Poor Sperm Morphology Research Articles

Assessment of Cinnamaldehyde's Potency on Heat Stress-induced Testicular Impairments in Wistar Rats.

Male sterility results from high testicular temperatures, which affect mammalian spermatogenesis. High testicular temperatures affect sperm motility, morphology and fertility according to their magnitude and duration. The aim of the current study is to examine the effects of heat-induced oxidative stress and cinnamaldehyde on Wistar rat testicular structure and function. The rats used in this experiment were Wistar albino rats. This research has six animals per group. Male Wistar albino rats of 2.5-3 months old and 275-300 g. (I) control, (II) heat stress (HS) in a closed chamber at 41°C for 14 days and (III) HS with cinnamaldehyde (CA) 50 mg/kg body weight for 14 days. (IV) CA alone. After the study, the animals were euthanised, and test samples were taken for sperm count, morphology, haematoxylin and eosin stain for normal cellular morphology, antioxidants and DNA integrity assessments. The data were analysed statistically using one- and two-way ANOVA tests for comparisons between groups. The stress group had significantly lower sperm counts and poor sperm morphology. The stress group's antioxidant capacity is much lower than that of the control group. Animals under stress have fragmented DNA. Treatment with cinnamaldehyde increased overall antioxidant capacity and seminal parameters, and rats behaved most like controls. CA restores malondialdehyde levels, total antioxidant capacity, sperm characteristics and mitigates testicular damage in rats exposed to experimental HS.

Calcium and vitamin D homoeostasis in male fertility.

Calcium and vitamin D have well-established roles in maintaining calcium balance and bone health. Decades of research in human subjects and animals have revealed that calcium and vitamin D also have effects on many other organs including male reproductive organs. The presence of calcium-sensing receptor, vitamin D receptor, vitamin D activating and inactivating enzymes and calcium channels in the testes, male reproductive tract and human spermatozoa suggests that vitamin D and calcium may modify male reproductive function. Functional animal models have shown that vitamin D deficiency in male rodents leads to a decrease in successful mating and fewer pregnancies, often caused by impaired sperm motility and poor sperm morphology. Human studies have to a lesser extent validated these findings; however, newer studies suggest a positive effect of vitamin D supplementation on semen quality in cases with vitamin D deficiency, which highlights the need for initiatives to prevent vitamin D deficiency. Calcium channels in male reproductive organs and spermatozoa contribute to the regulation of sperm motility and capacitation, both essential for successful fertilisation, which supports a need to avoid calcium deficiency. Studies have demonstrated that vitamin D, as a regulator of calcium homoeostasis, influences calcium influx in the testis and spermatozoa. Emerging evidence suggests a potential link between vitamin D deficiency and male infertility, although further investigation is needed to establish a definitive causal relationship. Understanding the interplay between vitamin D, calcium and male reproductive health may open new avenues for improving fertility outcomes in men.

Osteopontin Concentration in Prostates Fractions: A Novel Marker of Sperm Quality in Dogs.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the sperm quality and the osteopontin (OPN) concentration in the prostates of Malakli shepherd dogs. Ejaculates were collected once by digital manipulation from 39 male dogs aged between 2 and 4 years and older. The first and third fractions of the ejaculate were centrifuged at 5000× g for 30 min, and supernatants were stored at -80 °C for further analysis of OPN using a double-antibody sandwich method (SEA899CA, Cloude-Clone Corp, Houston, TX, USA). Meanwhile, the second fractions were evaluated for sperm motility, concentration, viability, and rate of abnormal spermatozoa (head, acrosome, midpiece and tail abnormalities). The average concentration of OPN was 8.7 ± 5.2 ng/mL, and it differed significantly between the 1st 10.4 ± 5.3 ng/mL and 3rd 7.4 ± 5 ng/mL fractions. According to ROC (receiver operating characteristic curve) analysis, the OPN concentration had a better diagnostic ability for sperm motility (p < 0.001) than for the rate of abnormal spermatozoa (p < 0.05). Additionally, the OPN concentration was negatively correlated with poor sperm morphology and motility. In conclusion, the OPN concentration in prostate-derived secretions may be a possible marker of sperm quality in dogs. Further research could explore the involvement of OPN in sperm motility during cryopreservation and in vivo fertility.

