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Stirland I, Soares MR, Furtado CLM, Dos Reis RM, Aston KI, Smith RP, Jenkins TG. An assessment of alterations to human sperm methylation patterns in coronavirus disease 2019 infected and healthy control males. F&S SCIENCE 2024; 5:2-15. [PMID: 38070681 DOI: 10.1016/j.xfss.2023.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine whether severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection affects male reproductive health, considering the many potential factors that contribute to declines in male fertility on a semiglobal scale. DESIGN In total, 64 human semen samples-32 treatment and 32 control-were laboratory processed and bioinformatically analyzed to assess differences in DNA methylation patterns. Implementing multiple bioinformatic tools, the analyses conducted will elicit between-group differences with respect to epigenetic age, epigenetic instability, semiglobal, and regional methylation, in addition to methylation patterns as a function of time since infection. SETTING University hospital. PATIENTS The study cohort of 64 individuals was drawn from a larger population of 94 volunteer participants recruited at the Human Reproduction Center at the Clinical Hospital of the Ribeirao Preto Medical School-University of São Paulo between June 2021 and January 2022 as well as in accordance with the ethical guidelines established by the Declaration of Helsinki. INTERVENTION Exposure to SARS-CoV-2. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Effects on male reproductive health were reported as differences in DNA methylation measured using an array. Mean β values at key regulatory loci for human spermatocytes were analyzed and compared between groups. Further analysis of β values using epigenetic age, instability, semiglobal, and regional methylation tools provided an analysis with substantial breadth and depth. RESULTS In all analyses, there were no differences between groups. Considering these results, it can be inferred that infection with SARS-CoV-2 does not alter the epigenome of human spermatocytes in significant and/or persistent ways. Tangentially, these data also suggest that human male reproductive health is minimally altered by the virus, or that it is altered in a way that is independent of epigenetic programming. CONCLUSION Infection with SARS-CoV-2 has been reportedly associated with alterations in male fertility. This study asserts that such alterations do not have an epigenetic basis but are likely a result of concomitant symptomatology, i.e., fever and inflammation. Across the multiple bioinformatic analyses conducted, the results of this test did not detect any differences in DNA methylation patterns between coronavirus disease 2019 and noncoronavirus disease semen donor groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Stirland
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
| | - Murilo Racy Soares
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Cristiana Libardi Miranda Furtado
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil; University of Fortaleza, Experimental Biology Center, Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil
| | - Rosana Maria Dos Reis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Kenneth I Aston
- Department of Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - R Parker Smith
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
| | - Timothy G Jenkins
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah; Department of Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah.
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2
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Saint F, Huyghe E, Methorst C, Priam A, Seizilles de Mazancourt E, Bruyère F, Faix A. [Infections and male infertility]. Prog Urol 2023; 33:636-652. [PMID: 38012909 DOI: 10.1016/j.purol.2023.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The role of urogenital infections in male infertility has long been the subject of debate. METHODS A bibliographic search limited to English-language literature on human subjects published before 5/2023 resulted in the selection of 189 articles. RESULTS Male infertility is often of multifactorial aetiology, and to optimise the prognosis it is important to manage all the factors that can be corrected, including infectious causes, which represent one of the most frequent aetiologies. The infectious agents involved in urogenital infections are most often bacterial or viral, and more rarely parasitic. They can infect the seminal tract, male accessory glands and/or testicles, and usually result in inflammation and increased oxidative stress. These infections reduce male fertility, in particular by altering spermogram parameters and increasing sperm DNA fragmentation. For these reasons, the search for a urogenital infection should be systematic, involving a careful history and clinical examination, ultrasound and systematic bacteriological tests guided by clinical findings. Aetiological treatment may be proposed depending on the picture and the germ involved. CONCLUSION This review should help the urologist to establish an accurate diagnosis of the form and extent of the infection, and enable him to define an appropriate therapeutic strategy, tailored to the patient, in order to obtain the best chances of improving male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Saint
- Service d'urologie-transplantation, CHU Amiens Picardie, Amiens, France; Laboratoire EPROAD EA 4669, université Picardie Jules-Verne, Amiens, France
| | - E Huyghe
- Département d'urologie, hôpital de Rangueil, CHU de Toulouse, Toulouse, France; Service de médecine de la reproduction, hôpital Paule-de-Viguier, CHU de Toulouse, Toulouse, France; UMR DEFE, Inserm 1203, université de Toulouse, université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
| | - C Methorst
- Service de médecine de la reproduction, hôpital des 4 villes, Saint-Cloud, France
| | - A Priam
- Service d'urologie-transplantation, CHU Amiens Picardie, Amiens, France
| | | | - F Bruyère
- Urologie, CHRU de Tours, Tours, France
| | - A Faix
- Clinique Saint-Roch, 560, avenue du Colonel-Pavelet-dit-Villars, 34000 Montpellier, France
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3
