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Jendraszak M, Skibińska I, Kotwicka M, Andrusiewicz M. The elusive male microbiome: revealing the link between the genital microbiota and fertility. Critical review and future perspectives. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci 2024:1-29. [PMID: 38523477 DOI: 10.1080/10408363.2024.2331489] [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: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
There is a growing focus on understanding the role of the male microbiome in fertility issues. Although research on the bacterial communities within the male reproductive system is in its initial phases, recent discoveries highlight notable variations in the microbiome's composition and abundance across distinct anatomical regions like the skin, foreskin, urethra, and coronary sulcus. To assess the relationship between male genitourinary microbiome and reproduction, we queried various databases, including MEDLINE (available via PubMed), SCOPUS, and Web of Science to obtain evidence-based data. The literature search was conducted using the following terms "gut/intestines microbiome," "genitourinary system microbiome," "microbiome and female/male infertility," "external genital tract microbiome," "internal genital tract microbiome," and "semen microbiome." Fifty-one relevant papers were analyzed, and eleven were strictly semen quality or male fertility related. The male microbiome, especially in the accessory glands like the prostate, seminal vesicles, and bulbourethral glands, has garnered significant interest because of its potential link to male fertility and reproduction. Studies have also found differences in bacterial diversity present in the testicular tissue of normozoospermic men compared to azoospermic suggesting a possible role of bacterial dysbiosis and reproduction. Correlation between the bacterial taxa in the genital microbiota of sexual partners has also been found, and sexual activity can influence the composition of the urogenital microbiota. Exploring the microbial world within the male reproductive system and its influence on fertility opens doors to developing ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat infertility. The present work emphasizes the importance of using consistent methods, conducting long-term studies, and deepening our understanding of how the reproductive tract microbiome works. This helps make research comparable, pinpoint potential interventions, and smoothly apply microbiome insights to real-world clinical practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Jendraszak
- Chair and Department of Cell Biology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Izabela Skibińska
- Chair and Department of Cell Biology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Kotwicka
- Chair and Department of Cell Biology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Mirosław Andrusiewicz
- Chair and Department of Cell Biology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland
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Neto FTL, Viana MC, Cariati F, Conforti A, Alviggi C, Esteves SC. Effect of environmental factors on seminal microbiome and impact on sperm quality. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1348186. [PMID: 38455659 PMCID: PMC10918436 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1348186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective This review provides a comprehensive overview of the existing research on the seminal microbiome and its association with male infertility, while also highlighting areas that warrant further investigation. Methods A narrative review was conducted, encompassing all relevant studies published between 1980-2023 on the male reproductive tract microbiome in humans. This review considered studies utilizing culture-based, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based, and next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based methodologies to analyze the microbiome. Data extraction encompassed sample types (semen or testicular tissue), study designs, participant characteristics, employed techniques, and critical findings. Results We included 37 studies comprising 9,310 participants. Among these, 16 studies used culture-based methods, 16 utilized NGS, and five employed a combination of methods for microorganism identification. Notably, none of the studies assessed fungi or viruses. All NGS-based studies identified the presence of bacteria in all semen samples. Two notable characteristics of the seminal microbiome were observed: substantial variability in species composition among individuals and the formation of microbial communities with a dominant species. Studies examining the testicular microbiome revealed that the testicular compartment is not sterile. Interestingly, sexually active couples shared 56% of predominant genera, and among couples with positive cultures in both partners, 61% of them shared at least one genital pathogen. In couples with infertility of known causes, there was an overlap in bacterial composition between the seminal and vaginal microbiomes, featuring an increased prevalence of Staphylococcus and Streptococcus genera. Furthermore, the seminal microbiome had discernible effects on reproductive outcomes. However, bacteria in IVF culture media did not seem to impact pregnancy rates. Conclusion Existing literature underscores that various genera of bacteria colonize the male reproductive tract. These organisms do not exist independently; instead, they play a pivotal role in regulating functions and maintaining hemostasis. Future research should prioritize longitudinal and prospective studies and investigations into the influence of infertility causes and commonly prescribed medication to enhance our understanding of the seminal microbiota's role in reproductive health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marina C. Viana
- ANDROFERT, Andrology and Human Reproduction Clinic, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Federica Cariati
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, Napoli, Italy
| | - Alessandro Conforti
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Science and Odontostomatology, University of Naples, Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Carlo Alviggi
