7beta-hydroxy-epiandrosterone (7beta-OH-EpiA) is an endogenous androgen metabolite that has been shown to exert neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory and anti-estrogenic effects. However, to the best of our knowledge no information is available about this androgen steroid in relation to sperm quality. We analyzed 7beta-OH-EpiA in plasma and seminal plasma using a newly developed isotope dilution ultra-high performance liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry method. Validation met the requirements of FDA guidelines. Levels of 7beta-OH-EpiA were measured in 191 men with different degrees of infertility. One-way analysis of variance followed by multiple comparison and correlation analysis adjusted for age, BMI and abstinence time were performed to evaluate the relationships between this steroid and sperm quality. Concentrations of 7beta-OH-EpiA in seminal plasma were significantly higher in severely infertile men in comparison with healthy men and slightly infertile men. The same trend was found when blood plasma was evaluated. Furthermore, plasma 7beta-OH-EpiA negatively correlated with sperm concentration (-0.215; p<0.01) and total count (-0.15; p<0.05). Seminal 7beta-OH-EpiA was negatively associated with motility (-0.26; p<0.01), progressively motile spermatozoa (-0.233; p<0.01) and nonprogressively motile spermatozoa (-0.188; p<0.05). 7beta-OH-EpiA is associated with lower sperm quality and deserves more research in that respect.
- MeSH
- androsteron analogy a deriváty krev MeSH
- biologické markery krev MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- fertilita fyziologie MeSH
- kohortové studie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- motilita spermií fyziologie MeSH
- mužská infertilita krev diagnóza MeSH
- sperma metabolismus MeSH
- Check Tag
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
This study investigated the effect of hormonal changes on semen quality, chromatin status, and assisted reproductive outcomes (intracytoplasmic sperm injection), among infertile men. In this research, 219 infertile men undergoing assisted reproductive treatment were evaluated with reproductive hormone levels (including follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone and testosterone), semen parameters, and sperm chromatin integrity and condensation, between 2012 and 2014. Finally, the assisted reproductive outcomes in these infertile men were studied. The low rate of total sperm count, motility and morphology, fertilization and the high percentage of DNA damage, the poor zygote (Z4 grade) and embryo quality (grade D), and spontaneous miscarriage was recorded in men with high levels of follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone. In conclusion, the changes in the follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and testosterone by changes in the sperm quality, and DNA damage may have the effects on assisted reproductive outcomes (e.g., low fertilization, poor zygote and embryo quality, and high miscarriage).
- MeSH
- asistovaná reprodukce * MeSH
- chromatin genetika MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- folikuly stimulující hormon krev MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- luteinizační hormon krev MeSH
- mladý dospělý MeSH
- motilita spermií MeSH
- mužská infertilita * krev terapie MeSH
- počet spermií MeSH
- poškození DNA MeSH
- samovolný potrat MeSH
- těhotenství statistika a číselné údaje MeSH
- testosteron krev MeSH
- výsledek terapie MeSH
- Check Tag
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladý dospělý MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- těhotenství statistika a číselné údaje MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
The aims of this study were to determine concentrations of total homocysteine, cysteine, cysteinylglycine and glutathione in spermatozoa, seminal fluid and blood plasma and to analyse their relationships with sperm parameters. For this reason, a new highly effective method of spermatozoa lysis was developed, using methanol, freezing and subsequent thawing in ultrasonic bath. An HPLC-FD assay was conducted on thiols concentrations in lysed spermatozoa, seminal fluid and blood plasma. Concentrations of thiols in spermatozoa were significantly lower in men with normozoospermia than in samples with pathological semen parameters. Statistical analysis found significant correlations between thiol concentrations in spermatozoa and semen parameters, while the same analysis with thiol concentrations in seminal fluid was substantially less powerful. Only cysteinylglycine concentrations in seminal fluid significantly correlated with pathological semen parameters. No significant differences or correlations were found with blood plasma concentrations.
- MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- frakcionace buněk metody MeSH
- homocystein analýza krev MeSH
- intracelulární prostor chemie MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- mužská infertilita krev metabolismus MeSH
- sperma chemie MeSH
- spermie chemie ultrastruktura MeSH
- sulfhydrylové sloučeniny analýza krev MeSH
- Check Tag
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
The aim of the study was to identify human sperm antigens reacting with polyclonal antisperm antibodies. Protein sperm extracts were subjected to electrofocusing, and next immune reactions (immunoblotting) were carried out with positive for antisperm antibodies and control (not containing antisperm antibodies) serum samples. Proteomic analysis of human sperm proteins resulted in identification of 80 sperm antigens that could be divided into three groups: antigens specific for patients with antisperm antibodies (32), antigens recognised by both infertile patients and control sera (35) and antigens detected by control serum samples only (13). Among antigens specific for infertile patients, there were 12 sperm entities known to be involved in fertilisation process. We have also characterised three protein entities identified only by sera of infertile women. Altogether, the proteomic analysis resulted in identification of 27 sperm entities not reported previously in human sperm proteome. Identified proteins are sperm antigens that could be potentially responsible for immunological infertility. The study also sheds new light on the sperm antigens in aspect of gender specificity. The investigation of human sperm proteome by the use of antisperm antibodies-containing sera of infertile individuals not only may indicate new proteins but also can draft their immunological nature.
- MeSH
- autoprotilátky krev MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mužská infertilita krev imunologie MeSH
- proteomika MeSH
- spermie imunologie MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is a factor most associated with female fertility and especially with the ovarian reserve. AMH is also used as a parameter of fertility in men as it arises from the epithelium of the seminiferous tubules that contain Sertoli cells which produce the AMH. To investigate the relationship between AMH production and sperm related parameters we compared the AMH levels in serum and seminal plasma between a group of healthy males (n=65) and male patients (n=68) of infertile couples with semen pathology. We assessed the following fertility parameters: sperm count (SC), presence of intra-acrosomal enzymes (IAE), and antispermatozoal antibodies (ASA). Infertile men were divided into four subgroups according to: SC less than 15 million, SC less than 15 million and lack of IAE, SC less than 15 million and presence of ASA, presence of all three pathological parameters. The mean AMH serum level in the healthy group was 6.95 ng/ml and no significant difference was observed in serum AMH levels. The mean AMH seminal plasma level in the healthy group was 14.21 ng/ml. We observed a statistically significant decrease in the group with a SC with less than 15 million (3.29 ng/ml, p=0.0001) sperm, in the group with SC less than 15 million sperm and lack of IAE (3.95 ng/ml, p=0.0046), and in the group with all three pathological parameters (2.65 ng/ml, p=<0.0001). No significant difference was observed in the group with SC less than 15 million sperm and ASA positivity (11.41 ng/ml, p=0.3171). In conclusion AMH serum levels do not correlate with any of the observed parameters. AMH levels in seminal plasma positively correlate with the pathological SC and with SC pathology and IAE together.
- MeSH
- akrozom enzymologie MeSH
- analýza spermatu MeSH
- antimülleriánský hormon krev MeSH
- autoprotilátky imunologie MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- fertilita * MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mužská infertilita krev imunologie MeSH
- počet spermií MeSH
- sperma metabolismus MeSH
- spermie imunologie MeSH
- Check Tag
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- srovnávací studie MeSH
BACKGROUND: In the testis, steroid hormones play an important role in spermatogenesis, the production of semen, and the maintenance of secondary sex characteristics and libido. They may also play a role as a target for substances called endocrine disruptors (EDs). As yet, however, no complex study has been conducted evaluating the relationships between EDs and the steroid spectrum in the plasma and seminal plasma. OBJECTIVES: To shed more light into mechanisms of EDs and the effects of bisphenol A (BPA) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on human spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis. METHODS: We determined BPA and 11 steroids in the plasma and seminal plasma of 191 men with different degrees of fertility, using a newly developed liquid-chromatography mass spectrometry method. Concurrently, plasma levels of 6 congeners of PCBs, gonadotropins, selenium, zinc and homocysteine were measured. Partial correlations adjusted for age, BMI and abstinence time were performed to evaluate relationships between these analytes. RESULTS: Seminal BPA, but not plasma BPA, was negatively associated with sperm concentration (r=-0.198; p=0.009), sperm count (r=-0.178; p=0.018) and morphology (r=-0.160; p=0.044). Divergent and sometimes opposing associations of steroids and BPA were found in both body fluids. The sum of PCB congeners was negatively associated with testosterone, free testosterone, the free androgen index and dihydrotestosterone in plasma. CONCLUSION: BPA may negatively contribute to the final state of sperm quality. Moreover, our data indicate that BPA influences human gonadal and adrenal steroidogenesis at various steps. Environmental levels of PCBs negatively correlated with androgen levels, but surprisingly without negative effects on sperm quality.
