1
|
Vashisht A, Gahlay GK. Understanding seminal plasma in male infertility: emerging markers and their implications. Andrology 2024; 12:1058-1077. [PMID: 38018348 DOI: 10.1111/andr.13563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
Infertility affects a significant proportion of the reproductive-aged population, with male-associated factors contributing to over half of the cases. However, current diagnostic tools have limitations, leading to an underestimation of the true prevalence of male infertility. While traditional semen parameters provide some insights, they fail to determine the true fertility potential in a substantial number of instances. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate additional molecular targets responsible for male infertility to improve understanding and identification of such cases. Seminal plasma, the main carrier of molecules derived from male reproductive glands, plays a crucial role in reproduction. Amongst its multifarious functions, it regulates processes such as sperm capacitation, sperm protection and maturation, and even interaction with the egg's zona pellucida. Seminal plasma offers a non-invasive sample for urogenital diagnostics and has shown promise in identifying biomarkers associated with male reproductive disorders. This review aims to provide an updated and comprehensive overview of seminal plasma in the diagnosis of male infertility, exploring its composition, function, methods used for analysis, and the application of emerging markers. Apart from the application, the potential challenges of seminal plasma analysis such as standardisation, marker interpretation and confounding factors have also been addressed. Moreover, we have also explored future avenues for enhancing its utility and its role in improving diagnostic strategies. Through comprehensive exploration of seminal plasma's diagnostic potential, the present analysis seeks to advance the understanding of male infertility and its effective management.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ashutosh Vashisht
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India
| | - Gagandeep Kaur Gahlay
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Serrano R, Martin-Hidalgo D, Bilbao J, Bernardo-Seisdedos G, Millet O, Garcia-Marin LJ, Bragado MJ. Quantitative Analysis of the Human Semen Phosphorometabolome by 31P-NMR. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1682. [PMID: 38338962 PMCID: PMC10855173 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Phosphorus-containing metabolites occupy a prominent position in cell pathways. The phosphorometabolomic approach in human sperm samples will deliver valuable information as new male fertility biomarkers could emerge. This study analyzed, by 31P-NMR, seminal plasma and whole semen from asthenozoospermic and normozoospermic samples (71% vs. 27% and 45% vs. 17%, total and progressive sperm motility, respectively), and also ejaculates from healthy donors. At least 16 phosphorus-containing metabolites involved in central energy metabolism and phospholipid, nucleotide, and nicotinamide metabolic pathways were assigned and different abundances between the samples with distinct sperm quality was detected. Specifically, higher levels of phosphocholine, glucose-1-phosphate, and to a lesser degree, acetyl phosphate were found in the asthenozoospermic seminal plasma. Notably, the phosphorometabolites implicated in lipid metabolism were highlighted in the seminal plasma, while those associated with carbohydrate metabolism were more abundant in the spermatozoa. Higher levels of phosphocholine, glucose-1-phosphate, and acetyl phosphate in the seminal plasma with poor quality suggest their crucial role in supporting sperm motility through energy metabolic pathways. In the seminal plasma, phosphorometabolites related to lipid metabolism were prominent; however, spermatozoa metabolism is more dependent on carbohydrate-related energy pathways. Understanding the presence and function of sperm phosphorylated metabolites will enhance our knowledge of the metabolic profile of healthy human sperm, improving assessment and differential diagnosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebeca Serrano
- Research Group of Intracellular Signaling and Technology of Reproduction (SINTREP), Research Institute INBIO G+C, University of Extremadura, 10003 Caceres, Spain; (R.S.); (D.M.-H.)
| | - David Martin-Hidalgo
- Research Group of Intracellular Signaling and Technology of Reproduction (SINTREP), Research Institute INBIO G+C, University of Extremadura, 10003 Caceres, Spain; (R.S.); (D.M.-H.)
| | - Jon Bilbao
- Precision Medicine and Metabolism Laboratory, CIC bioGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 48160 Derio, Spain; (J.B.); (G.B.-S.); (O.M.)
| | - Ganeko Bernardo-Seisdedos
- Precision Medicine and Metabolism Laboratory, CIC bioGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 48160 Derio, Spain; (J.B.); (G.B.-S.); (O.M.)
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Deusto, 48007 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Oscar Millet
- Precision Medicine and Metabolism Laboratory, CIC bioGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 48160 Derio, Spain; (J.B.); (G.B.-S.); (O.M.)
- CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28220 Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis J. Garcia-Marin
- Research Group of Intracellular Signaling and Technology of Reproduction (SINTREP), Research Institute INBIO G+C, University of Extremadura, 10003 Caceres, Spain; (R.S.); (D.M.-H.)
| | - Maria Julia Bragado
- Research Group of Intracellular Signaling and Technology of Reproduction (SINTREP), Research Institute INBIO G+C, University of Extremadura, 10003 Caceres, Spain; (R.S.); (D.M.-H.)
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Arai K, Nishizawa Y, Nagata O, Sakimoto H, Sasaki N, Sano A, Nakamura M. The Role of Chorein Deficiency in Late Spermatogenesis. Biomedicines 2024; 12:240. [PMID: 38275411 PMCID: PMC10813020 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12010240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
VPS13A, also known as chorein, whose loss of function causes chorea-acanthocytosis (ChAc), is characterized by Huntington's-disease-like neurodegeneration and neuropsychiatric symptoms in addition to acanthocytosis in red blood cells. We previously reported that ChAc-model mice with a loss of chorein function exhibited male infertility, with asthenozoospermia and mitochondrial dysmorphology in the spermatozoa. Here, we report a novel aspect of chorein dysfunction in male fertility, particularly its role in spermatogenesis and mitochondrial integrity. An increase in anti-malondialdehyde antibody immunoreaction within the testes, predominantly observed at the advanced stages of sperm formation in chorein-deficient mice, suggests oxidative stress as a contributing factor to mitochondrial dysfunction and impaired sperm maturation. The chorein immunoreactivity in spermatids of wild-type mice accentuates its significance in sperm development. ChAc-model mice exhibit mitochondrial ultrastructural abnormalities, specifically during the late stages of sperm maturation, suggesting a critical timeframe for chorein's action in spermiogenesis. We observed an increase in TOM20 protein levels, indicative of disrupted mitochondrial import mechanisms. The concurrent decrease in metabolic enzymes such as IDH3A, LDHC, PGK2, and ACAT1 suggests a complex chorein-mediated metabolic network that is essential for sperm vitality. Additionally, heightened separation of cytoplasmic droplets from sperm highlights the potential membrane instability in chorein-deficient spermatozoa. Metabolomic profiling further suggests a compensatory metabolic shift, with elevated glycolytic and TCA-cycle substrates. Our findings suggest that chorein is involved in anti-ferroptosis and the maturation of mitochondrial morphology in the late stages of spermatogenesis, and its deficiency leads to asthenozoospermia characterized by membrane instability, abnormal cytosolic glycolysis, abnormal mitochondrial function, and a disrupted TCA cycle. Further analyses are required to unravel the molecular mechanisms that directly link these findings and to elucidate the role of chorein in spermatogenesis as well as its broader implications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Masayuki Nakamura
- Department of Psychiatry, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, 8-35-1 Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima 890-8520, Japan; (K.A.)
