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Bryan ER, Redgrove KA, Mooney AR, Mihalas BP, Sutherland JM, Carey AJ, Armitage CW, Trim LK, Kollipara A, Mulvey PBM, Palframan E, Trollope G, Bogoevski K, McLachlan R, McLaughlin EA, Beagley KW. Chronic testicular Chlamydia muridarum infection impairs mouse fertility and offspring development†. Biol Reprod 2021; 102:888-901. [PMID: 31965142 PMCID: PMC7124966 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioz229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2019] [Revised: 11/28/2019] [Accepted: 01/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
With approximately 131 million new genital tract infections occurring each year, Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted bacterial pathogen worldwide. Male and female infections occur at similar rates and both cause serious pathological sequelae. Despite this, the impact of chlamydial infection on male fertility has long been debated, and the effects of paternal chlamydial infection on offspring development are unknown. Using a male mouse chronic infection model, we show that chlamydial infection persists in the testes, adversely affecting the testicular environment. Infection increased leukocyte infiltration, disrupted the blood:testis barrier and reduced spermiogenic cell numbers and seminiferous tubule volume. Sperm from infected mice had decreased motility, increased abnormal morphology, decreased zona-binding capacity, and increased DNA damage. Serum anti-sperm antibodies were also increased. When both acutely and chronically infected male mice were bred with healthy female mice, 16.7% of pups displayed developmental abnormalities. Female offspring of chronically infected sires had smaller reproductive tracts than offspring of noninfected sires. The male pups of infected sires displayed delayed testicular development, with abnormalities in sperm vitality, motility, and sperm-oocyte binding evident at sexual maturity. These data suggest that chronic testicular Chlamydia infection can contribute to male infertility, which may have an intergenerational impact on sperm quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily R Bryan
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - Kate A Redgrove
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Alison R Mooney
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - Bettina P Mihalas
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jessie M Sutherland
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Alison J Carey
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - Charles W Armitage
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Herston, Queensland, Australia.,Peter Goher Department of Immunobiology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Logan K Trim
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - Avinash Kollipara
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - Peter B M Mulvey
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ella Palframan
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - Gemma Trollope
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - Kristofor Bogoevski
- Scientific Services, Histology Services, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - Robert McLachlan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Monash Medical Centre, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Eileen A McLaughlin
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.,School of Science, Western Sydney University, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia.,School of Life Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Kenneth W Beagley
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Herston, Queensland, Australia
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