Association between childhood obesity and infertility in later life: a systematic review of cohort studies

BackgroundThe global prevalence of childhood obesity has exhibited a troubling surge in recent years. Due to the raised questions regarding its potential correlation with infertility in adulthood, this systematic review has been undertaken to explore the relationships between childhood obesity, and infertility later in life.MethodsA comprehensive search was performed in three international databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus). All cohort (retrospective or prospective), case-cohort, and nested case-control studies until April 2022 which assessed the association of obesity in children and adolescents with male and female infertility indicators in later life were included. The quality of the included studies was assessed by Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment checklists.ResultOut of the initial 32,501 documents, eleven eligible studies with a total sample size of 498,980 participants were included. Five studies focused on the number of offspring and indicated that obesity, especially in adolescence had an association with later life lower number of children, nulliparity, and childlessness in both men and women. Concerning conceiving problems, two studies showed that obesity before age 12 increased the risk of female fertility problems in the future. Two studies reported that obesity in early life raised the risk of impaired female reproductive system such as menstrual or ovulatory problems. As well as females, a study discovered that obesity in men during their 20s was linked to an elevated risk of low sperm motility and poor sperm morphology. Another study has reported men with higher pre-pubertal BMI had lower sex hormone-binding globulin; however, the same association was not seen between childhood BMI and semen quality.ConclusionThe evidence suggests a positive association between childhood obesity with infertility indicators in later life. Childhood weight reduction strategies are suggested to be implemented in societies in order to reduce infertility rates in later life.

Impact of intracytoplasmic morphologically selected sperm injection versus intracytoplasmic sperm injection on in vitro fertilization outcome in cases of poor sperm morphology or sperm deoxyribonucleic acid damage

This study airms to asses intracytoplasmic morphologically selected sperm injection (IMSI) compared to intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in cases of male factor infertility. This article compares IMSI and ICSI in patients with poor sperm morphology or a raised deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragmentation index. After meeting the inclusion criteria, 134 couples were included in the study and randomized into two groups: in vitro fertilization (IVF)-ICSI and IVF-IMSI. The results showed a higher fertilization rate (77.2 vs 54.04%) and a higher quality embryo rate (61.2 vs 40.9%) in IMSI cycles compared to ICSI cycles, and these differences were statistically significant (P value 0.009). IMSI has shown better fertilization rates compared to ICSI in patients with poor morphology. The difference in biochemical pregnancy rates (56.72 vs 34.3%) between the two groups was statistically significant (P value 0.009). This study concluded that IMSI had a higher likelihood of resulting in pregnancy in couples with male factor infertility..

Varicocele: a Case Report

Varicocele is a condition with abnormality in growth and dilatation of veins that drains blood from the testicle, the scrotal venous pampiniform plexus. Although commonly painless, varicocele is the most prevalent cause that resulted in low count of sperm, poor sperm morphology, abnormal analysis of semen, and reduced sperm motility.

Curcumin Remedies Testicular Function and Spermatogenesis in Male Mice with Low-Carbohydrate-Diet-Induced Metabolic Dysfunction.

Increasing reports on the significance of dietary patterns in reproduction have arisen from both animal and human studies, suggesting an interactive association between nutrition and male fertility. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of curcumin supplementation on low-carbohydrate-diet-induced metabolic dysfunction, testicular antioxidant capacity, apoptosis, inflammation and spermatogenesis in male mice. Male C57BL/6 mice were fed a normal diet (AIN-93M group, n = 12) and a low-carbohydrate diet for 12 weeks (LC group, fed with low-carbohydrate diet, n = 48), and mice randomly chosen from the LC group were later fed their original diet (LC group, n = 12). This diet was changed to AIN-93M feed (LC/AIN-93M group, n = 12), a ketogenic diet (LC/KD group, n = 12), or a ketogenic diet treated with curcumin supplementation for the final 6 weeks (LC/KDCu group, n = 12). A poor sperm morphology and mean testicular biopsy score (MTBS) were observed in the LC and LC/KD groups, but they were eliminated by the normal diet or ketogenic diet with curcumin. The LC group exhibited a lower testicular testosterone level and a lower 17β-HSD activity and protein expression. This also enhanced apoptosis protein expressions in testis tissue, including Bax/BCl2, cleaved caspase 3, PARP and NF-κB. Meanwhile, we found a statistically significant increase in lipid peroxidation and decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase levels in the LC group. Our study indicated that a replacement of a normal diet or ketogenic diet supplemented with curcumin attenuated poor semen quality and reduced testosterone levels by the LC diet by reducing oxidative stress.

