Abstract
Background Fractalkine is produced in seminal plasma in small amounts and correlates with sperm motility. Purpose To investigate the possible effect of low-level leucospermia on spermatozoa oxidative stress and sDNA fragmentation in patients with subclinical varicocele and apparently normal seminogram, and also to study the role of spermatozoal fractalkine and its receptor (CX3CR1) gene expression as a marker of spermatozoa inflammatory response. Methods This study included 80 patients with subclinical varicocele (45 fertile and 35 infertile) and 45 age-matched fertile volunteers. In semen samples, fractalkine and CX3CR1 gene expression were investigated by qRT-PCR. Moreover, seminal plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were measured. Results There are significant decrease in semen quality and significant increase in seminal leucocytes count in subclinical varicocele. Our results show a significant increase in MDA and TAC levels, DNA fragmentation, and expression levels of fractalkine and its receptor (CX3CR1) in subclinical varicocele groups. Conclusion Subclinical varicocele induces seminal and spermatozoal subclinical inflammatory response in the form of low-level leucospermia and increased mRNA expression of the fractalkine signaling pathway, leading to increased spermatozoal ROS production, oxidative stress, and DNA fragmentation. These could cooperate in the pathogenesis of delayed fertility in males with subclinical varicocele.
Highlights
Subclinical varicocele is a condition in which varicose veins from the pampiniform plexus cannot be diagnosed by physical examination but need adjunctive diagnostic methods such as Doppler examination, color Doppler ultrasound, scrotal thermography, or venography [1]
There are significant decrease in the quality of semen and significant increase in the leucocytes count in the infertile group in comparison to the fertile group, but all parameters are still within normal values according to the normal reference ranges of WHO (2010) (Table 1)
Our results show that there are significant increases in MDA and 8-OHdG levels in subclinical varicocele groups in comparison to control and in the infertile group in comparison to the fertile group (Figures 1(a)–1(c))
Summary
Subclinical varicocele is a condition in which varicose veins from the pampiniform plexus cannot be diagnosed by physical examination but need adjunctive diagnostic methods such as Doppler examination, color Doppler ultrasound, scrotal thermography, or venography [1]. Damage of sperm DNA in patients with varicocele is correlated with levels of ROS production as well as varicocele degree [9]. To investigate the possible effect of low-level leucospermia on spermatozoa oxidative stress and sDNA fragmentation in patients with subclinical varicocele and apparently normal seminogram, and to study the role of spermatozoal fractalkine and its receptor (CX3CR1) gene expression as a marker of spermatozoa inflammatory response. Our results show a significant increase in MDA and TAC levels, DNA fragmentation, and expression levels of fractalkine and its receptor (CX3CR1) in subclinical varicocele groups. Subclinical varicocele induces seminal and spermatozoal subclinical inflammatory response in the form of low-level leucospermia and increased mRNA expression of the fractalkine signaling pathway, leading to increased spermatozoal ROS production, oxidative stress, and DNA fragmentation. Subclinical varicocele induces seminal and spermatozoal subclinical inflammatory response in the form of low-level leucospermia and increased mRNA expression of the fractalkine signaling pathway, leading to increased spermatozoal ROS production, oxidative stress, and DNA fragmentation. ese could cooperate in the pathogenesis of delayed fertility in males with subclinical varicocele
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