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Derakhshan Z, Bahmanpour S, Alaee S, Fallahi J, Tabei SMB. The Role of Circular RNAs in Male Infertility and Reproductive Cancers: A Narrative Review. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCES 2023; 48:527-541. [PMID: 38094281 PMCID: PMC10715113 DOI: 10.30476/ijms.2022.95302.2661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Infertility is a global health problem affecting about 15% of all couples, of which 50% are due to male infertility. Although the etiology of infertility is known in most infertile men, idiopathic male infertility remains a challenge. Therefore, there is a need for novel diagnostic methods to detect the underlying mechanisms and develop appropriate therapies. Recent studies have focused on the role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in male infertility. Circular RNAs (CircRNAs), a type of ncRNAs, are found to play a key role in the development of some pathological conditions, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers, autoimmune diseases, etc. Several studies have reported the presence of CircRNAs and their target genes in the human reproductive system. In addition, their expression in testicular tissues, sperm cells, and seminal fluid has been identified. Abnormal expression of CircRNAs has been associated with azoospermia and asthenozoospermia in infertile men. The present narrative review provides a brief description of the role of CircRNAs in spermatogenic cells, male infertility, and reproductive cancers. In addition, some CircRNAs have been identified as potential biomarkers for disease detection and treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Derakhshan
- Department of Reproductive Biology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Soghra Bahmanpour
- Department of Anatomy and Reproductive Biology, School of Medical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Sanaz Alaee
- Department of Reproductive Biology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- Stem Cells Technology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Jafar Fallahi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Seyed Mohammad Bagher Tabei
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Cheredath A, Uppangala S, Jijo A, Lakshmi RV, Gowda GAN, Kalthur G, Adiga SK. Use of sensitivity-enhanced nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy equipped with a 1.7-mm cryogenically cooled micro-coil probe in identifying human sperm intracellular metabolites. Reprod Fertil Dev 2023; 35:661-668. [PMID: 37643634 DOI: 10.1071/rd22246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
CONTEXT The clinical value of human sperm metabolites has not been established due to the technical complexity in detecting these metabolites when sperm numbers are low. AIMS To detect endogenous intracellular metabolites in fresh and post-thaw human spermatozoa using 800MHz nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy equipped with a 1.7-mm cryo-probe. METHODS Processed spermatozoa from 25 normozoospermic ejaculates were subjected to extraction of intracellular metabolites and then profiled by sensitivity-enhanced NMR spectroscopy equipped with a 1.7-mm cryogenically cooled micro-coil probe. In parallel, some of the processed sperm fractions were subjected to freeze-thawing and were then analysed for intracellular metabolites. KEY RESULTS Twenty-three metabolites were profiled from only 1.25million sperm cells. Comparison of the metabolomic signature of pre-freeze and post-thaw sperm cells did not show significant changes in the levels of metabolites. CONCLUSIONS Sensitivity-enhanced NMR spectroscopy equipped with a 1.7-mm cryogenically cooled micro-coil probe is a potential tool for identifying intracellular metabolites when sperm number is low. IMPLICATIONS Use of sensitivity-enhanced NMR spectroscopy opens up the opportunity to test for endogenous metabolites in samples with a limited number of spermatozoa, to understand the patho-physiology of infertility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aswathi Cheredath
- Centre of Excellence in Clinical Embryology, Department of Reproductive Science, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576 104, India
| | - Shubhashree Uppangala
- Division of Reproductive Genetics, Department of Reproductive Science, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576 104, India
| | - Ameya Jijo
- Centre of Excellence in Clinical Embryology, Department of Reproductive Science, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576 104, India
| | - R Vani Lakshmi
- Department of Data Science, Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576 104, India
| | - G A Nagana Gowda
- Northwest Metabolomics Research Centre, Anaesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Guruprasad Kalthur
- Division of Reproductive Biology, Department of Reproductive Science, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576 104, India
| | - Satish Kumar Adiga
- Centre of Excellence in Clinical Embryology, Department of Reproductive Science, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576 104, India
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Correnti S, Preianò M, Fregola A, Gamboni F, Stephenson D, Savino R, D'Alessandro A, Terracciano R. Seminal plasma untargeted metabolomic and lipidomic profiling for the identification of a novel panel of biomarkers and therapeutic targets related to male infertility. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1275832. [PMID: 37829298 PMCID: PMC10565040 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1275832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Male infertility occurs approximately in about 50% of all infertility cases and represents a serious concern worldwide. Traditional semen analysis alone is insufficient to diagnose male infertility. Over the past two decades, advances in omics technologies have led to the widespread application of metabolomics profiling as a valuable diagnostic tool for various diseases and disorders. Seminal plasma represents a rich and easily accessible source of metabolites surrounding spermatozoa, a milieu that provides several indispensable nutrients to sustain sperm motility and fertilization. Changes of metabolic profiles in seminal plasma reflect male reproductive tract disorders. Here, we performed seminal plasma metabolomics and lipidomics profiling to identify a new pattern of biomarkers of male infertility. Seminal plasma samples from unfertile subjects (n = 31) and fertile controls (n = 19) were analyzed using an untargeted metabolomics/lipidomics integrated approach, based on Ultra-High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography-tandem Mass Spectrometry. Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis showed a distinct separation between healthy fertile men and infertile subjects. Among the 15 selected candidate biomarkers based on Variable Importance in Projection scores, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) (18:1; 18:1) resulted with the highest score. In total, 40 molecular species showed statistically significant variations between fertile and infertile men. Heat-map and volcano plot analysis indicated that acylcarnitines, phosphatidylserine (PS) (40:2) and lactate were decreased, while PE (18:1; 18:1), Phosphatidic acid (PA) (O-19:2; 18:1), Lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE) (O-16:1) and Phosphatidylcholine (PC) (O-16:2; 18:1)-CH3 were increased in the infertile group. The present study is the first one to analyze the metabolomics/lipidomics dysregulation in seminal plasma between fertile and infertile individuals regardless of sub-infertility condition. Association of several metabolites/lipids dysregulation with male infertility reinforced data of previous studies performed with different approaches. In particular, we confirmed significantly decreased levels of PS and carnitines in infertile patients as well as the positive correlation with sperm motility and morphology. If validated on a larger prospective cohort, the metabolite biomarkers of infertility in seminal plasma we identified in the present study might inform novel strategies for diagnosis and interventions to overcome male infertility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Serena Correnti
- Department of Health Sciences, Magna Græcia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | | | | | - Fabia Gamboni
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Daniel Stephenson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Rocco Savino
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Magna Græcia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Angelo D'Alessandro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Rosa Terracciano