- MeSH
- benzhydrylové sloučeniny analýza krev toxicita MeSH
- chromatografie kapalinová metody MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- endokrinní disruptory analýza krev toxicita MeSH
- fenoly analýza krev toxicita MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mužská infertilita krev chemicky indukované epidemiologie MeSH
- počet spermií MeSH
- pohlavní steroidní hormony krev MeSH
- polychlorované bifenyly analýza krev toxicita MeSH
- sperma chemie účinky léků MeSH
- spermatogeneze účinky léků MeSH
- spermie chemie účinky léků patologie MeSH
- testosteron krev MeSH
- Check Tag
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
The general population is potentially exposed to many chemicals that can affect the endocrine system. These substances are called endocrine disruptors (EDs), and among them bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the most widely used and well studied. Nonetheless, there are still no data on simultaneous measurements of various EDs along with steroids directly in the seminal fluid, where deleterious effects of EDs on spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis are assumed. We determined levels of BPA and 3 estrogens using LC-MS/MS in the plasma and seminal plasma of 174 men with different degrees of infertility. These men were divided according their spermiogram values into 4 groups: (1) healthy men, and (2) slightly, (3) moderate, and (4) severely infertile men. Estradiol levels differed across the groups and body fluids. Slightly infertile men have significantly higher BPA plasma and seminal plasma levels in comparison with healthy men (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). Furthermore, seminal BPA, but not plasma BPA, was negatively associated with sperm concentration and total sperm count (-0.27; p<0.001 and -0.24; p<0.01, respectively). These findings point to the importance of seminal plasma in BPA research. Overall, a disruption of estrogen metabolism was observed together with a weak but significant impact of BPA on sperm count and concentration.
- MeSH
- benzhydrylové sloučeniny krev metabolismus MeSH
- biologické markery krev metabolismus MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- estrogeny krev metabolismus MeSH
- fenoly krev metabolismus MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mužská infertilita krev diagnóza metabolismus MeSH
- počet spermií metody MeSH
- sperma metabolismus MeSH
- Check Tag
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
BACKGROUND: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are essential for sperm function. However, excessive ROS production can impair sperm function and might be a factor contributing to male infertility. METHODS: We investigated the levels of arachidonic acid (AA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as well as lipid peroxidation, as represented by thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS), in blood and seminal plasma of 38 normozoospermic males from infertile couples (NSI-males), compared with that of 17 fertile volunteers (FV-males). RESULTS: TBARS levels in blood and seminal plasma were higher in NSI-males than in FV-males (P < 0.0002, P < 0.0003, respectively), as were AA levels (P < 0.0003, P < 0.00004, respectively). On the contrary, the blood and seminal plasma levels of DHA were lower in NSI-males than in FV-males (P < 0.02 and P < 0.05, respectively). The AA/DHA ratios in blood and seminal plasma were higher in NSI-males than in FV-males (P < 0.003, P < 0.0007, respectively). Significant correlations between seminal and blood plasma levels of TBARS (P < 0.0001, r = 0.548), AA (P < 0.0001, r = 0.571) and DHA (P < 0.0001, r = 0.506) were found. CONCLUSIONS: Our data provide new insight into lipid metabolism in male infertility and indicate that systemic oxidative stress resulting in increased lipid peroxidation and an altered fatty acid profile may be, at least in part, responsible for infertility even in normozoospermic males.
- MeSH
- analýza spermatu MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- kyseliny arachidonové metabolismus MeSH
- kyseliny dokosahexaenové metabolismus MeSH
- látky reagující s kyselinou thiobarbiturovou metabolismus MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mužská infertilita krev patofyziologie MeSH
- oxidační stres MeSH
- peroxidace lipidů MeSH
- reaktivní formy kyslíku metabolismus MeSH
- sperma metabolismus MeSH
- ženská infertilita MeSH
- Check Tag
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
