Analysis of PRM1 and PRM2 polymorphisms in Iranian infertile men with idiopathic teratozoospermia

Single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs] in a number of genes involved in sperm maturation are considered as one of the main factors for male infertility. The aim of the present case-control study was to examine the association of SNPs in protamine1 [PRM1] and protamine2 [PRM2] genes with idiopathic teratozoospermia. In this case-control study, some SNPs in PRM1 [c.49 C>T, c.102 G>T and c.230A>C] and PRM2 [rs545828790, rs115686767, rs201933708, rs2070923 and rs1646022] were investigated in 30 idiopathic infertile men with teratozoospermia [case group] in comparison with 35 fertile men [controls]. Genotyping of SNPs was undertaken using polymerase chain reaction [PCR]-direct sequencing. For PRM1, c.230A>C, as a synonymous polymorphism, was detected in both teratozoo- spermic men [heterozygous n=26, homozygous minor n=1] allele frequency C[48] A[52] and controls [heterozygous n=15, homozygous minor n=4]. All cases and controls were genotyped for rs545828790 in PRM2, a missense poly- morphism, as well as rs115686767 and rs201933708, both of which synonymous variants. The findings showed an intronic variant in PRM2 [rs2070923] was also present in both groups. Also, rs1646022, a missense polymorphism, occurred in teratozoospermic men [heterozygous n=10, homozygous minor n=5] and controls [heterozygous n=13, homozygous minor n=2]. However, there were no significant differences in SNPs of PRM1 and PRM2 between the two groups, however, for c.230A>C, the frequency of the CA genotype was significantly higher in infertile men with teratozoospermia [P=0.001]. We demonstrate that PRM2 G398C and A473C polymorphisms were associated with the teratozoospermia and its genetic variation was in relation to semen quality, sperm apoptosis, and morphology in the Iranian population. This study is a preliminary study and presenting data as part of a future comprehensive study to clinically establish whether these gene polymorphisms are biomarkers for susceptibility to teratozoospermia

Effects of antidepressants on parameters, melondiadehyde, and diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl levels in mice spermatozoa

Background: Prescribing antidepressant drugs is becoming common. These drugs are known to affect sexual functions

Objective: The study is aimed to assess the effects of amitriptyline and venlafaxine on sperm parameters and evaluate Malondialdehyde [MDA] and 1, 1-Diphenyl-2- picryl-hydrazyl values in BALB/ mice spermatozoa

Materials and Methods: Forty adult male BALB/c mice were separated into five groups. Group I [control] received distilled water; group II amitriptyline [4 mg/kg]; group III amitriptyline [4 mg/kg] +vitamin C [10 mg/kg]; group IV venlafaxine [2 mg/kg]; and group V received vitamin C [10 mg/kg] + venlafaxine [2 mg/kg]. All drugs were administered by oral gavage for 35 days. After excision of caudal epididymis, it was located in 1 mL Ham's F10 medium at 37 degree C for 15 min and then analysis of sperm parameters was performed. To examine lipid peroxidation and total antioxidant capacity, the MDA and 1, 1-Diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl were measured, respectively

Results: The mean sperm parameters in the group treated with amitriptyline were significantly lower than in the other groups. MDA tests showed a significant difference between amitriptyline and control groups [p=0.007]

Conclusion: The results of this study showed that amitriptyline consumption can weaken sperm parameters, which can be attributed to the increased production of ROS and toxicity resulting from amitriptyline consumption. Moreover, venlafaxine improved sperm parameters in mice and the lipid peroxidation in this group did not change compared to the control group

effect of vitamin e and selenium on sperm chromatin quality in couples with recurrent miscarriage

Background and Aims: Due to the paucity of studies, association between the morphology and function of sperm and recurrent miscarriage [RM] is not yet completely known. Increased reactive oxygen species and decreased antioxidant levels in men have been shown to be associated with RM. Recently it has been accepted that antioxidant therapy can approve sperm parameters. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of paternal factor and antioxidant therapy on sperm parameters in the couples with RM

Materials and Methods: Sixty ejaculate samples with RM patients were analyzed before and after 3 months of vitamin E and selenium therapy. Sperm chromatin assay was assessed by cytochemical tests including aniline blue, chromomycin A3, and toluidine blue. To measure DNA fragmentation index, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling [TUNEL] test was used. Data were analyzed by SPSS software

Results: Patients had significantly higher percentage of sperm parameters [p<0.001] compared to the time before treatment. TUNEL positive spermatozoa were decreased in post treatment compared to pre-treatment phase [p<0.0001]

Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that antioxidants can improve sperm parameters and chromatin condensation in recurrent miscarriage male partner

Evaluation of intracellular anion superoxide level, heat shock protein A2 and protamine positive spermatozoa percentages in teratoasthenozoospermia

Background: Teratoasthenozoospermia [TA] is a severe form of male infertility with no clear etiology

Objective: To compare the level of intracellular anion superoxide [O[2]-], heat shock protein A2 [HSPA2] and protamine deficiencies in ejaculated spermatozoa between teratoasthenozoospermic and normozoospermic men