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, Napoli, Italy
| | - Sandro C. Esteves
- ANDROFERT, Andrology and Human Reproduction Clinic, Campinas, Brazil
- Department of Surgery (Division of Urology), University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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Sallam AM, Abou-Souliman I, Reyer H, Wimmers K, Rabee AE. New insights into the genetic predisposition of brucellosis and its effect on the gut and vaginal microbiota in goats. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20086. [PMID: 37973848 PMCID: PMC10654701 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46997-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Goats contribute significantly to the global food security and industry. They constitute a main supplier of meat and milk for large proportions of people in Egypt and worldwide. Brucellosis is a zoonotic infectious disease that causes a significant economic loss in animal production. A case-control genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) was conducted using the infectious status of the animal as a phenotype. The does that showed abortion during the last third period of pregnancy and which were positive to both rose bengal plate and serum tube agglutination tests, were considered as cases. Otherwise, they were considered as controls. All animals were genotyped using the Illumina 65KSNP BeadChip. Additionally, the diversity and composition of vaginal and fecal microbiota in cases and controls were investigated using PCR-amplicone sequencing of the V4 region of 16S rDNA. After applying quality control criteria, 35,818 markers and 66 does were available for the GWAS test. The GWAS revealed a significantly associated SNP (P = 5.01 × 10-7) located on Caprine chromosome 15 at 29 megabases. Four other markers surpassed the proposed threshold (P = 2.5 × 10-5). Additionally, fourteen genomic regions accounted for more than 0.1% of the variance explained by all genome windows. Corresponding markers were located within or in close vicinity to several candidate genes, such as ARRB1, RELT, ATG16L2, IGSF21, UBR4, ULK1, DCN, MAPB1, NAIP, CD26, IFIH1, NDFIP2, DOK4, MAF, IL2RB, USP18, ARID5A, ZAP70, CNTN5, PIK3AP1, DNTT, BLNK, and NHLRC3. These genes play important roles in the regulation of immune responses to the infections through several biological pathways. Similar vaginal bacterial community was observed in both cases and controls while the fecal bacterial composition and diversity differed between the groups (P < 0.05). Faeces from the control does showed a higher relative abundance of the phylum Bacteroidota compared to cases (P < 0.05), while the latter showed more Firmicutes, Spirochaetota, Planctomycetota, and Proteobacteria. On the genus level, the control does exhibited higher abundances of Rikenellaceae RC9 gut group and Christensenellaceae R-7 group (P < 0.05), while the infected does revealed higher Bacteroides, Alistipes, and Prevotellaceae UCG-003 (P < 0.05). This information increases our understanding of the genetics of the susceptibility to Brucella in goats and may be useful in breeding programs and selection schemes that aim at controlling the disease in livestock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed M Sallam
- Animal and Poultry Breeding Department, Desert Research Center, Cairo, Egypt.
| | | | - Henry Reyer
- Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196, Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Klaus Wimmers
- Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196, Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Alaa Emara Rabee
- Animal and Poultry Nutrition Department, Desert Research Center, Cairo, Egypt
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Salas-Espejo E, Terrón-Camero LC, Ruiz JL, Molina NM, Andrés-León E. Exploring the Microbiome in Human Reproductive Tract: High-Throughput Methods for the Taxonomic Characterization of Microorganisms. Semin Reprod Med 2023; 41:125-143. [PMID: 38320576 DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1779025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Microorganisms are important due to their widespread presence and multifaceted roles across various domains of life, ecology, and industries. In humans, they underlie the proper functioning of multiple systems crucial to well-being, including immunological and metabolic functions. Emerging research addressing the presence and roles of microorganisms within human reproduction is increasingly relevant. Studies implementing new methodologies (e.g., to investigate vaginal, uterine, and semen microenvironments) can now provide relevant insights into fertility, reproductive health, or pregnancy outcomes. In that sense, cutting-edge sequencing techniques, as well as others such as meta-metabolomics, culturomics, and meta-proteomics, are becoming more popular and accessible worldwide, allowing the characterization of microbiomes at unprecedented resolution. However, they frequently involve rather complex laboratory protocols and bioinformatics analyses, for which researchers may lack the required expertise. A suitable pipeline would successfully enable both taxonomic classification and functional profiling of the microbiome, providing easy-to-understand biological interpretations. However, the selection of an appropriate methodology would be crucial, as it directly impacts the reproducibility, accuracy, and quality of the results and observations. This review focuses on the different current microbiome-related techniques in the context of human reproduction, encompassing niches like vagina, endometrium, and seminal fluid. The most standard and reliable methods are 16S rRNA gene sequencing, metagenomics, and meta-transcriptomics, together with complementary approaches including meta-proteomics, meta-metabolomics, and culturomics. Finally, we also offer case examples and general recommendations about the most appropriate methods and workflows and discuss strengths and shortcomings for each technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Salas-Espejo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Laura C Terrón-Camero