Composition and diversity of the seminal microbiota in bulls and its association with semen parameters

The male bovine microbiota is a relatively unexplored area even though it has been shown to impact the fertility of not only the male but also the female. With this study, our aim was to evaluate the bacterial composition of semen from bulls with either satisfactory or unsatisfactory semen quality as represented by poor sperm motility and/or morphology. We hypothesized based on findings in human and other domestic animal studies, that the microbiota diversity and composition may be associated with decreased sperm quality. Semen samples from 45 beef bulls were collected, 32 of those bulls were classified as having satisfactory spermiograms according to Society for Theriogenology bull breeding soundness exam standards with the remaining 13 bulls being classified as unsatisfactory. Microbiota profiling was performed using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of the V4 region. The most abundant genera in the seminal microbiome include Bacteroides, Corynebacterium 1, Escherichia, Gemella, and S5-A14a (an uncultured bacterium from the Clostridiales order). Bulls with satisfactory spermiograms had a higher abundance of sequence types belonging to many genera including Bacteroides, S5-A14a, Trueperella, and two methanogenic archaea genera Methanosphaera and Methanobrevibacter. Comparatively, samples from bulls with unsatisfactory speriograms had greater abundance of sequence types belonging to Veillonellaceae, Campylobacter, and Methanobacterium. Network analysis was also performed for satisfactory and unsatisfactory samples and indicated that cooccurrence of microbial taxa was less common in the S group than in the U group. In the satisfactory group, Methanobrevibacter cooccurred with twelve amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), indicating that it may be important for maintenance of the microbiota in satisfactory samples, and members of this genus were enriched in the satisfactory group. Opportunistic pathogens such as Campylobacter, and Fusobacterium co-occurred with four and ten ASVs, respectively, in the unsatisfactory group, potentially indicating they are acting in synergy with other member of the microbial community, but only in the unsatisfactory group.

Chronic Prostatitis: Impact of Lifestyle, Infection, and Inflammation on Semen Parameters

Chronic prostatitis is a widespread disease of the prostate affecting men’s sexual and reproductive health worldwide. Its leading causes are urogenital tract infections by microorganisms with a prostate tropism. This study aimed to evaluate semen parameters and the factors associated (lifestyle, urogenital infections, and inflammation) with the onset of chronic prostatitis symptoms. This case-control study included seventy-six donors: 30 volunteers with chronic prostatitis and 46 asymptomatic volunteers for urogenital infections as a control group. Sociodemographic, urinary symptoms, pain location, sexual and reproductive health and lifestyle-related variables were collected in a survey. Seminal quality, cytokine levels in semen and serum, and the presence of nineteen microorganisms in the urogenital tract were evaluated. Prostatitis was also associated with poor sperm morphology, more lipoperoxidation of the sperm membrane, and lower serum nitric oxide concentration. In addition, N. gonorrhoeae infection was detected more frequently in semen samples from volunteers with chronic prostatitis. Volunteers with chronic prostatitis report more frequently erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation, anxiety, depression, and stress compared to the control group. Chronic prostate infections alter the microbiota from the genitourinary tract causing prostatitis, a disease that affects all life areas, including the familiar environment of patients. Chronic prostatitis affects seminal parameters, with a great impact on life quality and sexual and reproductive health. Despite being a relatively unexplored disease, much remains to be clarified regarding its diagnosis and treatment. Alterations in the genitourinary microbiota can favor sexually transmitted infections that produce chronic and systemic inflammation.

