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Gajski G, Ravlić S, Godschalk R, Collins A, Dusinska M, Brunborg G. Application of the comet assay for the evaluation of DNA damage in mature sperm. MUTATION RESEARCH. REVIEWS IN MUTATION RESEARCH 2021; 788:108398. [PMID: 34893163 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2021.108398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
DNA integrity is considered an important parameter of semen quality and is of significant value as a predictor of male fertility. Currently, there are several methods that can assess sperm DNA integrity. One such assay is the comet assay, or single-cell gel electrophoresis, which is a simple, sensitive, reliable, quick and low-cost technique that is used for measuring DNA strand breaks and repair at the level of individual cells. Although the comet assay is usually performed with somatic cells from different organs, the assay has the ability to detect genotoxicity in germ cells at different stages of spermatogenesis. Since the ability of sperm to remove DNA damage differs between the stages, interpretation of the results is dependent on the cells used. In this paper we give an overview on the use and applications of the comet assay on mature sperm and its ability to detect sperm DNA damage in both animals and humans. Overall, it can be concluded that the presence in sperm of significantly damaged DNA, assessed by the comet assay, is related to male infertility and seems to reduce live births. Although there is some evidence that sperm DNA damage also has a long-term impact on offspring's health, this aspect of DNA damage in sperm is understudied and deserves further attention. In summary, the comet assay can be applied as a useful tool to study effects of genotoxic exposures on sperm DNA integrity in animals and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goran Gajski
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Mutagenesis Unit, Zagreb, Croatia.
| | - Sanda Ravlić
- University of Zagreb, Centre for Research and Knowledge Transfer in Biotechnology, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Roger Godschalk
- Maastricht University, School for Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM), Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Andrew Collins
- University of Oslo, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Nutrition, Oslo, Norway
| | - Maria Dusinska
- Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU), Department of Environmental Chemistry, Health Effects Laboratory, Kjeller, Norway
| | - Gunnar Brunborg
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), Section of Molecular Toxicology, Department of Environmental Health, Oslo, Norway
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Beal MA, Yauk CL, Marchetti F. From sperm to offspring: Assessing the heritable genetic consequences of paternal smoking and potential public health impacts. MUTATION RESEARCH. REVIEWS IN MUTATION RESEARCH 2017; 773:26-50. [PMID: 28927533 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2017.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2017] [Revised: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 04/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Individuals who smoke generally do so with the knowledge of potential consequences to their own health. What is rarely considered are the effects of smoking on their future children. The objective of this work was to review the scientific literature on the effects of paternal smoking on sperm and assess the consequences to offspring. A literature search identified over 200 studies with relevant data in humans and animal models. The available data were reviewed to assess the weight of evidence that tobacco smoke is a human germ cell mutagen and estimate effect sizes. These results were used to model the potential increase in genetic disease burden in offspring caused by paternal smoking, with specific focus on aneuploid syndromes and intellectual disability, and the socioeconomic impacts of such an effect. The review revealed strong evidence that tobacco smoking is associated with impaired male fertility, and increases in DNA damage, aneuploidies, and mutations in sperm. Studies support that these effects are heritable and adversely impact the offspring. Our model estimates that, with even a modest 25% increase in sperm mutation frequency caused by smoke-exposure, for each generation across the global population there will be millions of smoking-induced de novo mutations transmitted from fathers to offspring. Furthermore, paternal smoking is estimated to contribute to 1.3 million extra cases of aneuploid pregnancies per generation. Thus, the available evidence makes a compelling case that tobacco smoke is a human germ cell mutagen with serious public health and socio-economic implications. Increased public education should be encouraged to promote abstinence from smoking, well in advance of reproduction, to minimize the transmission of harmful mutations to the next-generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc A Beal
- Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada; Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K9, Canada
| | - Carole L Yauk
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K9, Canada
| | - Francesco Marchetti
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K9, Canada.