- Bioinformatics Unit, Institute of Parasitology and Biomedicine "López-Neyra" (IPBLN), CSIC, Granada, Spain
| | - José L Ruiz
- Bioinformatics Unit, Institute of Parasitology and Biomedicine "López-Neyra" (IPBLN), CSIC, Granada, Spain
| | - Nerea M Molina
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Eduardo Andrés-León
- Bioinformatics Unit, Institute of Parasitology and Biomedicine "López-Neyra" (IPBLN), CSIC, Granada, Spain
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Alqawasmeh O, Fok E, Yim H, Li T, Chung J, Chan D. The microbiome and male infertility: looking into the past to move forward. HUM FERTIL 2023; 26:450-462. [PMID: 36039770 DOI: 10.1080/14647273.2022.2098540] [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: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The human body harbours trillions of microbes, and their influence on human health has been explored in many parts of the human body, including the male reproductive system. From routine culturing to polymerise chain reaction (PCR) and high throughput DNA sequencing, several studies have identified bacteria in the male reproductive system. In this review, we discuss the past and current literature surrounding the testicular and semen microbiome in correlation with male infertility. We further highlight the potential benefits of probiotics as an alternative therapeutic option for male infertility. Although not conclusive, emerging data are indicating potential implications of certain bacterial members on male fertility. There is a general agreement on the negative impact of some pathogenic bacterial species on semen parameters, including sperm counts, motility, morphology, and DNA integrity. On the other hand, Lactobacillus, known as a human-friendly bacteria, has shown protective effects on semen parameters, which makes it a potentially good probiotic. In order to confirm the findings of previous studies, more clinical studies with larger sample sizes and the right controls are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Odai Alqawasmeh
- Assisted Reproductive Technology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ellis Fok
- Department of Biomedical Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Howard Yim
- Microbiome Research Centre, Department of Medicine, St George & Sutherland Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
| | - Tin Li
- Assisted Reproductive Technology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jacqueline Chung
- Assisted Reproductive Technology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - David Chan
- Assisted Reproductive Technology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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Cao T, Wang S, Pan Y, Guo F, Wu B, Zhang Y, Wang Y, Tian J, Xing Q, Liu X. Characterization of the semen, gut, and urine microbiota in patients with different semen abnormalities. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1182320. [PMID: 37293215 PMCID: PMC10244769 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1182320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Semen quality is decreasing worldwide, leading to increased male infertility. This study analyzed the microbiota of the gut, semen, and urine in individuals with semen abnormalities to identify potential probiotics and pathogenic bacteria that affect semen parameters and help develop new methods for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with semen abnormalities. Methods We recruited 12 individuals with normal semen parameters (control group), 12 with asthenospermia but no semen hyperviscosity (Group_1), 6 with oligospermia (Group_2), 9 with severe oligospermia or azoospermia (Group_3), and 14 with semen hyperviscosity only (Group_4). The semen, gut, and urine microbiota were examined by analyzing the 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequence using next-generation sequencing. Results The gut microbes were clustered into the highest number of operational taxonomic units, followed by urine and semen. Furthermore, the α-diversity of gut microbes was highest and significantly different from that of urine and semen microbiota. The microbiota of the gut, urine, and semen were all significantly different from each other in terms of β-diversity. The gut abundance of Collinsella was significantly reduced in groups 1, 3, and 4. Furthermore, the gut abundance of Bifidobacterium and Blautia was significantly decreased in Group_1, while that of Bacteroides was significantly increased in Group_3. The abundance of Staphylococcus was significantly increased in the semen of groups 1 and 4. Finally, Lactobacillus abundance was significantly reduced in the urine of groups 2 and 4. Discussion This study comprehensively describes the differences in intestinal and genitourinary tract microbiota between healthy individuals and those with abnormal semen parameters. Furthermore, our study identified Collinsella, Bifidobacterium, Blautia, and Lactobacillus as potential probiotics. Finally, the study identified Bacteroides in the gut and Staphylococcus in semen as potential pathogenic bacteria. Our study lays the foundation of a new approach to the diagnosis and treatment of male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingshuai Cao
- Department of Urology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Department of Urology, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Shangren Wang
- Department of Urology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yang Pan
- Department of Urology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Feng Guo
- Department of Urology, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Bin Wu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Yingchun Zhang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Yujie Wang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Jiaqing Tian
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Qingfei Xing
- Department of Urology, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaoqiang Liu
- Department of Urology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
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7