Impaired semen quality, an increase of sperm morphological defects and DNA fragmentation associated with environmental pollution in urban population of young men from Western Siberia, Russia.

Poor sperm morphology and an elevated DNA fragmentation level are considered to be related to spermiogenesis malfunctions as a result of genetic mutations and effects of environmental factors, including industrial pollution. Standardized cross-sectional population studies of sperm morphology defects and sperm DNA fragmentation, especially in regions with increased environmental pollution may be helpful to investigate an influence of industrial pollution and other population-related factors on spermiogenesis process. The aim of present study was to estimate an influence industrial pollution on sperm morphogenesis and sperm DNA fragmentation in men from the general population of the Western Siberia. The Novosibirsk and Kemerovo cities are located to same climatic conditions in Western Siberia but the Kemerovo city is characterized by increased environmental pollution especially by particulate matter (PM). The male volunteers living in Novosibirsk (n = 278) and Kemerovo (n = 258) were enrolled. Percentages of sperm morphological defects are counted after staining native ejaculate smears by Diff-Quick kits. DNA fragmentation was estimated by a SCSA technique. The residents of Kemerovo were characterized by lowered sperm count and sperm motility, elevated DNA fragmentation, poor sperm morphology and increased incidence of morphological effects of head (pyriform, elongated, round, abnormal acrosome and vacuolated chromatine), asymmetrical neck insertion and excess residual cytoplasm. Moreover, elevated DNA fragmentation was associated with lowered sperm count, sperm motility and increased percentages of several sperm morphology defects, with the place of residence affecting the relationships between conventional semen parameters, sperm morphology and DNA fragmentations. Our study suggests that excessive sperm head elongation and impaired acrosome formation can contribute to sperm morphology deterioration in men from polluted areas. Regional features in the relationships between sperm morphology, sperm count and DNA fragmentation were shown, suggesting an importance of studying sperm morphology pattern in men from different regions.

Assessing the impact of semen quality on embryo development in an egg donation model

ObjectiveTo investigate if any of the World Health Organization semen parameters and/or male age are associated with embryo development.DesignRetrospective chart review between January 2008 and May 2015.SettingAcademic fertility practice.PatientsAnonymous egg donors aged ≤30 years.InterventionsChart review.Main Outcome MeasuresSperm parameters were evaluated on a continuum and were dichotomized to determine if low values (strict morphology < 4%, concentration < 15 × 106, low motility < 40%) or older age (>50 years) are associated with embryo morphology. Repeated linear regression measures to determine the associations and multivariate testing to determine independent effects for each predictor were performed.ResultsThree hundred eighty-four donors with 574 egg donation cycles were identified, and 205 subjects with 275 cycles were included in the final analysis. The mean donor age was 25.31 ± 2.81 years, with a mean antral follicle count of 28.09 ± 10.5. The mean male age was 43.25 ± 6.65 years. The mean World Health Organization semen parameters at fertilization were 55.8 × 106 ± 44.3 × 106/mL concentration, 44.8% ± 20.2% motility, and 6.9% ± 5.3% strict morphology. Neither male age nor sperm morphology was associated with embryo morphology. A low total motile count was significantly associated with a higher cell number in day-3 embryos and a 1.56-times higher chance of poor day-3 cell symmetry. There was no statistically significant difference in blastocyst formation, clinical pregnancy, or live-birth rates.ConclusionsAlthough statistically significant, the effect of the low total motile count on day-3 cell number and cell symmetry are likely clinically insignificant. Male age, race, or poor sperm morphology were not associated with a poor cycle outcome or impaired embryo development. The use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection likely alleviates the negative effect of diminished semen quality on treatment outcome.

Phytoestrogen intake and other dietary risk factors for low motile sperm count and poor sperm morphology.

