Abstract
In this study we aimed to examine the effects of genetic variants ofGSTM1andGSTP1(Ile105Val and Ala114Val) on GST activity, seminal oxidative stress and sperm chromatin status in infertile men with oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT). The study population (n= 121) consisted of 95 infertile men with OAT and 26 controls with normozoospermia. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) methods were utilized to detect the aforesaid genetic variants. We measured GST activity and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of seminal plasma by spectrophotometry. Sperm chromatin integrity and maturity were assessed using toluidine blue and chromomycin A3(CMA3-positive sperm) staining, respectively. The analysis showed that subgroups of GSTM1 null and GSTP1 C/T+T/T genotypes in comparison with GSTM1 present and GSTP1 wild type (C/C) genotypes did not have statistically significant differences in both OAT or normozoospermic men considering sperm concentration and motility, percentage of CMA3-positive sperm, seminal plasma TAC, sperm chromatin integrity and GST activity. Thus, the findings of our study suggest that there are no significant associations betweenGSTM1andGSTP1polymorphisms and sperm parameters at conventional or at molecular levels including OS status, sperm chromatin integrity or maturity in Iranian infertile men with OAT and normozoospermia. However, these polymorphisms could be related to the fertility status of the studied population but not evaluated in this study.
Highlights
Redox balance is disrupted due to imbalances in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and their scavenging, leading to oxidative stress (OS)
Other demographic characteristics and the frequencies for GSTM1 and P1 genotypes in men with OAT and normozoospermia have been presented in Tables 1 and 2, respectively
The frequency of GSTM1 null genotype was 52.1% in men with OAT and 53.8% in men with normozoospermia (OR = 0.933; 95% CI, 0.391–2.23; P = 0.877) and the frequency of GSTP1 C/T+T/T genotypes were 18.9% in men with OAT and 11.5% in men with normozoopermia (OR = 0.558; 95% CI, 0.151– 2.064; P = 0.377)
Summary
Redox balance is disrupted due to imbalances in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and their scavenging, leading to oxidative stress (OS). In comparison with other cells, sperm has plenty of polyunsaturated fatty acids that make it prone to ROS-induced damages. N. Lakpour et al / Oxidative stress and sperm chromatin status in relationship with genetic variants of GSTs detoxifies products of lipid peroxidation such as aldehydes, alkanes, hydroperoxides and epoxides generated in the cell membrane. GSTM1 and GSTP1 isoenzymes, which encode mu and pi proteins, respectively, are found on the surface of human spermatozoa [3]. These two genes have important functional polymorphisms in different racial and ethnic populations. In men with unexplained infertility, the null genotype of GSTM1 increased peroxidative damage to sperm membrane and chromatin [5]. Similar results were obtained in infertile men with varicocele [6]
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