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Græcia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Narud B, Khezri A, Zeremichael TT, Eriksen AL, Grevle IS, Nordborg A, Klinkenberg G, Wilson RC, Kommisrud E. Sperm quality parameters, fertilizing potential, metabolites, and DNA methylation in cold-stored and cryopreserved milt from Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar L.). Front Genet 2023; 14:1199681. [PMID: 37693310 PMCID: PMC10483119 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1199681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Cold storage and freezing/thawing of milt may affect sperm functionality and the subsequent fertilization ability of milt. This study aimed to investigate sperm quality parameters and fertilization potential of Atlantic salmon milt, stored cold and subsequently cryopreserved, using different storage conditions. The objective was also to assess if analysis of milt metabolites and sperm DNA methylation signatures could be applicable to further elucidate sperm quality and fertilization following preservation. Milt samples were collected from eight mature Atlantic salmon males and stored for 4 days at 2°C and 8°C. Samples were taken on day one of storage at 2°C and on day four of storage at 2°C and 8°C. Storage for 4 days at 8°C is expected to be detrimental to sperm quality, and was included to create contrasts. Correspondingly, aliquots of cold-stored milt were prepared for cryopreservation, resulting in a total of six experimental conditions. Samples from all six experimental conditions were used in fertilization trials and analyzed for sperm viability, motility, ATP content, DNA fragmentation index, and High DNA stainability. In addition, milt samples from four of the males were analyzed for targeted metabolites and DNA methylation signatures by reduced representation bisulfite sequencing. The fertilization trials were performed using sperm:egg ratios of 75 × 103 and 500 × 103, respectively. Storage duration, temperature, and cryopreservation of cold-stored milt influenced several sperm quality parameters, metabolites, and DNA methylation signatures. The total motility, progressive motility, ATP, and velocity parameters were the sperm parameters with the strongest correlation to fertilization rates (p < 0.01). Several metabolites were correlated with fertility rates in both cold-stored and cryopreserved samples (p < 0.05). The fertilizing capacity of cold-stored milt was significantly reduced after 4 days of storage at 8°C, while corresponding cryopreserved milt showed reduced fertilization at both storage temperatures (2°C and 8°C) (p < 0.05). The results indicate that cryopreservation of milt stored for 1 day does not compromise either fertilization ability or DNA methylation signatures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Birgitte Narud
- Department of Biotechnology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Hamar, Norway
| | - Abdolrahman Khezri
- Department of Biotechnology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Hamar, Norway
| | - Teklu T. Zeremichael
- Department of Biotechnology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Hamar, Norway
| | | | | | | | | | - Robert C. Wilson
- Department of Biotechnology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Hamar, Norway
| | - Elisabeth Kommisrud
- Department of Biotechnology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Hamar, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Li Z, Sun J, Li K, Qin J, Sun Y, Zeng J, El-Ashram S, Zhao Y. Metabolomic analysis reveals spermatozoa and seminal plasma differences between Duroc and Liang guang Small-spotted pig. Front Vet Sci 2023; 9:1078928. [PMID: 36686181 PMCID: PMC9853278 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1078928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The Liang guang Small-spotted pig is a well-known Chinese indigenous pig that is valued for its exceptional meat quality. However, the Liang guang Small-spotted pig has a lower semen storage capacity, shorter storage time and worse semen quality compared to Duroc. Pig sperm used for artificial insemination (AI) loses part of vitality and quality when being stored in commercial solutions. Serious vitality losses and short shelf life of the semen are particularly prominent in Liang guang Small-spotted pig. In this study, the metabolites in seminal plasma and spermatozoa of Duroc and Liang guang Small-spotted pigs were identified using UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS technology. The findings indicated forty distinct metabolites concentrating on energy metabolic substrates and antioxidant capacity in Liang guang Small-spotted pig and Duroc seminal plasma, including D-Fructose, succinate, 2-dehydro-3-deoxy-d-gluconate, alanine betaine, citrate, carnitine, acetylcarnitine and so on. Seventeen different metabolites were explored, with a focus on glycerophospholipid metabolism in Liang guang Small-spotted pig and Duroc spermatozoa, primarily including glycerol 3-phosphate, acetylcarnitine, phosphatidylcholine (PC) 16:0/16:0, palmitoyl sphingomyelin, acetylcholine, choline, glycerophosphocholine, betaine, L-carnitine, creatinine and others. This study reveals the metabolite profile of spermatozoa and seminal plasma among different pig breeds and might be valuable for understanding the mechanisms that lead to sperm storage capacity. Metabolites involved in energy metabolism, antioxidant capacity and glycerophospholipid metabolism might be key to the poor sperm storage capacity in Liang guang Small-spotted pig.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhili Li
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China
| | - Jingshuai Sun
- College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kebiao Li
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China
| | - Jiali Qin
- Guangxi Yangxiang Co., Ltd., Guigang, China
| | - Yanmei Sun
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China
| | - Jianhua Zeng
- Guangdong YIHAO Food Co., Ltd., Guangzhou, China
| | | | - Yunxiang Zhao
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China,Guangxi Yangxiang Co., Ltd., Guigang, China,*Correspondence: Yunxiang Zhao ✉
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Amaral A. Energy metabolism in mammalian sperm motility. WIREs Mech Dis 2022; 14:e1569. [DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Amaral
- Department of Developmental Genetics Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics Berlin Germany
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Arya D, Balasinor N, Singh D. Varicocele associated male infertility: cellular and molecular perspectives of pathophysiology. Andrology 2022; 10:1463-1483. [PMID: 36040837 DOI: 10.1111/andr.13278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Varicocele is a common risk factor associated with reduced male fertility potential. The current understanding of varicocele pathophysiology does not completely explain the clinical manifestation of infertility. The present treatment options such as antioxidant supplementation and varicocelectomy only helps ∼35% of men to achieve spontaneous pregnancy. OBJECTIVE This review aims to summarize the available knowledge on cellular and molecular alterations implicated to varicocele associated male infertility and also highlights the new knowledge generated by 'Omics' technologies. MATERIALS AND METHODS PubMed, MEDLINE, Cochrane and Google Scholar databases are searched using different combinations of keywords (varicocele, infertile/fertile men with varicocele, cellular changes, molecular mechanisms, proteome, epigenome, transcriptome and metabolome). A total of 229 relevant human and animal studies published till 2021 were included in this review. RESULTS Current understanding advocates oxidative stress (OS) as a major contributory factor to the varicocele associated male infertility. Excessive OS causes alteration in testicular microenvironment and sperm DNA fragmentation which further contributes to infertility. Molecular and omics studies have identified several promising biomarkers such as AAMP, SPINT1, MKI67 (genetic markers), sperm quality and function related protein markers, global sperm DNA methylation level (epigenetic marker), Hspa2, Protamine, Gadd7, Dynlt1 and Beclin1 (mRNA markers), PRDX2, HSPA, APOA2, YKL40 (seminal protein markers), total choline and PHGDH (metabolic markers). DISCUSSION Mature spermatozoa harbours a plethora of molecular information in form of proteome, epigenome and transcriptome; which could provide very important clues regarding pathophysiology of varicocele associated infertility. Recent molecular and omics studies in infertile men with varicocele have identified several promising biomarkers. Upon further validation with larger and well-defined studies, some of these biomarkers could aid in varicocele management. CONCLUSION The present evidences suggest inclusion of OS and sperm DNA fragmentation tests could be useful to the diagnostic workup for men with varicocele. Furthermore, including precise molecular markers may assist in diagnostics and prognostics of varicocele associated male infertility. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Deepshikha Arya
- Department of Neuroendocrinology, ICMR- National Institute for Research in Reproductive and Child Health, Parel, Mumbai, 400012, India
| | - Nafisa Balasinor
- Department of Neuroendocrinology, ICMR- National Institute for Research in Reproductive and Child Health, Parel, Mumbai, 400012, India
| | - Dipty Singh
- Department of Neuroendocrinology, ICMR- National Institute for Research in Reproductive and Child Health, Parel, Mumbai, 400012, India