Materials and Methods: In this case- control study, semen samples of 20 infertile men, with TA [with normal morphology lower than 4%_ and total motility lower than 40% ] as the case group and 20 normozoospermic fertile men as the control group were evaluated for intracellular O[2] - and HSPA2 by flow cytometry and protamine deficiency by Chromomycin A3 [CMA3] test

Results: The rate of CMA3+ spermatozoa in the case group was higher than controls [p=0.001]. The percentages of HSPA2[+] spermatozoa in the cases were significantly lower than controls [p=0.001]. Also, intracellular O[2] - levels in the case group were significantly higher than controls [p=0.001] and had positive correlations with sperm apoptosis [r=0.79, p=0.01] and CMA3 positive sperm [r=0.76, p=0.01], but negative correlations with normal morphology [r=-0.81, p=0.01] and motility [r=-0.81, p=0.01]. There was no significant correlation between intracellular O[2] - and HSPA2 in the case group [r=0.041, p=0.79]

Conclusion: We suggest that the increase in intracellular O[2] -, decrease in spermatozoa HSPA2[+], and high percentages of spermatozoa with immature chromatin might be considered as etiologies of infertility in TA patients

etiologies of sperm DNA abnormalities in male infertility: an assessment and review

The sperm DNA damage may occur in testis, genital ducts, and also after ejaculation. Mechanisms altering chromatin remodeling are abortive apoptosis and oxidative stress resulting from reactive oxygen species. Three classifications of intratesticular, post-testicular, and external factors have been correlated with increased levels of sperm DNA damage which can affect the potential of fertility. Alcohol consumption may not increase the rate of sperm residual histones and protamine deficiency; however, it causes an increase in the percentage of spermatozoa with DNA fragmentation and apoptosis. In a medical problem as spinal cord injury, poor semen parameters and sperm DNA damage were reported. Infection induces reactive oxygen species production, decreases the total antioxidant capacity and sperm DNA fragmentation or antigen production that lead to sperm dysfunctions and DNA fragmentation. While reactive oxygen species generation increases with age, oxidative stress may be responsible for the age-dependent sperm DNA damage. The exposing of reproductive organs in older men to oxidative stress for a long time may produce more DNA-damaged spermatozoa than youngers. Examining the sperm chromatin quality in testicular cancer and Hodgkin's lymphoma patients prior to chemotherapy demonstrated the high incidence of DNA damage and low compaction in spermatozoa at the time of diagnosis. In chemotherapy cycles with genotoxic agents in cancer patients, an increase in sperm DNA damage was shown after treatment. In overall, those factors occurring during the prenatal or the adult life alter the distribution of proteins associated with sperm chromatin induce changes in germ cells which can be detected in infertile patients

Amending in vitro culture condition to overcome oxidative stress in assisted reproduction techniques [ART]

In assisted reproduction techniques [ART] settings, reactive oxygen species [ROS] can be produced from endogenous and exogenous sources during in vitro manipulation. Endogenous sources of ROS include gametes and embryo, whereas exogenous sources are oxygen tension, light exposure, culture media, and the nature of some protocols, such as centrifugation or cryopreservation. Elevated ROS production can result in oxidative stress [OS], which is harmful to gametes and embryos, and reduces the procedure's outcomes. Therefore, addressing various aspects of the adverse effects of oxidative stress and its management is necessary

Effects of experimentally-induced diabetes on sperm parameters and chromatin quality in mice

Background: diabetes mellitus [DM], primary or idiopathic is a chronic disorder of the carbohydrate, lipid and protein metabolism. DM may impact male reproductive function at several levels. It is shown that DM has detrimental effects on sperm parameters in human and experimental animals

Objective: the aim of this study was to observe the effects of diabetes on sperm parameters [viability, count, morphology and motility] and evaluation of sperm chromatin quality in mice

Materials and Methods: totally twenty adult male Syrian mice were divided randomly into 2 groups [n=10]. The animals of group A were considered as controls while group B mice were diabetic that received a single dose [200 mg/kg] streptozotocin [STZ] intra peritoneally. After 35 days, the cauda epididymis of each diabetic mouse was dissected and placed in culture medium for 30 min. The swim-out spermatozoa were analyzed for count, motility, morphology and viability. The sperm chromatin quality and DNA integrity, was evaluated with Aniline Blue [AB], Toluidine blue [TB], Acridine orange [AO] and Chromomycin A3 [CMA3] staining

Results: in sperm analysis, the diabetic mice had poor parameters in comparison with control animals [p=0.000]. Regarding sperm chromatin quality, the results of TB and AO tests showed statically significant differences between two groups, but in AB and CMA3 staining, we didn't see any differences between them

Conclusion: the results showed that STZ-induced diabetes mellitus may influence the male fertility potential via affecting sperm parameters and DNA integrity in mice. However, according to our data, the diabetes doesn't have any detrimental effects on histone-protamines replacement during the testicular phase of sperm chromatin packaging