p < 0.05) expressed in the liver of animals in the treated groups when compared to the control. Furthermore, sperm abnormality significantly (p < 0.05) increased while sperm count of rats orally exposed to AEAB fruit were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced in the treated groups when compared to the control group. Specifically, sperm motility was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced only in group 3 when compared with the control. This study show that the aqueous extract of Adenopus breviflorus fruit may not be hepatotoxic. However, this extract may have the potential to activate mitochondria cell death through cytochrome c release and activation of caspase 3 in rat liver. Furthermore, our study revealed that the extract may cause reproductive dysfunction in men. Therefore, the use of the extract in the treatment of gonorrhoea in traditional medicine should be carried out with utmost care.

The Immediate Impact of Semen Diluent and Rate of Dilution on the Sperm Quality Index, ATP Utilization, Gas Exchange, and Ionic Balance Of Broiler Breeder Sperm

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists exert multiple beneficial effects. However, their effects on reproduction system are controversial. Here, we aimed to investigate their effects on male reproduction and provide safety evidence for future clinical use. Male diabetic mice and aged mice were treated with liraglutide or vehicle, and sperm concentration and motility were assessed. The expression and location of GLP-1R in testicular tissues and in four testicular cell lines (spermatogonia, spermatocytes, Leydig cells, and Sertoli cells) were detected. Cauda epididymis and testicular cells were treated with liraglutide, semaglutide or vehicle, and sperm motility and cell proliferation were detected to determine the direct effect of GLP-1R agonists. Global Glp1r knockout mice were constructed, and testicular morphology, sperm concentration and motility were detected to confirm the effects of GLP-1R signaling on male reproduction. Liraglutide significantly reduced blood glucose levels, but did not improve sperm parameters in diabetic mice. No significant differences were observed between liraglutide and control group in aged mice. GLP-1R was expressed in testicular tissues and all four cell lines, with the highest expression in Leydig cells. Liraglutide or semaglutide had no impacts on sperm count and motility in vitro, and had no effects on cell proliferation in four cell lines. The Glp1r knockout mice exhibited higher blood glucose levels and preserved normal testicular morphology, but their sperm concentration was higher than that in wildtype mice. GLP-1R agonists have no detrimental effect on sperm concentration and motility in vivo and in vitro, while GLP-1R absence increase the sperm concentration.

Similarities and Differences Between the Sperm Quality Index and Sperm Mobility Index of Broiler Breeder Semen

1. A relatively new instrument known as a Sperm Quality Analyzer® (SQA) offers a rapid assessment of sperm quality and quantity by providing a sperm quality index (SQI). The SQA measures a combination of the intensity of sperm activity and motile concentration by determining the number and amplitude of sperm movements per second in a capillary tube as detected through light beam interference. 2. Because the SQA has not been tested for its potential use in turkeys, the objective was to determine if the SQA could accurately respond to changes in turkey sperm concentration, viability, and motility in semen collected from turkey breeders. 3. The effect of varying concentrations of sperm on SQI values was evaluated by diluting replicate pools of semen from 4 different aged turkey breeder flocks with saline. Results from all 4 flocks showed that semen dilutions greater than 20-fold resulted in a linear decline in SQI values. 4. Additional in vitro analysis evaluated the effects of turkey sperm viability on the SQI under conditions of constant sperm concentration. Incubated, live sperm was mixed in various proportions with thawed, dead sperm to determine changes in viability. Increased proportions of dead sperm caused a decline in the SQI. 5. To assess sperm motility, turkey semen was incubated under either aerobic (motile) or anaerobic (immotile) conditions. Varied amounts of immotile and motile sperm samples were mixed. A linear increase in the SQI was observed as per cent motile sperm increased. 6. These results indicate that the SQA can respond to differences in turkey sperm concentration, viability, and motility using in vitro analyses.