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Blaurock J, Baumann S, Grunewald S, Schiller J, Engel KM. Metabolomics of Human Semen: A Review of Different Analytical Methods to Unravel Biomarkers for Male Fertility Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23169031. [PMID: 36012302 PMCID: PMC9409482 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Human life without sperm is not possible. Therefore, it is alarming that the fertilizing ability of human spermatozoa is continuously decreasing. The reasons for that are widely unknown, but there is hope that metabolomics-based investigations may be able to contribute to overcoming this problem. This review summarizes the attempts made so far. Methods: We will discuss liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS), gas chromatography (GC), infrared (IR) and Raman as well as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Almost all available studies apply one of these methods. Results: Depending on the methodology used, different compounds can be detected, which is (in combination with sophisticated methods of bioinformatics) helpful to estimate the state of the sperm. Often, but not in all cases, there is a correlation with clinical parameters such as the sperm mobility. Conclusions: LC-MS detects the highest number of metabolites and can be considered as the method of choice. Unfortunately, the reproducibility of some studies is poor, and, thus, further improvements of the study designs are needed to overcome this problem. Additionally, a stronger focus on the biochemical consequences of the altered metabolite concentrations is also required.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Janet Blaurock
- Training Center of the European Academy of Andrology (EAA), Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology Clinic, University Hospital Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sven Baumann
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Legal Medicine, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sonja Grunewald
- Training Center of the European Academy of Andrology (EAA), Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology Clinic, University Hospital Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jürgen Schiller
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Leipzig University, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kathrin M. Engel
- Training Center of the European Academy of Andrology (EAA), Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology Clinic, University Hospital Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Leipzig University, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Xu B, Wang Z, Wang R, Song G, Zhang Y, Su R, Liu Y, Li J, Zhang J. Metabolomics analysis of buck semen cryopreserved with trehalose. Front Genet 2022; 13:938622. [PMID: 35991557 PMCID: PMC9386307 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.938622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Trehalose is commonly used as an impermeable cryoprotectant for cryopreservation of cells, but its cryoprotective mechanism has now not but been determined. This study investigated the cryopreservation impact of trehalose on buck semen cryopreservation and finished metabolic profiling of freeze-thawed media by way of the GC–MS-based metabolomics for the first time. Metabolic pattern recognition and metabolite identification by means of principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and metabolic pathway topology analysis revealed the results of trehalose on buck sperm metabolism at some point of cryopreservation. The results confirmed that trehalose drastically progressed sperm motility parameters and structural integrity after thawing. PCA and PLS-DA analysis discovered that the metabolic patterns of the freezing-thawing media of buck semen cryopreserved with trehalose (T group) or without trehalose (G group, Control) were certainly separated. Using screening conditions of VIP >1.5 and p vaule <0.05, a total of 48 differential metabolites have been recognized, whithin l-isoleucine, L-leucine, L-threonine, and dihydroxyacetone were notably enriched in valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis, glycerolipid metabolism, and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis pathways. In brief, trehalose can efficiently improve membrane structural integrity and motion parameters in buck sperm after thawing, and it exerts a cryoprotective impact with the aid of changing sperm amino acid synthesis and the glycerol metabolism pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bingbing Xu
- College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction, Hohhot, China
- Key Laboratory of Mutton Sheep Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hohhot, China
| | - Zhiying Wang
- College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction, Hohhot, China
- Key Laboratory of Mutton Sheep Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hohhot, China
| | - Ruijun Wang
- College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction, Hohhot, China
- Key Laboratory of Mutton Sheep Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hohhot, China
| | - Guoxin Song
- College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction, Hohhot, China
- Key Laboratory of Mutton Sheep Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hohhot, China
| | - Yanjun Zhang
- College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction, Hohhot, China
- Key Laboratory of Mutton Sheep Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hohhot, China
| | - Rui Su
- College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction, Hohhot, China
- Key Laboratory of Mutton Sheep Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hohhot, China
| | - Yongbin Liu
- Research Center for Animal Genetic Resources of Mongolian Plateau, College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Jinquan Li
- College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction, Hohhot, China
- Key Laboratory of Mutton Sheep Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hohhot, China
- *Correspondence: Jinquan Li, ; Jiaxin Zhang,
| | - Jiaxin Zhang
- College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction, Hohhot, China
- Key Laboratory of Mutton Sheep Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hohhot, China
- *Correspondence: Jinquan Li, ; Jiaxin Zhang,
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Assidi M. Infertility in Men: Advances towards a Comprehensive and Integrative Strategy for Precision Theranostics. Cells 2022; 11:cells11101711. [PMID: 35626747 PMCID: PMC9139678 DOI: 10.3390/cells11101711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Male infertility is an increasing and serious medical concern, though the mechanism remains poorly understood. Impaired male reproductive function affects approximately half of infertile couples worldwide. Multiple factors related to the environment, genetics, age, and comorbidities have been associated with impaired sperm function. Present-day clinicians rely primarily on standard semen analysis to diagnose male reproductive potential and develop treatment strategies. To address sperm quality assessment bias and enhance analysis accuracy, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended standardized sperm testing; however, conventional diagnostic and therapeutic options for male infertility, including physical examination and semen standard analysis, remain ineffective in relieving the associated social burden. Instead, assisted reproductive techniques are becoming the primary therapeutic approach. In the post-genomic era, multiomics technologies that deeply interrogate the genome, transcriptome, proteome, and/or the epigenome, even at single-cell level, besides the breakthroughs in robotic surgery, stem cell therapy, and big data, offer promises towards solving semen quality deterioration and male factor infertility. This review highlights the complex etiology of male infertility, especially the roles of lifestyle and environmental factors, and discusses advanced technologies/methodologies used in characterizing its pathophysiology. A comprehensive combination of these innovative approaches in a global and multi-centric setting and fulfilling the suitable ethical consent could ensure optimal reproductive and developmental outcomes. These combinatorial approaches should allow for the development of diagnostic markers, molecular stratification classes, and personalized treatment strategies. Since lifestyle choices and environmental factors influence male fertility, their integration in any comprehensive approach is required for safe, proactive, cost-effective, and noninvasive precision male infertility theranostics that are affordable, accessible, and facilitate couples realizing their procreation dream.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mourad Assidi
- Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80216, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; ; Tel.: +966-(012)-6402000 (ext. 69267)
