Abstract
Of all human infertility cases, up to 50% show contributing factors leading to defects in the male reproductive physiology. Seminal plasma (SP) is the biological fluid derived from the male accessory sex gland which carries spermatozoa passing throughout the male and female reproductive tract during ejaculation. It contains a complicated set of heterogeneous molecular structures, including proteins, cell-free nucleic acid (DNA, microRNA and LncRNA), and small-molecule metabolites as well as inorganic chemicals (ions). For a long time, the substantial significance of seminal plasma factors’ functions has been underestimated, which is restricted to spermatozoa transport and protection. Notably, significant advancements have been made in dissecting seminal plasma components, revealing new insights into multiple aspects of sperm function, as well as fertilization and pregnancy outcomes in recent years. In this review, we summarize the state-of-art discoveries regarding SP compositions and their implications in male fertility, particularly describing the novel understanding of seminal plasma components and related modifications using “omics” approaches and mainly focusing on proteome and RNA-seq data in the latest decade. Meanwhile, we highlighted the proposed mechanism of the regulation of SP molecules on immunomodulation in the female reproductive tract. Moreover, we also discussed the proteins investigated as non-invasive diagnosis biomarkers for male infertility in the clinic.
Highlights
Over the past few decades, worldwide, gradually decreased human fertility has attracted much more interest and became an important medical and social issue
Male fertility is often evaluated by routine semen analysis, which serves as a baseline marker with data regarding sperm quantity and quality, including sperm count, concentration, viability, motility, and morphology, while decreased fertility frequently associates with aberrant semen parameters [6]
Researchers have found that the production of AsAb is closely related to the level of the cytokine TNF-α in infertile patients, and the levels of AsAb and TNF-α in seminal plasma are significantly higher than those in serum, which indicates that local immune activation and immune damage in reproductive tract play a vital role in the occurrence of male infertility [115]
Summary
Over the past few decades, worldwide, gradually decreased human fertility has attracted much more interest and became an important medical and social issue. Seminal plasma is the fluid part of semen, which carries spermatozoa passing throughout the male and female reproductive tract during ejaculation, eventually reaching the oocyte for successful fertilization. It is composed of a complicated set of heterogeneous molecular structures, including proteins, lipids, sugars (fructose), cell-free nucleic acid (DNA, microRNA, and LncRNA), and small-molecule metabolites as well as inorganic chemicals (ions). Seminal plasma factors provide energy for spermatozoa metabolism and motility and modulate spermatozoa function by regulating a cascade of molecular events, such as sperm maturation in the epididymis and capacitation during transport. SP modulates the release of cytokines and growth factors that regulate embryo development in the oviduct and uterus before implantation, which is critical for early embryo development and implantation
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