Few potentially modifiable risk factors of male infertility have been identified, and while different diets and food groups have been associated with male infertility, evidence linking dietary factors including phytoestrogens and semen quality is limited and contradictory. To study the associations between phytoestrogen intake and other dietary factors and semen quality. A case-referent study was undertaken of the male partners, of couples attempting conception with unprotected intercourse for 12months or more without success, recruited from 14 UK assisted reproduction clinics. A total of 1907 participants completed occupational, lifestyle and dietary questionnaires before semen quality (concentration, motility and morphology) were assessed. Food intake was estimated by a 65-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) covering the 12months prior to recruitment. Analyses of dietary risk factors for low motile sperm concentration (MSC: <4.8×106 /mL) and poor sperm morphology (PM: <4% normal morphology) used unconditional logistic regression, accounting for clustering of subjects within the clinics, first without, and then with, adjustment for confounders associated with that outcome. High consumption of daidzein (≥13.74μg/d), a phytoestrogen found in soy products, was a protective factor for MSC with an odds ratio (95%CI) of 0.58 (0.42-0.82) after adjustment for clustering and potential confounding. Dietary risk factors for PM after similar adjustment showed that drinking whole milk (OR 0.67, 95%CI 0.47-0.96) and eating red meat were protective with an OR 0.67 (0.46-0.99) for eating red meat >3 times/wk. In this case-referent study of men attending an infertility clinic for fertility diagnosis, we have identified that low MSC is inversely associated with daidzein intake. In contrast, daidzein intake was not associated with PM but eating red milk and drinking whole milk were protective. Dietary factors associated with semen quality were identified, suggesting that male fertility might be improved by dietary changes.

Circulating sex hormone levels in relation to male sperm quality

BackgroundAlthough sex hormones play critical roles in spermatogenesis and sperm maturation, it remains inconclusive whether circulating sex hormones can serve as non-invasive biomarkers to improve the assessment of sperm quality.MethodsWe systematically evaluated the association of various sex hormones in serum with sperm quality among 338 men in subfertile couples. Concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), total testosterone (TT), total estradiol (E2), and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) were detected by chemiluminescent immunoassay. Free testosterone and estradiol were calculated using a validated algorithm. A generalized liner regression model controlling for lifestyle factors was used to evaluate the associations with sperm count, concentration, motility, and morphology.ResultsAfter adjusting for age, body mass index, current smoking and alcohol drinking, LH, FSH, and TT levels were all inversely associated with sperm motility (all P for trend < 0.05); however, in mutual adjustment analysis, only LH remained an inverse association with sperm motility after adjusting for FSH and TT levels (P for trend = 0.04). Higher concentrations of LH were also associated with lower sperm progressive motility (P for trend = 0.04). Moreover, LH and FSH levels were both inversely associated with normal sperm morphology (P for trend = 0.04 and 0.02, respectively).ConclusionsIncreased levels of LH are associated with poor sperm motility and morphology, suggesting that LH may play a central role in sperm maturation. Future studies are warranted to assess potential clinical utility of LH for risk stratification and tailed prevention of male infertility.

Haprin-deficient spermatozoa are incapable of in vitro fertilization.

Haprin (TRIM36) is a ubiquitin-protein ligase that mediates ubiquitination and subsequent proteasomal degradation of target proteins. It is expressed in the testes in both mice and humans and is thought to be involved in spermiogenesis, the acrosome reaction, and fertilization. However, the functional role of Haprin is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the physiological role of Haprin in fertility. Homozygous haprin-deficient mice were generated and these mice, and their spermatozoa, were analyzed to detect morphological and fertility-related abnormalities. In these models, normal spermatogenesis was observed but sperm quality was reduced with haprin-deficient mice having poorer sperm morphology and motility than wild-type mice. Interestingly, haprin-deficient mice showed normal in vivo fertility but could not fertilize oocytes under standard in vitro fertilization conditions. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that Haprin deficiency causes morphological abnormalities in spermatozoa, indicating that Haprin is involved in spermiogenesis.

Incidence and impact of hyperviscosity on sperm parameters of Malawian men seeking assisted reproduction.