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Lipovac M, Bodner F, Imhof M, Chedraui P. Comparison of the effect of a combination of eight micronutrients versus a standard mono preparation on sperm parameters. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2016; 14:84. [PMID: 27938385 PMCID: PMC5148870 DOI: 10.1186/s12958-016-0219-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2016] [Accepted: 12/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There are reports showing that l-carnitine alone or in combination with other micronutrients improve sperm parameters. However, comparative studies are still lacking. This study was carried out to compare the short term effects of a combination of eight micronutrients including l-carnitine vs. a mono-substance (l-carnitine alone) on sperm parameters. METHODS This was a prospective, open-labelled, nonrandomized study that included male subjects (20 to 60 years) with at least 1 year of subfertility and at least one pathological semen analysis who received 3 months treatment with a mono-substance (500 mg l-carnitine/twice a day, n = 156) or a combined compound (440 mg l-carnitine + 250 mg l-arginine + 40 mg zinc + 120 mg vitamin E + 80 mg glutathione + 60 μg selenium + 15 mg coenzyme Q10 + 800 μg folic acid/once a day, n = 143) for the same time period. Sperm parameters were analyzed before and after treatment and groups comparisons performed. RESULTS Baseline characteristics were similar among studied groups (age and body mass indices). Semen parameters (volume, density, overall progressive motility [including slow and fast motility]) and percentage of sperm with normal morphology improved after 3 months in both groups as compared to baseline. However, relative change (expressed as % increase of absolute values) for sperm density and overall progressive motility (including fast motility) was found to be higher for the combined micronutrient treatment group as compared to the mono-treatment using l-carnitine alone. CONCLUSION Both analyzed groups displayed a positive short term effect on all sperm parameters; however effect on density and motility was significantly better for the combined formulation. There is need for more research in this matter that includes long term outcome data. TRIAL REGISTRATION Retrospectively registered at ISRCTN (7th October 2016). Study ID: ISRCTN48594239.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Lipovac
- IMI Fertility Center, Vienna, Austria
- Karl Landsteiner Institute for cell-based therapy in Gynecology, Wiener Ring 3-5, 2100 Korneuburg, Austria
| | - Florian Bodner
- IMI Fertility Center, Vienna, Austria
- Karl Landsteiner Institute for cell-based therapy in Gynecology, Wiener Ring 3-5, 2100 Korneuburg, Austria
| | - Martin Imhof
- IMI Fertility Center, Vienna, Austria
- Karl Landsteiner Institute for cell-based therapy in Gynecology, Wiener Ring 3-5, 2100 Korneuburg, Austria
- Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter Chedraui
- Institute of Biomedicine, Research Area for Women’s Health, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil, Guayaquil, Ecuador
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Zhang Z, Zhang X, Sun Z, Dong H, Qiu L, Gu J, Zhou J, Wang X, Wang SL. Cytochrome P450 3A1 mediates 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether-induced reduction of spermatogenesis in adult rats. PLoS One 2013; 8:e66301. [PMID: 23762486 PMCID: PMC3676375 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0066301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2013] [Accepted: 05/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background 2,2′,4,4′-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE47) is the dominant PBDE congener in humans, wildlife, and the environment. It has been reported to be metabolized by cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes. Still, the effects of BDE47 on spermatogenesis failure are attracting an increasing amount of attention. However, it is unclear whether CYP-mediated metabolism contributes to BDE47-induced reproductive toxicity. Methodology and Principal Findings The role of cytochrome P450 3A1 (CYP3A1) in the formation of oxidative metabolites of BDE47 and its induced spermatogenesis failure was investigated in SD rats. BDE47 significantly increased the expression and activity of CYP3A1 in rat liver, and 3-OH-BDE47, the major oxidative metabolite of BDE47, dose-dependently increased in rat liver, serum, and testis, which was aggravated by dexamethasone (DEX), an inducer of CYP3A1. Additionally, testicular 3-OH-BDE47 and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in seminiferous tubules increased especially when BDE47 was administered in combination with DEX, which was confirmed in GC-1 and GC-2 cells that 3-OH-BDE47 induced more ROS production and cell apoptosis via the upregulation of FAS/FASL, p-p53 and caspase 3. As a result, daily sperm production dose-dependently decreased, consistent with histological observations in giant cells and vacuolar spaces and increase in TUNEL-positive apoptotic germ cells. Conclusion CYP3A1-mediated metabolic activation of BDE47 and the active metabolite 3-OH-BDE47 and consequent ROS played an important role in reduction of spermatogenesis by germ cell apoptosis. Our study helps provide new insights into the mechanism of reproductive toxicity of environmental chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhan Zhang
- State Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Toxicology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, P.R.China
- Key Lab of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, P.R.China
| | - Xiaoming Zhang
- State Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Toxicology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, P.R.China
- Key Lab of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, P.R.China
| | - Zhenzhen Sun
- State Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Toxicology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, P.R.China
- Key Lab of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, P.R.China
| | - Huibin Dong
- Key Lab of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, P.R.China
| | - Lianglin Qiu
- State Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Toxicology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, P.R.China
- Key Lab of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, P.R.China
| | - Jun Gu
- Key Lab of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, P.R.China
| | - Jingping Zhou
- Key Lab of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, P.R.China
| | - Xinru Wang
- State Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Toxicology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, P.R.China
- Key Lab of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, P.R.China
| | - Shou-Lin Wang
- State Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Toxicology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, P.R.China
- Key Lab of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, P.R.China
- * E-mail:
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