- Medical Laboratory Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80216, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Dasgupta M, Kumaresan A, Saraf KK, Nag P, Sinha MK, Aslam M. K. M, Karthikkeyan G, Prasad TSK, Modi PK, Datta TK, Ramesha K, Manimaran A, Jeyakumar S. Deep Metabolomic Profiling Reveals Alterations in Fatty Acid Synthesis and Ketone Body Degradations in Spermatozoa and Seminal Plasma of Astheno-Oligozoospermic Bulls. Front Vet Sci 2022; 8:755560. [PMID: 35087889 PMCID: PMC8787163 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.755560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Male fertility is extremely important in dairy animals because semen from a single bull is used to inseminate several thousand females. Asthenozoospermia (reduced sperm motility) and oligozoospermia (reduced sperm concentration) are the two important reasons cited for idiopathic infertility in crossbred bulls; however, the etiology remains elusive. In this study, using a non-targeted liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry-based approach, we carried out a deep metabolomic analysis of spermatozoa and seminal plasma derived from normozoospermic and astheno-oligozoospermic bulls. Using bioinformatics tools, alterations in metabolites and metabolic pathways between normozoospermia and astheno-oligozoospermia were elucidated. A total of 299 and 167 metabolites in spermatozoa and 183 and 147 metabolites in seminal plasma were detected in astheno-oligozoospermic and normozoospermic bulls, respectively. Among the mapped metabolites, 75 sperm metabolites were common to both the groups, whereas 166 and 50 sperm metabolites were unique to astheno-oligozoospermic and normozoospermic bulls, respectively. Similarly, 86 metabolites were common to both the groups, whereas 45 and 37 seminal plasma metabolites were unique to astheno-oligozoospermic and normozoospermic bulls, respectively. Among the differentially expressed metabolites, 62 sperm metabolites and 56 seminal plasma metabolites were significantly dysregulated in astheno-oligozoospermic bulls. In spermatozoa, selenocysteine, deoxyuridine triphosphate, and nitroprusside showed significant enrichment in astheno-oligozoospermic bulls. In seminal plasma, malonic acid, 5-diphosphoinositol pentakisphosphate, D-cysteine, and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate were significantly upregulated, whereas tetradecanoyl-CoA was significantly downregulated in the astheno-oligozoospermia. Spermatozoa from astheno-oligozoospermic bulls showed alterations in the metabolism of fatty acid and fatty acid elongation in mitochondria pathways, whereas seminal plasma from astheno-oligozoospermic bulls showed alterations in synthesis and degradation of ketone bodies, pyruvate metabolism, and inositol phosphate metabolism pathways. The present study revealed vital information related to semen metabolomic differences between astheno-oligozoospermic and normospermic crossbred breeding bulls. It is inferred that fatty acid synthesis and ketone body degradations are altered in the spermatozoa and seminal plasma of astheno-oligozoospermic crossbred bulls. These results open up new avenues for further research, and current findings can be applied for the modulation of identified pathways to restore sperm motility and concentration in astheno-oligozoospermic bulls.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohua Dasgupta
- Theriogenology Laboratory, Southern Regional Station of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)—National Dairy Research Institute, Bengaluru, India
| | - Arumugam Kumaresan
- Theriogenology Laboratory, Southern Regional Station of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)—National Dairy Research Institute, Bengaluru, India
| | - Kaustubh Kishor Saraf
- Theriogenology Laboratory, Southern Regional Station of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)—National Dairy Research Institute, Bengaluru, India
| | - Pradeep Nag
- Theriogenology Laboratory, Southern Regional Station of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)—National Dairy Research Institute, Bengaluru, India
| | - Manish Kumar Sinha
- Theriogenology Laboratory, Southern Regional Station of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)—National Dairy Research Institute, Bengaluru, India
| | - Muhammad Aslam M. K.
- Base Farm, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Kolahalamedu, India
| | - Gayathree Karthikkeyan
- Centre for Systems Biology and Molecular Medicine, Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangalore, India
| | - T. S. Keshava Prasad
- Centre for Systems Biology and Molecular Medicine, Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangalore, India
| | - Prashant Kumar Modi
- Centre for Systems Biology and Molecular Medicine, Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangalore, India
| | - Tirtha Kumar Datta
- Animal Genomics Laboratory, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)—National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, India
| | - Kerekoppa Ramesha
- Dairy Production Section, Southern Regional Station of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)—National Dairy Research Institute, Bengaluru, India
| | - Ayyasamy Manimaran
- Dairy Production Section, Southern Regional Station of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)—National Dairy Research Institute, Bengaluru, India
| | - Sakthivel Jeyakumar
- Dairy Production Section, Southern Regional Station of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)—National Dairy Research Institute, Bengaluru, India
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Scolari F, Khamis FM, Pérez-Staples D. Beyond Sperm and Male Accessory Gland Proteins: Exploring Insect Reproductive Metabolomes. Front Physiol 2021; 12:729440. [PMID: 34690804 PMCID: PMC8529219 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.729440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Insect seminal fluid, the non-sperm component of the ejaculate, comprises a variegated set of molecules, including, but not limited to, lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, salts, hormones, nucleic acids, and vitamins. The identity and functional role of seminal fluid proteins (SFPs) have been widely investigated, in multiple species. However, most of the other small molecules in insect ejaculates remain uncharacterized. Metabolomics is currently adopted to deepen our understanding of complex biological processes and in the last 15years has been applied to answer different physiological questions. Technological advances in high-throughput methods for metabolite identification such as mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) are now coupled to an expanded bioinformatics toolbox for large-scale data analysis. These improvements allow for the processing of smaller-sized samples and for the identification of hundreds to thousands of metabolites, not only in Drosophila melanogaster but also in disease vectors, animal, and agricultural pests. In this review, we provide an overview of the studies that adopted metabolomics-based approaches in insects, with a particular focus on the reproductive tract (RT) of both sexes and the ejaculate. Progress in the field of metabolomics will contribute not only to achieve a deeper understanding of the composition of insect ejaculates and how they are affected by endogenous and exogenous factors, but also to provide increasingly powerful tools to decipher the identity and molecular interactions between males and females during and after mating.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Scolari
- Institute of Molecular Genetics (IGM)-CNR "Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza", Pavia, Italy
| | - Fathiya M Khamis
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Diana Pérez-Staples
- Instituto de Biotecnología y Ecología Aplicada (INBIOTECA), Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Sugiyama T, Terada H, Miyake H. Assessment of Blood Plasma Free-amino Acid Levels in Infertile Men. In Vivo 2021; 35:1843-1847. [PMID: 33910871 DOI: 10.21873/invivo.12446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM The objective of this study was to investigate the significance of the blood levels of free amino acids (AAs) in infertile men. PATIENTS AND METHODS Ninety-three men who underwent examinations for infertility were included. The concentrations of 20 AAs were measured and compared in four groups (normospermia, obstructive azoospermia, oligozoospermia, non-obstructive azoospermia) based on semen analysis and clinical parameters. RESULTS When the 93 men were divided into normospermia, obstructive azoospermia, oligozoospermia, and non-obstructive azoospermia groups, no significant differences were found in the concentrations of the 20 AAs between them. We then compared 49 men diagnosed with normozoospermia or oligozoospermia according to the median sperm motility and morphology abnormalities rates (30% and 20%, respectively). Men with low motility rates had significantly lower levels of tryptophan and alanine, and men with high abnormal morphology rates had significantly lower levels of aspartate and glutamate. CONCLUSION AAs are probably involved in the pathogenesis of male infertility, particularly oligozoospermia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takayuki Sugiyama