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Guiton R, Drevet JR. Viruses, bacteria and parasites: infection of the male genital tract and fertility. Basic Clin Androl 2023; 33:19. [PMID: 37468865 DOI: 10.1186/s12610-023-00193-z] [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: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Infertility affects one couple out of six worldwide. Male infertilty can result from congenital or acquired factors, of which pathogens that reach the genital tract through sexual contact or blood dissemination. The impact of major viral, bacterial and parasitic infections on the male genital tract and fertility has been summarized. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS A systematic review of articles published in the Google Scholar and PubMed databases was conducted. It turns out that viruses, as well as bacteria and parasites are major inducers of male genital tract infections and ensuing infertility through damage to the organs and subsequent loss of function and/or through direct damage to the sperm cells. Moreover, not only male infertility results from such infections but these can also be transmitted to women and even to the offspring, thus highlighting the need to efficiently detect, treat and prevent them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Guiton
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS UMR6293, GReD Institute, 63001, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
| | - Joël R Drevet
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS UMR6293, GReD Institute, 63001, Clermont-Ferrand, France
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Khalafalla K, El Ansari W, Sengupta P, Majzoub A, Elbardisi H, Canguven O, El-Ansari K, Arafa M. Are sexually transmitted infections associated with male infertility? A systematic review and in-depth evaluation of the evidence and mechanisms of action of 11 pathogens. Arab J Urol 2023; 21:216-232. [PMID: 38178949 PMCID: PMC10763591 DOI: 10.1080/2090598x.2023.2218566] [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: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose To systematically review the evidence on the association between sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and male infertility. We sought to answer two questions: Are STIs significantly associated with detrimental changes in semen parameters?; and, is the prevalence of STIs significantly higher in infertile than fertile men? Materials and methods PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar databases were searched (inceptionMarch 2023) following the PRISMA guidelines. Identified original studies in English on the association between STIs and male infertility were included. Data was tabulated/described by pathogen, mechanisms of action, number of studies and their level of evidence. Results Seventy out of 903 originally retrieved articles were included in this review. For the detrimental changes in semen parameters (first question), the evidence seems equivocal based on the nearly equal number of studies and similar levels of evidence. The only exception was for Ureaplasma, where the number of studies and levels of evidence supported an association with male infertility. Pertaining to a significantly higher prevalence of STI among infertile compared to fertile men (second question), evidence was insufficient to support/deny a significant association. The two exceptions were Ureaplasma and Mycoplasma, where the number of studies and evidence levels were in favour of an association with male infertility. Conclusions Generally, the relationship between STIs and male infertility remains to be uncovered. Our appraisal of the overall state of this relationship shows that the evidence base leaves much to be desired. The exceptions are Ureaplasma and Mycoplasma, where the evidence convincingly suggests their associations with infertility in men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kareim Khalafalla
- Department of Urology, Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Urology, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Urology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Walid El Ansari
- Department of Surgery, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
- College of Medicine, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Population Health, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
| | - Pallav Sengupta
- Physiology Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, UAE
- Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ahmad Majzoub
- Department of Urology, Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Urology, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
| | - Haitham Elbardisi
- Department of Urology, Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar
- College of Medicine, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Urology, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
| | - Onder Canguven
- Department of Urology, Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Urology, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Mohamed Arafa
- Department of Urology, Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Urology, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Andrology, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
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Detection of Chlamydia trachomatis inside spermatozoa using flow cytometry: Effects of antibiotic treatment (before and after) on sperm count parameters. J Microbiol Methods 2022; 203:106604. [PMID: 36330892 DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2022.106604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection can directly affect male fertility. However, only few have investigated the effects of CT on semen parameters, and mostly with inconclusive results. The main aims of this study were to identify CT inside spermatozoa, and the possible pre and post antibiotic treatment effects on the overall semen parameters. We developed a flow cytometric method for the detection of CT inside spermatozoa (SPI™). Briefly, sperm cells were fixed, membrane permeabilized and DNA was loosened using DNAse. Sperm cells were incubated with a primary monoclonal antibody against CT and with a secondary fluorescent antibody (vs primary), and analysed using a flow cytometer. Of 2415 infertile individuals, 48.61% were found positive for CT. 170 CT+ samples were included in the CT antibiotic treatment study. 78.82% (134/170) of the CT+ showed a significant reduction in the percentage of the iCT infected spermatozoa after the antibiotic treatment; 59.70% (80/134) decreased to non-detectable levels. Spermcount data were also recorded. Spermatozoa morphology (normal and teratozoospermia index, TZI) and motility (fast progressive and non-progressive spermatozoa) were statistically significant altered in CT+ pre-treatment vs control group. CT antibiotic treatment showed statistically significant effects on normal spermatozoa morphology, mid-piece and tail defects, and TZI. The study demonstrated that semen flow cytometric analysis of semen could be a valuable tool for faster and accurate identification of individuals with asymptomatic CT infection. It also identified a positive effect of antibiotic therapy on semen parameters, that could help males with infertility.