Seminal hyperviscosity has been shown to be associated with male infertility. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of hyperviscosity in semen of Malawian males seeking infertility treatment. A total of 120 men visiting our laboratory for fertility assessment donated semen samples. The semen samples were assessed for hyperviscosity, volume, concentration, total motility, progressive motility, viability, and morphology. Out of the 120 samples analyzed, 34 samples were hyperviscous representing 28.3%. No significant statistical difference in semen volume between samples with normal viscosity compared to those with hyperviscosity (p>0.05). Sperm concentration, progressive motility, total motility, viability, and normal morphology were significantly higher in the normal viscosity group when compared to the abnormal viscocity group (p<0.05). Hyperviscosity affects a significant number of men in Malawi and may be the cause of decreased fertility as it was associated with poor sperm concentration, total motility, progressive motility, viability, and morphology.

Dietary fluted pumpkin seeds induce reversible oligospermia and androgen insufficiency in adult rats

ABSTRACTSome components of the human diets are believed to be promising male contraceptive agents. The present study examined the antispermatogenic efficacy, reversibility and toxicity of fluted pumpkin seed-supplemented diet (DFPS) in adult male Wistar rats. Adult rats were given DFPS at 2.5, 5 and 10% for 60 days followed by 60 days post-treatment period. The control animals received normal standard rat diet not supplemented with fluted pumpkin seeds. The sperm quality variables, testosterone and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), oxidative status of the testis, steroidogenic enzymes and gamma-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT) activities and the histology of the testis were determined to evaluate the anti-fertility activity of fluted pumpkin seeds. Treatment of animals with DFPS at 5% and 10% resulted in decreased serum and intra-testicular testosterone and FSH concentrations. This effect was associated with decreased activity of 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD), increased testicular oxidative stress and poor sperm quality in the 10% diet group. After 60 days DFPS post-treatment, intra-testicular 17β-HSD and γ-GT activities, FSH and testosterone levels recovered to control values. Furthermore, poor sperm motility, count, morphology and viability as well as severe loss of spermatogonia and other matured epithelial germ cells and Sertoli cells observed especially in the 10% DFPS-treated animals reverted to nearly control values 60 days after withdrawal of treatment. Dietary fluted pumpkin seeds may selectively act on the epithelial germ cells, possibly mediated via Sertoli cells, leading to oligospermia, oxidative damage and androgen insufficiency. The reversibility of these effects to near normal levels after withdrawal of treatment justifies further consideration of DFPS as it may be an effective and readily reversible agent that meets the required criteria of a male contraceptive agent.Abbreviations: GC-MS: gas-chromatography mass spectrophotometry; MPO: myeloperoxidase; NO: nitric oxide; DFPS: dietary fluted pumpkin seeds; DFPS (REV): DFPS post-treatment; MDA: malondialdehyde; SOD: superoxide dismutase; CAT: catalase; GSH: glutathione; 3β-HSD: 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase; 17β-HSD: 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase; NAD: nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (oxidized); NADH: nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (reduced); ITT: intra-testicular testosterone; FSH: follicle-stimulating hormone; FPS: fluted pumpkin seeds; NIST: National Institute Standard and Technology; Av: absolute volume; Ac: cross-sectional area; ST: seminiferous tubules; γ-GT: gamma glutamyl transferase.

Relationship between sperm DNA damage with sperm parameters, oxidative markers in teratozoospermic men

ObjectiveThis study was aimed at determining the extent of sperm nuclear DNA damage in patients with isolated teratozoospermia and examining its relationship with oxidative stress. Study designSemen samples from 60 patients with isolated teratozoospermia and 30 normozoospermic donors were examined. DNA damage was evaluated by the COMET assay. Seminal antioxidant activities (Superoxide dismutase; Glutathione peroxidase; Catalase), iron and malondialdehyde concentrations were measured spectrophotometrically. ResultsSperm DNA damage; malondialdehyde and iron levels were more elevated in studied groups than controls. Nevertheless, the antioxidant enzyme activity obtained was significantly lower in the group of patients with teratozoospermia compared to the controls. Sperm DNA damage was positively correlated to malondialdehyde and seminal iron level while reduced seminal antioxidant status was negatively associated with sperm DNA breaks. Interestingly, we noted that sperm DNA damage; lipid peroxidation, iron level, and impaired antioxidant status were negatively correlated to normal sperm morphology. ConclusionThese findings may explain the complex biological relationship between teratozoospermia, oxidative stress, and DNA damage. In fact, an impaired seminal antioxidant status and an increased seminal level of both lipid peroxidation and iron can affect sperm nuclear integrity resulting in DNA breaks and can be associated with poor sperm morphology.