Reversal of the Toxic Effects of Cyclosporine on Male Reproduction and Kidney Function of Rats by Simultaneous Administration of hCG + FSH

Selection of Young Broiler Breeders for Semen Quality Improves Hatchability in an Industry Field Trial

The timing of surgery in cryptorchidism has been debated for a long time. Reports on histology suggest better fertility outcomes with early surgery, whereas evidence of long-term improved fertility still lacks sound data. The aim of this study is to analyze sperm count and motility in a cohort of young men operated on during the first 2 years of life for cryptorchidism. A total of 78 young men (age, 18-26 years) surgically treated for cryptorchidism in the second year of life were recalled to evaluate testicular volume and sperm count and motility. Of the 78 young men, 51 accepted to participate to clinical and sperm evaluation. Relationship between total sperm count (TSC), sperm motility (SM), and age at surgery was investigated by Student t-test and Fisher test. Patients were divided into two groups: those patients who were submitted to surgery in their first year of life (Group A) and those patients who were submitted to surgery in their first and the second year of life (Group B). We investigated the ratio of those patients with normal sperm count to those patients with abnormal sperm count (we defined as normal TSC > 15 million and SM > 15%) and compared the mean TSC and SM in the two groups. TSC were slightly but not significantly higher in the first group (45.5 ± 15.5 million/mL vs. 36.5 ± 23.6 million/mL, p = 0.107) and SM (30.5% ± 11.3% vs. 26.5% ± 15.4%, p = 0.341). The percentage of patients with normal sperm count and motility were significantly higher in the first group: normal TSC was found in 26 of 27 patients (96.3%) in Group A versus 18 of 24 patients (75.0%) in Group B (p = 0.042), normal SM was found in 26 of 27 patients (96.3%) versus 16 of 24 patients (66.7%), respectively (p = 0.008). In the two groups, no statistically significant difference was found neither in the proportion of patients with bilateral cryptorchidism, in the position of the testes, nor in the ratio of subjects treated with hormonal therapy before being operated on. In formerly cryptorchid subjects submitted to surgery in the first 2 years of life, the percentage of patients with normal sperm count and motility is higher than 95%, with even better fertility prognosis if orchiopexy is performed in the first year of life.

Fertility of Broiler Breeders Following Categorization by the OptiBreed® Sperm Quality Index When Hens Are Inseminated with a Constant Number of Sperm

1. A relatively new instrument known as a Sperm Quality Analyzer® (SQA) offers a rapid assessment of sperm quality and quantity by providing a sperm quality index (SQI). The SQA measures the intensity of sperm activity and motile concentration by determining the number and amplitude of sperm movements per second in a capillary tube as detected through light beam interference. 2. The objectives of the current study were to determine if the SQA could accurately reflect changes in semen quality that occur with prolonged storage of semen and to determine the variation and change in SQI values among individual breeding male turkeys during their semen production cycle. 3. The effect of storage time on SQI values was evaluated by diluting semen with extender and placing the semen on an oscillating shaker at 4°C for 8 h. The SQI values and sperm viability, expressed as % dead sperm, were recorded hourly. The SQI readings declined linearly with increased storage time, while % dead sperm increased linearly with increased semen storage. 4. Semen from 220 individual males was analysed monthly for 9 months. Semen diluted 50-fold with saline had lower SQI values during pre- and post-peak phases of production (months 1, 7, 8, and 9 as compared with months 2 to 6 of semen production). The highest SQI values occurred during months 2 to 6. The largest variation in SQI values occurred during months 1 (CV = 26%) and 9 (CV = 31%) with a CV that averaged 16% for the remaining months. 5. Correlation analysis of SQI values for each bird averaged over 9 months with individual male SQIs for each month showed monthly correlation coefficients that ranged from 0.22 to 0.63. 6. These results indicate that the SQA accurately assessed the decline in sperm quality that occurs with prolonged storage of turkey semen and reflected age-related changes in semen quality and quantity that occurred during a semen production cycle of turkey breeders. In addition, the semen quality rank of some turkey breeders in a population changed with age.