- Department of Urology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Terada
- Department of Urology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Hideaki Miyake
- Department of Urology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Pourasil RSM, Gilany K. Fast diagnosis of men's fertility using Raman spectroscopy combined with chemometric methods: An experimental study. Int J Reprod Biomed 2021; 19:121-128. [PMID: 33718756 PMCID: PMC7922295 DOI: 10.18502/ijrm.v19i2.8470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2019] [Revised: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Idiopathic infertile men suffer from unexplained male infertility; they are infertile despite having a normal semen analysis, a normal history, and physical examination, and when female infertility factor has been ruled out. Objective The present study aimed to develop a metabolic fingerprinting methodology using Raman spectroscopy combined with Chemometrics to detect idiopathic infertile men vs. fertile ones by seminal plasma. Materials and Methods In this experimental study, the seminal plasma of 26 men including 13 fertile and 13 with unexplained infertility who reffered to, Avicenna Infertility Clinic, 2018, Tehran, Iran, have been investigated. The seminal metabolomic fingerprinting was evaluated using Raman spectrometer from 100 to 4250 cm-1. The principal component analysis and discriminate analysis methods were used. Results The total of 26 samples were divided into 20 training and 6 test sets. The Principal component analysis score plot of the training set showed that the data were perfectly divided into two sides of the plot, which statistically approves the direct effect of semen metabolome changes on the Raman spectra. A classification model was constructed by linear discriminant analysis using the training set and evaluated by the test group which resulted in completely correct classification. While three of the six test samples appeared in the fertile group, the rest appeared in the infertile as expected. Conclusion Metabolic fingerprinting of seminal plasma using Raman spectroscopy combined with chemometric classification methods accurately discriminated between the idiopathic infertile men and the fertile ones and predicted their fertility type.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Kambiz Gilany
- Reproductive Biotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECER, Tehran, Iran.,Integrative Oncology Department, Breast Cancer Research Center, Motamed Cancer Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Metabonomic Insights into the Sperm Activation Mechanisms in Ricefield Eel ( Monopterus albus). Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11111259. [PMID: 33114541 PMCID: PMC7692440 DOI: 10.3390/genes11111259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In fish, sperm motility activation is one of the most essential procedures for fertilization. Previous studies have mainly focused on the external environmental effects and intracellular signals in sperm activation; however, little is known about the metabolic process of sperm motility activation in fish. In the present study, using ricefield eel (Monopterus albus) sperm as a model, metabonomics was used to analyze the metabolic mechanism of the sperm motility activation in fish. Firstly, 529 metabolites were identified in the sperm of ricefield eel, which were clustered into the organic acids, amino acids, nucleotides, benzene, and carbohydrates, respectively. Among them, the most abundant metabolites in sperm were L-phenylalanine, DL-leucine, L-leucine, lysolecithin choline 18:0, L-tryptophan, adenine, hypoxanthine, 7-Methylguanine, shikimic acid, and L-tyrosine. Secondly, compared to pre-activated sperm, the level of S-sulfo-L-cysteine and L-asparagine were both increased in the post-activated sperm. Ninety-two metabolites were decreased in the post-activated sperm, including quinic acid, acetylsalicylic acid, 7,8-dihydro L-biopterin, citric acid, glycylphenylalanine, and dihydrotachysterol (DHT). Finally, basing on the pathway analysis, we found that the changed metabolites in sperm motility activation were mainly clustered into energy metabolism and anti-oxidative stress. Fish sperm motility activation would be accompanied by the release of a large amount of energy, which might damage the genetic material of sperm. Thus, the anti-oxidative stress function is a critical process to maintain the normal physiological function of sperm.
Collapse
|
19
|
Neto FTL, Marques RA, de Freitas Cavalcanti Filho A, Araujo LCN, Lima SVC, Pinto L, Silva RO. 1H NMR-based metabonomics for infertility diagnosis in men with varicocele. J Assist Reprod Genet 2020; 37:2233-2247. [PMID: 32715373 PMCID: PMC7492286 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-020-01896-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE "Omics" techniques have been used to understand and to identify biomarkers of male infertility. We report on the first metabonomics models created to diagnose varicocele and infertility among men with varicocele. METHODS We recruited 35 infertile men with varicocele (VI group), 21 fertile men with varicocele (VF group) and 24 fertile men without varicocele (C group). All men underwent standard semen analysis, scrotal duplex ultrasonography, and sexual hormone level measurement. Hydrogen-1 nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectra of seminal plasma were used to create metabonomics models to discriminate between men with and without varicocele, and between fertile and infertile men with varicocele. RESULTS Using the statistical formalisms partial least square discriminants analysis and genetic algorithm-based linear discriminant analysis (GA-LDA), we created two models that discriminated the three groups from each other with accuracy of 92.17%. We also created metabonomics models using orthogonal partial least square discriminants analysis and GA-LDA that discriminated VF group from VI group, with an accuracy of 94.64% and 100% respectively. We identified 19 metabolites that were important in group segregation: caprate, 2-hydroxy-3-methylvalerate, leucine, valine, 3-hydroxybutyrate, lactate, alanine, 4-aminobutyrate, isoleucine, citrate, methanol, glucose, glycosides, glycerol-3-phosphocoline, n-acetyltyrosine, glutamine, tyrosine, arginine, and uridine. CONCLUSIONS 1HNMR-based metabonomics of seminal plasma can be used to create metabonomics models to discriminate between men with varicocele from those without varicocele, and between fertile men with varicocele from those infertile with varicocele. Furthermore, the most important metabolites for group segregation are involved in the oxidative stress caused by varicocele.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Filipe Tenorio Lira Neto
- Department of Surgery, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Rua Guilherme Salazar, n 150, apt 601E, Recife, PE ZIP 52061-275 Brazil
- Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof. Fernando Figueira, Rua dos Coelho, 300, Coelhos, Recife, PE ZIP 50070-902 Brazil
| | - Ronmilson Alves Marques
- Fundamental Chemistry Department, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Jornalista Anibal Fernandes, s/n° Cidade Universitária, Recife, PE ZIP 50740-560 Brazil
| | | | | | - Salvador Vilar Correia Lima
- Department of Surgery, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Hospital das Clínicas - Campus UFPE, Av. Prof. Moraes Rego,”s/n° - Bloco “A” - Térreo Cidade Universitária, Recife, PE ZIP 50670-420 Brazil
| | - Licarion Pinto
- Fundamental Chemistry Department, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Jornalista Anibal Fernandes, s/n° Cidade Universitária, Recife, PE ZIP 50740-560 Brazil
| | - Ricardo Oliveira Silva
- Fundamental Chemistry Department, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Jornalista Anibal Fernandes, s/n° Cidade Universitária, Recife, PE ZIP 50740-560 Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Pedrosa ML, Furtado MH, Ferreira MCF, Carneiro MM. Sperm selection in IVF: the long and winding road from bench to bedside. JBRA Assist Reprod 2020; 24:332-339. [PMID: 32155013 PMCID: PMC7365522 DOI: 10.5935/1518-0557.20190081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Spermatozoa wage battle to conquer fertilization but the traits needed to succeed remain elusive. The natural advantageous qualities that enable only a few selected sperm cells to reach the site of fertilization remain unknown. Although in vitro fertilization (IVF) facilitates the job of spermatozoa, a universally acceptable means of sperm selection is yet to be developed. No objective or reliable sperm quality indicators have been established and sperm selection is, to a great extent, based on subjective qualitative evaluation. The best method for sperm selection in IVF presents several challenges: intrinsic sperm qualities cannot be evaluated and the ideal endpoint for these studies is debatable. An ideal method for sperm selection in ART should be noninvasive and cost-effective, and allow the identification of high-quality spermatozoa and yield better outcomes in terms of pregnancy and live birth rates. This narrative review included 85 papers and focused on the new available methods and technologies that might shed some light on sperm selection in IVF. It discusses the available data on microfluidic devices, omics profiling, micronuclei studies, sperm plasma membrane markers, and other techniques, such as Magnetic Activated Cell Sorting (MACS), Raman micro-spectroscopy, and artificial intelligence systems. The new techniques herein reviewed offer fresh approaches to an old problem, for which a definite solution has yet to cross the bridge from bench to IVF clinics around the world, since clinical usefulness and application remain unproven.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Moisa Lucia Pedrosa