Proteomic analysis reveals dysregulated cell signaling in ejaculated spermatozoa from infertile men

Dysfunctional sperm maturation is the primary reason for the poor sperm motility and morphology in infertile men. Spermatozoa from infertile men were fractioned on three-layer density gradient (80%, 60%, and 40%). Fraction 1 (F1) refers to the least mature stage having the lowest density, whereas the fraction 4 (F4) includes the most dense and morphologically mature motile spermatozoa. Fraction 2 (F2) and fraction 3 (F3) represent the intermediate stages. Proteins were extracted and separated by 1-dimensional gel. Bands were digested with trypsin and analyzed on a LTQ-Orbitrap Elite hybrid mass spectrometer system. Functional annotations of proteins were obtained using bioinformatics tools and pathway databases. A total of 1585 proteins were detected in the four fractions of spermatozoa. A dysregulated protein turnover and protein folding may lead to accumulation of defective proteins or proteins that otherwise would have been eliminated during the process of maturation, resulting in the impairment of sperm function. Aberrant chaperone expression may be a major contributing factor to the defective sperm function. Androgen receptor was predicted as a transcription regulator in one of the networks and the affected pathways were chaperone-mediated stress response, proteosomal pathway, and sperm function. The downregulation of key pathways and proteins which compromises the fertilizing potential of spermatozoa may provide insight into the mechanisms that lead to male infertility.

Occupational exposure to pesticides, reproductive hormone levels and sperm quality in young Brazilian men

The association of occupational exposure to current-use pesticides with reproductive hormones, semen quality, and genital measures was investigated among young men in the South of Brazil. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 99 rural and 36 urban men aged 18–23 years. Information on pesticide use was obtained through questionnaire. Serum and semen samples were analyzed for sex hormones and sperm parameters, respectively, and measurement of anogenital distance (AGD) and testis volume (TV) were performed. Associations were explored using multivariate linear regression. Rural men had poorer sperm morphology, higher sperm count, and lower LH levels relative to urban subjects. Lifetime use of pesticides, especially herbicides and fungicides, was associated with poorer morphology and reduced LH and prolactin, with evidence of a linear pattern. Maternal farming during pregnancy was associated with larger AGD and TV. Chronic occupational exposure to modern pesticides may affect reproductive outcomes in young men.

AB23. Male infertility: forgotten issue in men’s health

In general, the man’s response to infertility has been viewed as taking less of an emotionally than his partner’s. While the findings on quality of life (QoL) of infertile women have shown mainly agreement, this seems not to be the case in men. Studies on men’s QoL have resulted in inconclusive findings. It is clear that male infertility is one of important issues in men’s health as it could alter the men’s self-esteem (read: quality of life). Medical recommendations to resolve male infertility problems can be classified into three categories; surgical or medical therapy, donor insemination (DI), and assisted reproductive technologies (ART). Psychological research and consultation have been most implicated with the latter two recommendations. The fact that some infertile couples can realize their goal of forming a biological family when here to fore such as possibility was denied them, serves to strengthen the family unit. In vitro fertilization (IVF) offers a chance to produce a child for those men who are sub-fertile, that is, have a low sperm count, poor sperm motility or morphology. Overall, there is much evidence to show that women react more intensely to IVF than men. Research has shown that prior to IVF, women report more anxiety and depression, and after treatment failure depressive symptomatology is less common in men. More surprisingly are recent findings, which show that men and women are similar in terms of how they respond to different stages of an IVF cycle. Authors’ experience with PESA and TESE showed good results in the treatment of male factor infertility, with good participation of the male’s partner.