Modernization and industrialization have changed human lifestyle with night shift work (NSW) becoming necessary part of regular working hours. NSW is invariably associated with sleep deprivation (SD). Coincidentally, there is remarkable decline in fertility rates in these modern societies, which is believed to be due to lifestyle modifications. NSW model of SD, was therefore created to study its effects on male reproductive functions and role of concomitant Zinc supplementation on those effects. Twenty four (24) male Wistar rats (aged 12- 14 weeks) were equally divided into three groups; Control, NSW and NSWZ models. NSW and NSWZ models were subjected to SD for 12 hours (07:00am – 07:00pm) using Modified Multiple Platform Method (MMPM) every day for the 56 days of the study. Each rat received either distilled water (1ml/animal/day) for Control and NSW models, or Zinc sulphates (5mg/animal/day) for NSWZ model, by gavage daily respectively. Testicular tissue Malondialdehyde (MDA) and Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC), male reproductive hormones (FSH, LH, Testosterone and Estradiol) and Sperm parameters (sperm count, morphology and motility) were evaluated and statistically compared. Sleep deprivation in NSW model resulted in significant (p<0.05) increase in testicular tissue MDA, serum FSH and significant (p<0.05) decrease in TAC, serum Testosterone, serum Estradiol, sperm count and percentage of sperm with active progressive motility (APM) compared to the control. Concomitant Zinc supplementation significantly (p<0.05) increases testicular tissue TAC, serum Estradiol and significantly (p<0.05) decreases testicular tissue MDA and serum FSH. The NSW model of Sleep deprivation negatively affects male reproductive functions, while concomitant Zinc supplementation ameliorates some of these negative effects.

The jury is still out: COVID-19 and male reproduction

Cigarette smoking remains a common modifiable lifestyle risk factor for male infertility, yet the exact mechanisms linking smoking to overall fertility decline are not fully understood. This study investigates how smoking affects sperm quality deterioration and examines the potential role of hormonal pathways in mediating these effects. Robust causal approaches have been utilized to measure both the overall impact of smoking and its hormonal mediation on semen parameters. Additionally, a unidimensional Sperm Quality Index (SQI) has been developed and validated internally, while latent reproductive phenotypes have been analyzed through unsupervised clustering techniques. This observational study involved 104 infertile men, with 52 smokers and 52 nonsmokers. Inverse‐probability‐of‐treatment weighting (IPTW) and augmented IPTW (AIPW) were used to balance 21 baseline covariates. Parallel mediation analysis evaluated four pituitary‐gonadal hormones—follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin (PRL), and testosterone—as mediators of smoking's impact on five key semen parameters: concentration, total count, progressive motility, morphology, and live sperm percentage. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to create a PCA‐based SQI by combining nine logarithmically transformed, z‐standardized variables. The mediation analysis was also repeated using the SQI. K‐means clustering, using the gap statistic, identified four latent semen–hormone phenotypes. After IPTW, smoking was associated with standardized AIPW average treatment effects (ATEs) of –0.29 to –0.66 standard deviation (SD) across semen parameters (e.g., live sperm % ATE = –0.67, 95% confidence interval (CI) –1.01 to –0.33; morphology ATE = –0.40, 95% CI –0.75 to –0.05). Parallel mediation indicated LH as the principal mediator, explaining 40%–63% of smoking's total effect on individual outcomes. The PCA‐derived SQI explained 65% of semen variance, and smoking's ATE on SQI was –0.44 SD (95% CI –0.80 to –0.07), with 66% mediated via hormones (suppression effect). Clustering revealed four phenotypes: (1) normozoospermic, (2) subclinical endocrinal disruption, (3) intermediate, and (4) severely impaired (high LH, low SQI), with smokers predominating cluster 4 (85% smokers vs. 15% nonsmokers). Cigarette smoking primarily impacts semen quality by disrupting endocrine hormones. The PCA‐based SQI offers a more sensitive overall measure of impairment compared to individual parameters and can serve as a straightforward biomarker for evaluating sperm quality, aiding clinicians in diagnosing male infertility. The characterized phenotypes suggest potential for personalized treatment strategies. These findings emphasize the importance of quitting smoking for fertility treatment and indicate that pituitary‐gonadal hormones could be promising targets for therapy.