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Garcia-Segura S, Del Rey J, Closa L, Garcia-Martínez I, Hobeich C, Castel AB, Vidal F, Benet J, Oliver-Bonet M. Characterization of Seminal Microbiome of Infertile Idiopathic Patients Using Third-Generation Sequencing Platform. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24097867. [PMID: 37175573 PMCID: PMC10178615 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24097867] [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: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the first description of a commensal seminal microbiome using sequencing, less than a decade ago, interest in the composition of this microbiome and its relationship with fertility has been growing. Articles using next-generation sequencing techniques agree on the identification of the most abundant bacterial phyla. However, at the genus level, there is still no consensus on which bacteria are most abundant in human seminal plasma. This discrepancy may be due to methodological variability such as sample collection, bacterial DNA extraction methodology, which hypervariable regions of 16S rRNA gene have been amplified, or bioinformatic analysis. In the present work, seminal microbiota of 14 control samples and 42 samples of idiopathic infertile patients were characterized based on full-length sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene using MinION platform from Oxford Nanopore. These same samples had been analyzed previously using Illumina's MiSeq sequencing platform. Comparison between the results obtained with the two platforms has been used to analyze the impact of sequencing method on the study of the seminal microbiome's composition. Seminal microbiota observed with MinION were mainly composed of the phyla Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria, with the most abundant genera being Peptoniphilus, Finegoldia, Staphylococcus, Anaerococcus, Campylobacter, Prevotella, Streptococcus, Lactobacillus, Ezakiella and Enterococcus. This composition was similar to that found by the Illumina platform, since these 10 most abundant genera were also among the most abundant genera detected by the Nanopore platform. In both cases, the top 10 genera represented more than 70% of the classified reads. However, relative abundance of each bacterium did not correlate between these two platforms, with intraindividual variations of up to 50 percentage points in some cases. Results suggest that the effect of the sequencing platform on the characterization of seminal microbiota is not very large at the phylum level, with slightly variances in Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, but presents differences at the genus level. These differences could alter the composition and diversity of bacterial profiles or posterior analyses. This indicates the importance of conducting multi-platform studies to better characterize seminal microbioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Garcia-Segura
- Unit of Cell Biology and Medical Genetics, Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Javier Del Rey
- Unit of Cell Biology and Medical Genetics, Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Laia Closa
- Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Laboratory, Banc de Sang i Teixits (BST), 08005 Barcelona, Spain
- Medicina Transfusional, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Iris Garcia-Martínez
- Medicina Transfusional, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Grup de Coagulopaties Congènites, Banc de Sang i Teixits (BST), 08005 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carlos Hobeich
- Medicina Transfusional, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Grup de Coagulopaties Congènites, Banc de Sang i Teixits (BST), 08005 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ana Belén Castel
- Instituto de Fertilidad, C. Calçat 6, 07011 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Francisco Vidal
- Medicina Transfusional, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Grup de Coagulopaties Congènites, Banc de Sang i Teixits (BST), 08005 Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Jordi Benet
- Unit of Cell Biology and Medical Genetics, Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Maria Oliver-Bonet
- Unit of Cell Biology and Medical Genetics, Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
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8
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Salas-Huetos A, Bonet S, Ribas-Maynou J. Editorial: Gamete quality and assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1152086. [PMID: 36910148 PMCID: PMC9992964 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1152086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Albert Salas-Huetos
- Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, Girona, Spain.,Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Sergi Bonet
- Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, Girona, Spain.,Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Jordi Ribas-Maynou
- Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, Girona, Spain.,Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
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Contreras MJ, Núñez-Montero K, Bruna P, Zárate A, Pezo F, García M, Leal K, Barrientos L. Mammals' sperm microbiome: current knowledge, challenges, and perspectives on metagenomics of seminal samples. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1167763. [PMID: 37138598 PMCID: PMC10149849 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1167763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial growth is highly detrimental to sperm quality and functionality. However, during the last few years, using sequencing techniques with a metagenomic approach, it has been possible to deepen the study of bacteria-sperm relationships and describe non-culturable species and synergistic and antagonistic relationships between the different species in mammalian animals. We compile the recent metagenomics studies performed on mammalian semen samples and provide updated evidence to understand the importance of the microbial communities in the results of sperm quality and sperm functionality of males, looking for future perspectives on how these technologies can collaborate in the development of andrological knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- María José Contreras