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Shu M, Zhao L, Shi K, Lei W, Yang Y, Li Z. Chitosan particle stabilized Pickering emulsion/interleukin-12 adjuvant system for Pgp3 subunit vaccine elicits immune protection against genital chlamydial infection in mice. Front Immunol 2022; 13:989620. [PMID: 36505424 PMCID: PMC9727174 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.989620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Considering the shortcomings in current chlamydia infection control strategies, a major challenge in curtailing infection is the implementation of an effective vaccine. The immune response induced by C. trachomatis plasmid encoded Pgp3 was insufficient against C. trachomatis infection, which requires adjuvant applications to achieve the robust immune response induced by Pgp3. There is increasing promising in developing adjuvant systems relying on the delivery potential of Pickering emulsions and the immunomodulatory effects of interleukin (IL)-12. Here, owing to the polycationic nature, chitosan particles tended to absorb on the oil/water interphase to prepare the optimized chitosan particle-stabilized Pickering emulsion (CSPE), which was designed as a delivery system for Pgp3 protein and IL-12. Our results showed that the average droplets size of CSPE was 789.47 ± 44.26 nm after a series of optimizations and about 90% antigens may be absorbed by CSPE owing to the positively charged surface (33.2 ± 3mV), and CSPE promoted FITC-BSA proteins uptake by macrophages. Furthermore, as demonstrated by Pgp3-specific antibody production and cytokine secretion, CSPE/IL-12 system enhanced significantly higher levels of Pgp3-specific IgG, IgG1, IgG2a, sIgA and significant cytokines secretion of IFN-γ, IL-2, TNF-α, IL-4. Similarly, vaginal chlamydial shedding and hydrosalpinx pathologies were markedly reduced in mice immunized with Pgp3/CSPE/IL-12. Collectively, vaccination with Pgp3/CSPE/IL-12 regimen elicited robust cellular and humoral immune response in mice resulting in an obvious reduction of live chlamydia load in the vaginal and inflammatory pathologies in the oviduct, which further propells the development of vaccines against C. trachomatis infection.
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7
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Enterotypes in asthenospermia patients with obesity. Sci Rep 2022; 12:16993. [PMID: 36216963 PMCID: PMC9550853 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20574-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The essence of enterotypes is stratifying the entire human gut microbiome, which modulates the association between diet and disease risk. A study was designed at the Center of Reproductive Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University and Jinghua Hospital of Shenyang. Prevotella and Bacteroides were analyzed in 407 samples of stool, including 178 men with enterotype B (61 normal, 117 overweight/obese) and 229 men with enterotype P (74 normal, 155 overweight/obese). The ratio between Prevotella and Bacteroides abundance, P/B, was used as a simplified way to distinguish the predominant enterotype. In enterotype P group (P/B ≥ 0.01), obesity was a risk factor for a reduced rate of forward progressive sperm motility (odds ratio [OR] 3.350; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.881-5.966; P < 0.001), and a reduced rate of total sperm motility (OR 4.298; 95% CI 2.365-7.809; P < 0.001). Obesity was also an independent risk factor (OR 3.131; 95% CI 1.749-5.607; P < 0.001) after adjusting follicle-stimulating hormone. In enterotype P, body mass index, as a diagnostic indicator of a reduced rate of forward progressive sperm motility and a decreased rate of decreased total sperm motility, had AUC values of 0.627 (P = 0.001) and 0.675 (P < 0.0001), respectively, which were significantly higher than the predicted values in all patients. However, in enterotype B group (P < 0.01), obesity was not a risk factor for asthenospermia, where no significant difference between obesity and sperm quality parameters was observed. This study is tried to introduce enterotypes as a population-based individualized classification index to investigate the correlation between BMI and asthenospermia. In our study, overweight/obese men with enterotype P were found to have poorer sperm quality. however, sperm quality was not associated with overweight/obese in men with enterotype B. Thereof, BMI is a risk factor for asthenospermia only in men with enterotype P, but not in men with enterotype B.
