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Yuan Q, Hong R, Ni Y, Jiang M, Liu J, Chen Z, Yang D. Correlation between seminal plasma biochemical markers and semen parameters in idiopathic oligoasthenoteratospermia: identification of biomarkers for L-carnitine therapy. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1330629. [PMID: 38532897 PMCID: PMC10963428 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1330629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Background L-carnitine therapy for idiopathic sperm abnormalities exhibits variable effectiveness, and currently, there are no established criteria to predict patient response. This study investigated correlations between seminal plasma markers and semen parameters to identify biomarkers that can guide indications for L-carnitine therapy indications in patients with idiopathic sperm abnormalities. Methods A retrospective review was conducted on 223 male patients with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratospermia, who sought medical attention at our clinic between January 2020 and October 2022. These patients underwent a pretreatment seminal plasma biochemical analysis, followed by a three-month continuous L-carnitine treatment. The correlation between seminal plasma biochemical parameters and pretreatment semen parameters was analyzed. Semen quality was compared between cases with normal and abnormal seminal plasma biochemical parameters, both pretreatment and posttreatment. The correlation between the changes in semen parameters after treatment and seminal plasma biochemical parameters were investigated. Results Correlation analyses revealed significant associations between all pretreatment semen parameters and seminal plasma biochemical markers, except for liquefying time and the ratio of normal morphology. Subgroup analysis, stratified by seminal fructose, zinc, citric acid, and neutral glycosidase levels, demonstrated that abnormal groups exhibited significantly different levels of semen parameters compared with the normal groups. The changing difference and changing ratio in the ratio of forward motile sperm showed a negative correlation with seminal fructose levels (r=-0.165 and -0.144). The changing difference in semen volume was negatively correlated with the level of seminal neutral glycosidase (r=-0.158). The changing ratio in semen volume, sperm concentration, total sperm count, and count of forward motile sperm all exhibited negative correlations with the levels of seminal neutral glycosidase (range from -0.178 to -0.224). Conclusion Seminal plasma biochemical markers, particularly fructose and neutral glycosidase, may serve as valuable indicators for determining the eligibility of patients with idiopathic sperm abnormalities for L-carnitine therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qilong Yuan
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ruifang Hong
- Department of Pharmacy, Guangdong Provincial Fertility Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yunping Ni
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Manbo Jiang
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Juan Liu
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhiqiang Chen
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dongyu Yang
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
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Bitan R, Magnezi R, Kedem A, Avraham S, Youngster M, Yerushalmi G, Kaufman S, Umanski A, Hourvitz A, Gat I. Autologous sperm usage after cryopreservation-the crucial impact of patients' characteristics. Andrology 2024; 12:527-537. [PMID: 37528799 DOI: 10.1111/andr.13502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The wide implementation of sperm freezing presents a growing burden on sperm banks. OBJECTIVES To evaluate sperm freezing and usage patterns over 30 years, according to demographic parameters of age at first cryopreservation and number of children, and indication for cryopreservation. MATERIAL AND METHODS This retrospective, population based, cohort study included all sperm cryopreservation cases performed at a tertiary referral center from October 1993 to December 2021, among patients aged 18 years and older. First, we determined the interval between first sperm sample and use. Then, we examined sperm usage separately for: (1) age, comparing patients grouped into 5-year age cohorts; (2) paternal status according to number of children; (3) indication, comparison among seven indications. Secondary analysis included correlations between main age groups and paternal status versus the four most common indications found. RESULTS During the study period 1490 men who cryopreserved sperm met the inclusion criteria. Average age at cryopreservation of the first sample was 33.9 ± 8.1 years. Average age at first sperm use was 37 ± 8.5 years. Cumulative sperm usage was 38.7% after 17.8 years. Increasing age was associated with progressive increase in sperm usage rate and shorter preservation period. Use significantly decreased with increasing number of children. Examination of seven reasons for sperm cryopreservation found the highest cumulative sperm usage was related to azoospermia (67.7%), followed by functional cryopreservation (39.3%), oligoasthenoteratospermia (27.3%), other (26.5%), patient's request (24%), cancer (19%), and systemic disease (7.2%). Secondary analysis defined specific usage patterns mainly related to age and indication, with less of an effect based on the number of children. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION After decades of cryopreservation, the paradigm of sperm cryopreservation is mostly related to cancer patients. This should be reevaluated and evolve to include broader patient-targeted factors and perceptions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roy Bitan
- Department of Management, Health Systems Management Program, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- Sperm Bank & Andrology Unit, Shamir Medical Center, Zerifin, Tzrifin, Israel
| | - Racheli Magnezi
- Department of Management, Health Systems Management Program, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Alon Kedem
- IVF Department, Shamir Medical Center, Zerifin, Tzrifin, Israel
- Sackler Medical School, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Sarit Avraham
- IVF Department, Shamir Medical Center, Zerifin, Tzrifin, Israel
| | | | - Gil Yerushalmi