- Centro de Reprodução Humana Hospital MATER DEI, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.,Departamento de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia e Obstetrícia da Faculdade de Medicina da UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | | | - Márcia Cristina França Ferreira
- Centro de Reprodução Humana Hospital MATER DEI, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.,Departamento de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia e Obstetrícia da Faculdade de Medicina da UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Márcia Mendonça Carneiro
- Centro de Reprodução Humana Hospital MATER DEI, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.,Departamento de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia e Obstetrícia da Faculdade de Medicina da UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Li L, Hao X, Chen H, Wang L, Chen A, Song X, Hu Z, Su Y, Lin H, Fan P. Metabolomic characterization of semen from asthenozoospermic patients using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Biomed Chromatogr 2020; 34:e4897. [PMID: 32428267 PMCID: PMC7507193 DOI: 10.1002/bmc.4897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Asthenozoospermia (AS) is a common factor of male infertility, and its pathogenesis remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the differential seminal plasma metabolic pattern in asthenozoospermic men and to identify potential biomarkers in relation to spermatogenic dysfunction using sensitive ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem quadruple time‐of‐flight MS (UHPLC–Q‐TOF/MS). The samples of seminal plasma from patients with AS (n = 20) and healthy controls (n = 20) were checked and differentiated by UHPLC–Q‐TOF/MS. Compared with the control group, the AS group showed a total of nine significantly different metabolites, including increases in creatinine, uric acid, N6‐methyladenosine (m6A), uridine, and taurine and decreases in carnitine, nicotinamide, N‐acetylputrescine and l‐palmitoylcarnitine. By analyzing the correlation among these metabolites and clinical computer‐assisted semen analysis reports, we found that m6A is significantly correlated with not only the four decreased metabolites but also with sperm count, motility, and curvilinear velocity. Furthermore, nicotinamide was shown to correlate with other identified metabolites, indicating its important role in the metabolic pathway of AS. Current results implied that sensitive untargeted seminal plasma metabolomics could identify distinct metabolic patterns of AS and would help clinicians by offering novel cues for discovering the pathogenesis of male infertility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Li Li
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xinrui Hao
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hua Chen
- Reproductive Health Centre, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Liyuan Wang
- Reproductive Health Centre, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Aolei Chen
- Reproductive Health Centre, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaotian Song
- Reproductive Health Centre, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhiyan Hu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ying Su
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Han Lin
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Pei Fan
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Orthopedics, Department of Orthopedics, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Krzastek SC, Smith RP, Kovac JR. Future diagnostics in male infertility: genomics, epigenetics, metabolomics and proteomics. Transl Androl Urol 2020; 9:S195-S205. [PMID: 32257860 PMCID: PMC7108983 DOI: 10.21037/tau.2019.10.20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
A male factor is involved in 50% of couples with infertility. Unfortunately, the etiology of male factor infertility remains classified as idiopathic in nearly 50% of cases. The semen analysis (SA) continues to be first line for the workup of male infertility, but it is an imperfect test with high variability between samples. This lack of diagnostic capability has led to the desire to develop minimally invasive tests to aid with understanding the etiology of male factor infertility. Genetic factors are known to play a role in male infertility, and much work has been done to identify the many genes involved. The study of the genes involved, the impact of epigenetic modifications, proteins and metabolites produced are attractive targets for development of biomarkers which may be used to diagnose the etiology of male infertility. This review aims to explore recent advances in these fields as they pertain to the diagnosis of male infertility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah C Krzastek
- Department of Urology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Ryan P Smith
- Department of Urology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Murgia F, Corda V, Serrenti M, Usai V, Santoru ML, Hurt KJ, Passaretti M, Monni MC, Atzori L, Monni G. Seminal Fluid Metabolomic Markers of Oligozoospermic Infertility in Humans. Metabolites 2020; 10:metabo10020064. [PMID: 32053951 PMCID: PMC7074256 DOI: 10.3390/metabo10020064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Infertility affects 12–15% of couples worldwide, and male factors are the cause of nearly half of all cases. Studying seminal fluid composition could lead to additional diagnostic accuracy and a better understanding of the pathophysiology of male factor infertility. Metabolomics offers a new opportunity to evaluate biomarkers and better understand pathological mechanisms. The aim of the study was to identify new markers or therapeutic targets to improve outcomes in male factor or idiopathic infertility patients. Semen samples were obtained from 29 men with a normal spermogram test, and from 18 oligozoospermic men. Samples were processed and analyzed by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy and, subsequently, multivariate and univariate statistical analyses. Receiving Operator Curves (ROC) and Spearman correlations were also performed. An Orthogonal Partial Least Square Discriminant Analysis supervised multivariate model was devised to compare the groups. The levels of fructose, myo-inositol, aspartate and choline were altered. Moreover, Spearman Correlation associated fructose, aspartate and myo-inositol with the total amount of spermatozoa, total motile spermatozoa, % of immotility and % of “in situ” spermatozoic motility respectively. NMR-based metabolomics allowed the identification of a specific metabolic fingerprint of the seminal fluids of patients affected by oligozoospermia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Federica Murgia
- Clinical Metabolomics Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09121 Cagliari, Italy; (F.M.); (M.L.S.); (M.P.); (L.A.)
| | - Valentina Corda
- Department of Prenatal and Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis and Fetal Therapy, Ospedale Pediatrico Microcitemico “A.Cao”, 09121 Cagliari, Italy; (V.C.); (M.S.); (V.U.); (M.C.M.)
| | - Marianna Serrenti
- Department of Prenatal and Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis and Fetal Therapy, Ospedale Pediatrico Microcitemico “A.Cao”, 09121 Cagliari, Italy; (V.C.); (M.S.); (V.U.); (M.C.M.)
| | - Valeria Usai
- Department of Prenatal and Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis and Fetal Therapy, Ospedale Pediatrico Microcitemico “A.Cao”, 09121 Cagliari, Italy; (V.C.); (M.S.); (V.U.); (M.C.M.)
| | - Maria Laura Santoru
- Clinical Metabolomics Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09121 Cagliari, Italy; (F.M.); (M.L.S.); (M.P.); (L.A.)
| | - K. Joseph Hurt
- Divisions of Maternal Fetal Medicine and Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA;
| | - Mauro Passaretti
- Clinical Metabolomics Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09121 Cagliari, Italy; (F.M.); (M.L.S.); (M.P.); (L.A.)
| | - Maria Carla Monni
- Department of Prenatal and Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis and Fetal Therapy, Ospedale Pediatrico Microcitemico “A.Cao”, 09121 Cagliari, Italy; (V.C.); (M.S.); (V.U.); (M.C.M.)
| | - Luigi Atzori
- Clinical Metabolomics Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09121 Cagliari, Italy; (F.M.); (M.L.S.); (M.P.); (L.A.)
| | - Giovanni Monni
- Department of Prenatal and Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis and Fetal Therapy, Ospedale Pediatrico Microcitemico “A.Cao”, 09121 Cagliari, Italy; (V.C.); (M.S.); (V.U.); (M.C.M.)