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8
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Luo Y, Liu M, Wu S, Zhang M, Yuan J, Zhong Y, Li Q, Sun X, Xu X, Zhu D. A comprehensive evaluation of pre- and post-processing sperm parameters for predicting successful pregnancy rate following intrauterine insemination with the husband's sperms. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2022; 22:703. [PMID: 36096780 PMCID: PMC9469606 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-022-05029-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To determine the predictive values of sperm parameters pre- and post-processing by density gradient centrifugation for clinical pregnancy rates (CPRs) following artificial insemination by husband (AIH) in infertile Chinese couples. METHODS A total of 3,522 AIH cycles from 1,918 couples were retrospectively analyzed. The parameters were compared between the pregnant and non-pregnant groups and further between different etiological groups (Male-factor, Both-male-and-female-factor, and Other-factor). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to create models for predicting the CPRs of each etiological group. RESULTS The overall CPR was 13.3%. There were significant improvements for most sperm parameters after DGC. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that, in overall AIH cases, the top parameters significantly influencing the CPR of AIH were pre-STR (OR = 1.037; P = 0.048) and post-VSL (OR = 1.036; P = 0.011). In the Male-factor Group, the top influencing parameters were pre-VCL (OR = 2.096; P = 0.008), pre-LIN (OR = 1.930; P = 0.002) and post-VSL (OR = 1.316; P = 0.023). In the Both-factor Group, the top influencing parameters were pre-VCL (OR = 1.451; P = 0.008) and post-motility (OR = 1.218; P = 0.049). In the Other-factor Group, the top influencing parameters were pre-VAP (OR = 1.715; P = 0.024), pre-STR (OR = 1.20; P = 0.011) and post-VSL (OR = 1.04; P = 0.017). Moreover, receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that the logistic regression models of the Male- and Both-factor Groups had greater powers for prognostic classification than those of other groups. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that some sperm parameters have a collinearity relationship in predicting the CPR following AIH. Moreover, the predictive capacity of a multivariate logistic regression model is better than those of individual parameters, especially for the Male- and Both-factor Groups. In these cases, pre-VCL is the common top influencing factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumei Luo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China.,Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Clinical Rapid Diagnosis and Early Warning of Infectious Diseases, Kingmed School of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510182, China
| | - Mingxing Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China
| | - Shunhong Wu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Clinical Rapid Diagnosis and Early Warning of Infectious Diseases, Kingmed School of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510182, China
| | - Mimi Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China
| | - Jingru Yuan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China
| | - Yufang Zhong
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Clinical Rapid Diagnosis and Early Warning of Infectious Diseases, Kingmed School of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510182, China
| | - Qing Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China
| | - Xiaofang Sun
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China
| | - Xia Xu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Clinical Rapid Diagnosis and Early Warning of Infectious Diseases, Kingmed School of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510182, China.
| | - Detu Zhu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China. .,Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China. .,Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Clinical Rapid Diagnosis and Early Warning of Infectious Diseases, Kingmed School of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510182, China.