- Extreme Environments Biotechnology Lab, Center of Excellence in Translational Medicine, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Kattia Núñez-Montero
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Temuco, Chile
| | - Pablo Bruna
- Extreme Environments Biotechnology Lab, Center of Excellence in Translational Medicine, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Ana Zárate
- Extreme Environments Biotechnology Lab, Center of Excellence in Translational Medicine, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Felipe Pezo
- Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Recursos Naturales y Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Santo Tomás, Santiago, Chile
| | - Matías García
- Extreme Environments Biotechnology Lab, Center of Excellence in Translational Medicine, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Karla Leal
- Extreme Environments Biotechnology Lab, Center of Excellence in Translational Medicine, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Leticia Barrientos
- Extreme Environments Biotechnology Lab, Center of Excellence in Translational Medicine, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
- Scientific and Technological Bioresource Nucleus (BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
- *Correspondence: Leticia Barrientos,
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10
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Garcia-Segura S, del Rey J, Closa L, Garcia-Martínez I, Hobeich C, Castel AB, Vidal F, Benet J, Ribas-Maynou J, Oliver-Bonet M. Seminal Microbiota of Idiopathic Infertile Patients and Its Relationship With Sperm DNA Integrity. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:937157. [PMID: 35837328 PMCID: PMC9275566 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.937157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of new biomarkers for human male infertility is crucial to improve the diagnosis and the prognosis of this disease. Recently, seminal microbiota was shown to be related to sperm quality parameters, suggesting an effect in human fertility and postulating it as a biomarker candidate. However, its relationship to sperm DNA integrity has not been studied yet. The aim of the present study is to characterize the seminal microbiota of a western Mediterranean population and to evaluate its relationship to sperm chromatin integrity parameters, and oxidative stress. For that purpose, 14 samples from sperm donors and 42 samples from infertile idiopathic patients were obtained and were analyzed to assess the composition of the microbiota through full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing (Illumina MiSeq platform). Microbial diversity and relative abundances were compared to classic sperm quality parameters (macroscopic semen parameters, motility, morphology and concentration), chromatin integrity (global DNA damage, double-stranded DNA breaks and DNA protamination status) and oxidative stress levels (oxidation-reduction potential). The seminal microbiota observed of these samples belonged to the phyla Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes. The most abundant genera were Finegoldia, Peptoniphilus, Anaerococcus, Campylobacter, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Moraxella, Prevotella, Ezakiella, Corynebacterium and Lactobacillus. To our knowledge, this is the first detection of Ezakiella genus in seminal samples. Two clusters of microbial profiles were built based on a clustering analysis, and specific genera were found with different frequencies in relation to seminal quality defects. The abundances of several bacteria negatively correlate with the sperm global DNA fragmentation, most notably Moraxella, Brevundimonas and Flavobacterium. The latter two were also associated with higher sperm motility and Brevundimonas additionally with lower oxidative-reduction potential. Actinomycetaceae, Ralstonia and Paenibacillus correlated with reduced chromatin protamination status and increased double-stranded DNA fragmentation. These effects on DNA integrity coincide in many cases with the metabolism or enzymatic activities of these genera. Significant differences between fertile and infertile men were found in the relative presence of the Propionibacteriaceae family and the Cutibacterium, Rhodopseudomonas and Oligotropha genera, which supports its possible involvement in male fertility. Our findings sustain the hypothesis that the seminal microbiome has an effect on male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Garcia-Segura
- Unit of Cell Biology and Medical Genetics, Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Javier del Rey
- Unit of Cell Biology and Medical Genetics, Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Laia Closa
- Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Laboratory, Banc de Sang i Teixits (BST), Barcelona, Spain
- Medicina Transfusional, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Iris Garcia-Martínez
- Medicina Transfusional, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
- Grup de Coagulopaties Congènites, Banc de Sang i Teixits (BST), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carlos Hobeich
- Medicina Transfusional, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
- Grup de Coagulopaties Congènites, Banc de Sang i Teixits (BST), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Francisco Vidal
- Medicina Transfusional, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
- Grup de Coagulopaties Congènites, Banc de Sang i Teixits (BST), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Benet
- Unit of Cell Biology and Medical Genetics, Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Jordi Ribas-Maynou
- Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
- Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
- *Correspondence: Jordi Ribas-Maynou, ; Maria Oliver-Bonet,
| | - Maria Oliver-Bonet
- Unit of Cell Biology and Medical Genetics, Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
- *Correspondence: Jordi Ribas-Maynou, ; Maria Oliver-Bonet,
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