- IVF Department, Shamir Medical Center, Zerifin, Tzrifin, Israel
| | - Sarita Kaufman
- Sperm Bank & Andrology Unit, Shamir Medical Center, Zerifin, Tzrifin, Israel
| | - Ana Umanski
- Sperm Bank & Andrology Unit, Shamir Medical Center, Zerifin, Tzrifin, Israel
| | - Ariel Hourvitz
- IVF Department, Shamir Medical Center, Zerifin, Tzrifin, Israel
- Sackler Medical School, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Itai Gat
- Sperm Bank & Andrology Unit, Shamir Medical Center, Zerifin, Tzrifin, Israel
- IVF Department, Shamir Medical Center, Zerifin, Tzrifin, Israel
- Sackler Medical School, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Tanhaye Kalate Sabz F, Amjadi FS, Zandieh Z, Hosseini E, Aflatoonian R, Tabatabaei M, Mohammadian M, Ashrafi M. GM-CSF (granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor) treatment improves sperm parameters in men with oligoasthenoteratospermia via PI3K/AKT pathway. Andrologia 2022; 54:1618-1630. [PMID: 35545511 DOI: 10.1111/and.14427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Poor sperm quality in oligoasthenoteratospermia patients negatively affects assisted reproductive technology outcomes. Therefore, the development of sperm media is necessary to improve sperm parameters. This study investigated the effect of GM-CSF via PI3K/AKT pathway on sperm quality in OAT patients. Semen samples were collected from 20 OAT patients, and each sample was divided into two groups: Experiment and Control. In the experimental group, the samples were incubated with medium containing GM-CSF, and control samples were incubated without GM-CSF. Sperm parameters, mitochondrial membrane potential, acrosome reaction and DFI were studied; in addition, gene expression of PI3KR1, PI3KCA, GLUT1, GLUT3 and AKT1 was analysed, evaluation of PAKT/TAKT, and expression of GLUT 1, 3 was examined; subsequent fertilization rate and embryo quality were assessed. Our data showed that GM-CSF supplementation could significantly increase motility, mitochondrial activity, gene expression of PI3KCA, AKT1, the protein level of PAKT/TAKT and expression of GLUT 1, 3 while it decreases DNA fragmentation. The fertilization rate and embryo quality significantly improved in the treatment group. LY294002 had adverse effects on sperm motility and the PAKT/TAKT ratio. GM-CSF can improve in vitro sperm quality and could be a suitable supplement to sperm media for OAT patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fatemeh Sadat Amjadi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Shahid Akbar-Abadi Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Zandieh
- Department of Anatomical Science, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Shahid Akbar-Abadi Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elham Hosseini
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mousavi Hospital, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
| | - Reza Aflatoonian
- Department of Endocrinology and Female Infertility, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Tabatabaei
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Shahid Akbar-Abadi Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Masoud Mohammadian
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mousavi Hospital, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.,Department of Microbiology, Biology Research Center, Zanjan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Zanjan, Iran
| | - Mahnaz Ashrafi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Shahid Akbar-Abadi Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Endocrinology and Female Infertility, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
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Han F, Dong MZ, Lei WL, Xu ZL, Gao F, Schatten H, Wang ZB, Sun XF, Sun QY. Oligoasthenoteratospermia and sperm tail bending in PPP4C-deficient mice. Mol Hum Reprod 2021; 27:gaaa083. [PMID: 33543287 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaaa083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein phosphatase 4 (PPP4) is a protein phosphatase that, although highly expressed in the testis, currently has an unclear physiological role in this tissue. Here, we show that deletion of PPP4 catalytic subunit gene Ppp4c in the mouse causes male-specific infertility. Loss of PPP4C, when assessed by light microscopy, did not obviously affect many aspects of the morphology of spermatogenesis, including acrosome formation, nuclear condensation and elongation, mitochondrial sheaths arrangement and '9 + 2' flagellar structure assembly. However, the PPP4C mutant had sperm tail bending defects (head-bent-back), low sperm count, poor sperm motility and had cytoplasmic remnants attached to the middle piece of the tail. The cytoplasmic remnants were further investigated by transmission electron microscopy to reveal that a defect in cytoplasm removal appeared to play a significant role in the observed spermiogenesis failure and resulting male infertility. A lack of PPP4 during spermatogenesis causes defects that are reminiscent of oligoasthenoteratospermia (OAT), which is a common cause of male infertility in humans. Like the lack of functional PPP4 in the mouse model, OAT is characterized by abnormal sperm morphology, low sperm count and poor sperm motility. Although the causes of OAT are probably heterogeneous, including mutation of various genes and environmentally induced defects, the detailed molecular mechanism(s) has remained unclear. Our discovery that the PPP4C-deficient mouse model shares features with human OAT might offer a useful model for further studies of this currently poorly understood disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Han
- Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510150, China
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - M Z Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - W L Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Z L Xu
- Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510150, China
| | - F Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - H Schatten
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Z B Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - X F Sun
- Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510150, China
| | - Q Y Sun
- Fertility Preservation Lab, Reproductive Medicine Center, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou 501317, China
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