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Wang W, Liang K, Chang Y, Ran M, Zhang Y, Ali MA, Dai D, Qazi IH, Zhang M, Zhou G, Yang J, Angel C, Zeng C. miR-26a is Involved in Glycometabolism and Affects Boar Sperm Viability by Targeting PDHX. Cells 2020; 9:E146. [PMID: 31936222 PMCID: PMC7016825 DOI: 10.3390/cells9010146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 12/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/27/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
miR-26a is associated with sperm metabolism and can affect sperm motility and apoptosis. However, how miR-26a affects sperm motility remains largely unknown. Our previous study indicated that the PDHX gene is predicted to be a potential target of miR-26a, which is responsible for pyruvate oxidative decarboxylation which is considered as a key step for connecting glycolysis with oxidative phosphorylation. In this study, we first reported a potential relationship between miR-26a and PDHX and their expressions in fresh, frozen-thawed, and epididymal boar sperm. Then, sperm viability and survival were determined after transfection of miR-26a. mRNA and protein expression level of PDHX in the liquid-preserved boar sperm after transfection were also determined by RT-qPCR and Western Blot (WB). Our results showed that expression level of PDHX was significantly increased during sperm transit from epididymal caput to corpus and cauda. Similarly, expression of PDHX was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in fresh sperm as compared to epididymal cauda and frozen-thawed sperm. However, the expression of miR-26a in epididymal corpus sperm was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that of caput and cauda sperm. Furthermore, after transfection of boar sperm with miR-26a mimic and inhibitor under liquid storage, the lowest and highest sperm viability was observed in miR-26a mimic and inhibitor treatment (P < 0.05), respectively. The protein levels of PDHX, after 24 and 48 h of transfection of miR-26a mimics and inhibitor, were notably decreased and increased (P < 0.05), respectively, as compared to negative control (NC) group. In conclusion, the novel and enticing findings of our study provide a reasonable evidence that miR-26a via PDHX, a link between glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation, could regulate the glycometabolic pathway which eventually affect boar sperm viability and survival.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wencan Wang
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Kai Liang
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Yu Chang
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Mingxia Ran
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Yan Zhang
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Malik Ahsan Ali
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
- Department of Theriogenology, Riphah College of Veterinary Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Dinghui Dai
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Izhar Hyder Qazi
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy & Histology, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Sakrand 67210, Pakistan
| | - Ming Zhang
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Guangbin Zhou
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Jiandong Yang
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Christiana Angel
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China;
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Sakrand 67210, Pakistan
| | - Changjun Zeng
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (W.W.); (K.L.); (Y.C.); (M.R.); (Y.Z.); (M.A.A.); (D.D.); (I.H.Q.); (M.Z.); (G.Z.); (J.Y.)
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Menezes EB, Velho ALC, Santos F, Dinh T, Kaya A, Topper E, Moura AA, Memili E. Uncovering sperm metabolome to discover biomarkers for bull fertility. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:714. [PMID: 31533629 PMCID: PMC6749656 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-6074-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Subfertility decreases the efficiency of the cattle industry because artificial insemination employs spermatozoa from a single bull to inseminate thousands of cows. Variation in bull fertility has been demonstrated even among those animals exhibiting normal sperm numbers, motility, and morphology. Despite advances in research, molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the causes of low fertility in some bulls have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated the metabolic profile of bull spermatozoa using non-targeted metabolomics. Statistical analysis and bioinformatic tools were employed to evaluate the metabolic profiles high and low fertility groups. Metabolic pathways associated with the sperm metabolome were also reported. Results A total of 22 distinct metabolites were detected in spermatozoa from bulls with high fertility (HF) or low fertility (LF) phenotype. The major metabolite classes of bovine sperm were organic acids/derivatives and fatty acids/conjugates. We demonstrated that the abundance ratios of five sperm metabolites were statistically different between HF and LF groups including gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), carbamate, benzoic acid, lactic acid, and palmitic acid. Metabolites with different abundances in HF and LF bulls had also VIP scores of greater than 1.5 and AUC- ROC curves of more than 80%. In addition, four metabolic pathways associated with differential metabolites namely alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, β-alanine metabolism, glycolysis or gluconeogenesis, and pyruvate metabolism were also explored. Conclusions This is the first study aimed at ascertaining the metabolome of spermatozoa from bulls with different fertility phenotype using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. We identified five metabolites in the two groups of sires and such molecules can be used, in the future, as key indicators of bull fertility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E B Menezes
- Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, Mississippi State University, 4025 Wise Center, Mississippi State, MS, 39762, USA
| | - A L C Velho
- Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, Mississippi State University, 4025 Wise Center, Mississippi State, MS, 39762, USA.,Department of Animal Sciences, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - F Santos
- Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, Mississippi State University, 4025 Wise Center, Mississippi State, MS, 39762, USA.,Department of Animal Sciences, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - T Dinh
- Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, Mississippi State University, 4025 Wise Center, Mississippi State, MS, 39762, USA
| | - A Kaya
- Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey
| | - E Topper
- Alta Genetic Inc., Watertown, WI, USA
| | - A A Moura
- Department of Animal Sciences, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - E Memili
- Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, Mississippi State University, 4025 Wise Center, Mississippi State, MS, 39762, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Agarwal A, Majzoub A, Parekh N, Henkel R. A Schematic Overview of the Current Status of Male Infertility Practice. World J Mens Health 2019; 38:308-322. [PMID: 31385475 PMCID: PMC7308239 DOI: 10.5534/wjmh.190068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The practice of male infertility has dramatically evolved over the past few decades. This has been achieved after the realization of the important contribution the male counterpart holds in the couple's infertility. It is also supported by a number of breakthroughs in the diagnosis and treatment of this medical condition. Several tests to investigate sperm quality and function were introduced along with refinements and/or institution of novel surgical techniques that can correct several causes of infertility. This manuscript is aimed at highlighting the current state of male infertility practice in a robust, schematic method addressing a broader audience involved in the treatment of male infertility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ashok Agarwal
- American Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Department of Urology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
| | - Ahmad Majzoub
- American Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Department of Urology, Hamad Medical Corporation and Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
| | - Neel Parekh
- Department of Urology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Ralf Henkel
- American Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Department of Medical Bioscience, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Engel KM, Baumann S, Rolle-Kampczyk U, Schiller J, von Bergen M, Grunewald S. Metabolomic profiling reveals correlations between spermiogram parameters and the metabolites present in human spermatozoa and seminal plasma. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0211679. [PMID: 30785892 PMCID: PMC6382115 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 01/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In 50% of all infertility cases, the male is subfertile or infertile, however, the underlying mechanisms are often unknown. Even when assisted reproductive procedures such as in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection are performed, the causes of male factor infertility frequently remain elusive. Since the overall activity of cells is closely linked to their metabolic capacity, we analyzed a panel of 180 metabolites in human sperm and seminal plasma and elucidated their associations with spermiogram parameters. Therefore, metabolites from a group of 20 healthy donors were investigated using a targeted LC-MS/MS approach. The correlation analyses of the amino acids, biogenic amines, acylcarnitines, lysophosphatidylcholines, phosphatidylcholines, sphingomyelins and sugars from sperm and seminal plasma with standard spermiogram parameters revealed that metabolites in sperm are closely related to sperm motility, whereas those in seminal plasma are closely related to sperm concentration and morphology. This study provides essential insights into the metabolome of human sperm and seminal plasma and its associations with sperm functions. This metabolomics technique could be a promising screening tool to detect the factors of male infertility in cases where the cause of infertility is unclear.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin M. Engel
- Training Center of the European Academy of Andrology (EAA), Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology Clinic, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sven Baumann
- Department of Molecular Systems Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ulrike Rolle-Kampczyk
- Department of Molecular Systems Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jürgen Schiller
- Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Martin von Bergen
- Department of Molecular Systems Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sonja Grunewald
- Training Center of the European Academy of Andrology (EAA), Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology Clinic, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|