Spontaneous recovery from ethanol-induced male infertility

Abstract

Chronic ethanol ingestion by the male is associated with reproductive impairment. No longitudinal studies have been carried out to determine the recovery of ethanol-related reproductive failure subsequent to moderate periods of abstinence. An animal model (C57B1 mouse) was utilized to examine the effectiveness of abstinence for reversal of ethanol-induced reproductive failure. After treatment with either a 5% ethanol diet (10 weeks) or a 6% ethanol diet (5 weeks), animals were hemicastrated (right testis and accessory organs); their reproductive tracts and epididymal spermatozoa were examined. Ingestion of the 5% and 6% ethanol diets resulted in significantly ( p<0.05) decreased testicular weights (24% and 28%, respectively) and seminal vesicle/prostate weights (20%, 6% diet only), increased frequencies of germ cell desquamation (480% and 400%), inactive seminiferous tubules (186% and 567%) and inhibition of in vitro fertilization of mouse oocytes by epididymal spermatozoa (26% and 62%), as compared to their respective pair-fed control values. Also observed was a significant decrease in total motile spermatozoa (85%, 6% diet only). Improvement in all parameters was observed in the contralateral reproductive organs subsequent to ten weeks abstinence. Only germ cell desquamation remained significantly elevated (100% as compared to control) in animals that ingested the 5% diet. In contrast, significant abnormalities persisted ten weeks after treatment with the 6% ethanol diet, including increased germ cell desquamation (200%) and inactive seminiferous tubules (157%); decreased forward progression (17%) of epididymal sperm also persisted. If these data can be applied clinically, male alcoholic patients with reproductive disorders could have a prognosis of at least partial recovery following moderate periods of abstinence from ethanol.