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9
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Dehghan A, Pourmand MR, Salimi V, Asbagh FA, Foroushani AR, Sadeghi K, Quchani SH. The effects of Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma hominis, and Ureaplasma urealyticum loads on semen quality: Detection and quantitative analysis. Microb Pathog 2022; 169:105676. [PMID: 35820579 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2022.105676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The loads of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Mycoplasma hominis (MH), and Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) may impact infertility, as well as cause risk of transmission. The quality and quantity of semen demonstrate male reproductive health. This study aimed to investigate the semen quality affected by CT, MH, and UU loads. MATERIALS AND METHODS 130 semen samples, including infertile and fertile cases, were collected and analyzed. The whole genomic DNA was extracted, and the desired genes' plasmids were constructed. The CT, MH, and UU loads were quantified by real-time PCR. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 24. RESULTS The average age of participants was 35.2 ± 6.8 years. CT, MH, and UU frequency were 9.2% vs. 3.1%, 15.4% vs. 3.1%, and 15.4 vs. 3.1% in infertile and fertile men, respectively. The mean loads of CT, MH, and UU in infertile men were 6.44 log10 copies/ml (range 5.31-7), 4.24 log10 copies/ml (range 3.37-4.7), and 6.94 log10 copies/ml (range 5.08-8.69) respectively, which was significantly higher than fertile men. The findings revealed a significant correlation between CT and UU loads and semen parameters, whereas the load of MH displayed significant effects just on sperm motility, morphology, and the number of leukocytes. CONCLUSION The absence of clinical manifestations may not indicate the quality of semen. The pathogens' loads may significantly influence the quality and properties of male reproductive health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amin Dehghan
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Pourmand
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Vahid Salimi
- Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Firouzeh Akbari Asbagh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Rahimi Foroushani
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kaveh Sadeghi
- Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Chen H, Zhang M, Zhang J, Chen Y, Zuo Y, Xie Z, Zhou G, Chen S, Chen Y. Application of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Models for Investigating microRNA Regulation in Developmental Processes. Front Genet 2022; 13:899831. [PMID: 35719367 PMCID: PMC9204592 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.899831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Advances in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) techniques have opened up new perspectives in research on developmental biology. Compared with other sources of human cellular models, iPSCs present a great advantage in hosting the unique genotype background of donors without ethical concerns. A wide spectrum of cellular and organoid models can be generated from iPSCs under appropriate in vitro conditions. The pluripotency of iPSCs is orchestrated by external signalling and regulated at the epigenetic, transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels. Recent decades have witnessed the progress of studying tissue-specific expressions and functions of microRNAs (miRNAs) using iPSC-derived models. MiRNAs are a class of short non-coding RNAs with regulatory functions in various biological processes during development, including cell migration, proliferation and apoptosis. MiRNAs are key modulators of gene expression and promising candidates for biomarker in development; hence, research on the regulation of human development by miRNAs is expanding. In this review, we summarize the current progress in the application of iPSC-derived models to studies of the regulatory roles of miRNAs in developmental processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyu Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mimi Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jingzhi Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yapei Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yabo Zuo
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Clinical Rapid Diagnosis and Early Warning of Infectious Diseases, KingMed School of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhishen Xie
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Clinical Rapid Diagnosis and Early Warning of Infectious Diseases, KingMed School of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guanqing Zhou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shehong Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yaoyong Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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11
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Leathersich S, Hart RJ. Immune infertility in men. Fertil Steril 2022; 117:1121-1131. [PMID: 35367058 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2022.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Male factors are implicated as the cause of roughly half of cases of infertility, and the presence of antisperm antibodies (ASA) may be responsible for some of these. Their presence is associated with a reduction in natural conception and live birth and impacts the success of assisted reproductive technologies. Interpretation of the data regarding ASAs and fertility is complicated by a lack of standardization in testing methodology and test thresholds and a lack of data on their prevalence in the healthy fertile population. Although their pathogenesis remains elusive, and many cases are idiopathic, a disruption in the immunologic blood-testis barrier (BTB) appears to contribute to the formation of ASA. As delineation of the specific antigen targets of ASA advances, it has been recognized that they may affect almost all aspects of sperm function, and ASA against different targets likely have specific mechanisms of impairing fertility. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) appears to be the most reliable method by which to overcome fertility impairment due to ASA, achieving similar outcomes to ASA-negative patients with regard to fertilization rates, embryonic development, clinical pregnancy rates, and live birth rates. The lack of consistency in testing for and reporting ASA remains a substantial barrier to achieving clarity in describing their role in infertility and the optimal management approach, and future research should use a unified approach to the detection and description of ASA. Determination of the specific antigens targeted by ASA, and their function and clinical relevance, would contribute to improving the understanding of ASA-mediated impacts on fertility and tailoring treatment appropriately to achieve the best outcomes for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Leathersich
- King Edward Memorial Hospital, Perth, Australia; Fertility Specialists of Western Australia, Claremont, Australia
| | - Roger J Hart
- King Edward Memorial Hospital, Perth, Australia; Fertility Specialists of Western Australia, Claremont, Australia; Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
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12
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Luo Y, Wu S, Zhang M, Zhou H, Yuan J, Yang Y, Zhong Y, Li Q, Sun X, Xu X, Zhu D. Sperm DNA integrity is critically impacted by male age but does not influence outcomes of artificial insemination by husband in the Chinese infertile couples. Aging (Albany NY) 2022; 14:4326-4335. [PMID: 35580171 PMCID: PMC9186781 DOI: 10.18632/aging.204058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) is crucial for assessing male fertility. However, the predictive value of the SCSA parameters, including the DNA fragment indices (DFI) and the percentages of high DNA stainability (HDS), for outcomes of artificial insemination by husband (AIH) remains controversial. This study aims to evaluate the correlations between SCSA parameters and male aging as well as other routine semen parameters, and explore their prognostic powers on AIH outcomes of the Chinese infertile couples. A total of 809 AIH cycles were retrospectively analyzed. The results showed that DFI in the age groups < 35 years were significantly lower than that in the age groups ≥ 35 years (P < 0.001). Meanwhile, there was no statistical difference in HDS between the age groups (P = 0.063). DFI and HDS are negatively correlated with most routine semen parameters (all P < 0.05). The chi-square and generalized linear model tests indicated that neither DFI nor HDS influenced the clinical pregnancy rate of AIH. In summary, this study found that aging is a critical factor leading to increased sperm DFI but not HDS. DFI and HDS are negatively correlated with most semen parameters but do not significantly influence AIH outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumei Luo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510150, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510150, China
| | - Shunhong Wu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Clinical Rapid Diagnosis and Early Warning of Infectious Diseases, Kingmed School of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510182, China
| | - Mimi Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510150, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510150, China
| | - Hua Zhou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510150, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510150, China
| | - Jingru Yuan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510150, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510150, China
| | - Yiying Yang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510150, China
| | - Yufang Zhong
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Clinical Rapid Diagnosis and Early Warning of Infectious Diseases, Kingmed School of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510182, China
| | - Qing Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510150, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510150, China
| | - Xiaofang Sun
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510150, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510150, China
| | - Xia Xu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Clinical Rapid Diagnosis and Early Warning of Infectious Diseases, Kingmed School of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510182, China
| | - Detu Zhu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510150, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510150, China
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13
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Izadi M, Dehghan Marvast L, Rezvani ME, Zohrabi M, Aliabadi A, Mousavi SA, Aflatoonian B. Mesenchymal Stem-Cell Derived Exosome Therapy as a Potential Future Approach for Treatment of Male Infertility Caused by Chlamydia Infection. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:785622. [PMID: 35095800 PMCID: PMC8792933 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.785622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Some microbial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have adverse effects on the reproductive tract, sperm function, and male fertility. Given that STIs are often asymptomatic and cause major complications such as urogenital inflammation, fibrosis, and scarring, optimal treatments should be performed to prevent the noxious effect of STIs on male fertility. Among STIs, Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common asymptomatic preventable bacterial STI. C. trachomatis can affect both sperm and the male reproductive tract. Recently, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived exosomes have been considered as a new therapeutic medicine due to their immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and regenerative effects without consequences through the stem cell transplantation based therapies. Inflammation of the genital tract and sperm dysfunction are the consequences of the microbial infections, especially Chlamydia trachomatis. Exosome therapy as a noninvasive approach has shown promising results on the ability to regenerate the damaged sperm and treating asthenozoospermia. Recent experimental methods may be helpful in the novel treatments of male infertility. Thus, it is demonstrated that exosomes play an important role in preventing the consequences of infection, and thereby preventing inflammation, reducing cell damage, inhibiting fibrogenesis, and reducing scar formation. This review aimed to overview the studies about the potential therapeutic roles of MSCs-derived exosomes on sperm abnormalities and male infertility caused by STIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahin Izadi
- Research and Clinical Center for Infertility, Yazd Reproductive Sciences Institute, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
- Department of Reproductive Biology, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Laleh Dehghan Marvast
- Andrology Research Center, Yazd Reproductive Sciences Institute, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ebrahim Rezvani
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Marzieh Zohrabi
- Research and Clinical Center for Infertility, Yazd Reproductive Sciences Institute, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
- Department of Reproductive Biology, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Ali Aliabadi
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Seyed Alireza Mousavi
- Infectious Disease Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Behrouz Aflatoonian
- Department of Reproductive Biology, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
- Stem Cell Biology Research Center, Yazd Reproductive Sciences Institute, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
- Department of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, School of Paramedicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
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14
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Haidl G, Allam JP. Chlamydia trachomatis infection of the male genital tract: what seems to be the trouble? Asian J Androl 2021; 24:121-122. [PMID: 34169924 PMCID: PMC8788617 DOI: 10.4103/aja.aja_47_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Gerhard Haidl
- Department of Andrology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn 53127, Campus-Venusberg 1, Germany
| | - Jean-Pierre Allam
- Department of Andrology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn 53127, Campus-Venusberg 1, Germany
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