Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) may lead to the infertility of men. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 infection on sperm parameters and reproductive hormones in fertile men. Methods: A total of 100 males were selected and divided into two groups: (1) patients in convalescence (patients suffering from COVID-19 infection in pharyngeal swab in accordance with reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR] or antibodies); (2) negative control group (without antibodies). Semen and blood samples were gathered from all subjects. In the native semen, immunoglobulin (Ig) M and IgG antibodies in the blood were confirmed, and COVID-19 was detected via RT-PCR. To this end, based on the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, semen analysis, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and sperm DNA integrity were assessed. Results: Results demonstrated that sperm concentration, motility, sperm viability, and TAC significantly reduced in fertile males with virus infection. In comparison with the control group, sperm DNA integrity was significantly increased (P < 0.05). Data indicated that the semen volume was not significantly correlated with COVID-19, and there was a significantly negative correlation between sperm concentration, sperm total motility, sperm vitality, sperm normal forms, and TAC with COVID-19. Sperm DNA fragmentation index had a significant and positive correlation with COVID-19 (P < 0.05). In addition, reproductive hormones significantly reduced in fertile males with COVID-19 infection (P < 0.05). Conclusions: COVID-19 infection has a negative influence on sperm parameters and reproductive hormones in fertile males.
We aimed to investigating the effects of metformin (MET) in combination with alpha lipoic acid (ALA) on hormonal and biochemical parameters, in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) women undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). This experimental pilot study with a randomized design was carried out on 40 PCOS women in two groups: (1) MET group, administered 1,500 mg/day MET, and (2) MET (1,500 mg/day)+ALA (1,800 mg/day) group. Drugs were administered from the third day of the previous cycle until the day of oocyte aspiration (six weeks of treatment in total). MET+ALA significantly increased the number of maturated oocytes and the rate of fertilization when compared to the MET group. Combination MET+ALA could increase significantly the number of oocytes retrieval and the number of good-quality embryos. Also, the malondialdehyde (MDA) level decreased significantly in the MET+ALA group and the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) level increased significantly in the MET+ALA group compared to the MET group. Also, fasting blood sugar (FBS), insulin, luteinizing hormone (LH), and LH/follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels were significantly lower in the MET+ALA group. The pregnancy outcomes showed no significant difference in the rates of biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, miscarriage, and live births between the control and study groups. The combination of MET+ALA treatment could moderate the complications of PCOS and subsequently improve oocyte and embryo quality.
Background and Objectives:The semen cryopreservation is not only required for improving the success chance of assisted reproductive technologies fertility but also is performed for men undergoing chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery, and facing ejaculation problems. This study aimed to investigate the effects of N-acetylcysteine on human sperm parameters and DNA damage in frozenthawed sperm samples of patients with asthenozoospermia. Methods:In this study, 20 patients with asthenozoospermia referring to Jihad University Infertility Treatment Center, Qom, Iran, were evaluated in three groups, namely control, freezing, and freezing + Nacetyl-cysteine (1mg/ml). Sperm parameters, viability, and DNA damage were respectively assessed using the World Health Organization guideline (2010), eosin-nigrosin staining, and sperm chromatin dispersion kit, respectively in all three groups. The statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc test. The significance level was considered at the p-value of < 0.05. Results:The freezing process resulted in a decrease in sperm motility parameters, and the addition of the antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine improved sperm motility, morphology, and sperm viability. The addition of N-acetyl-cysteine could reduce DNA damage (P<0.05). Conclusion:Our results showed that N-acetyl-cysteine could reduce the disruptive effects of the freezing-thawing process.
In infertile men, reduced expression of heat shock protein A2 (HSPA2) is related to reduced sperm quality and function. The present study has aimed to investigate the effects of N‐acetyl‐cysteine (NAC) supplementation on expression of heat shock protein A2 (HSPA2). In this study in continuation of previous study, semen samples from 50 astheno‐terato‐zoospermic men who have received NAC (600 mg/day) orally for three months were evaluated for expression HSPA2 using RT‐PCR, and Western blot analysis. In addition, semen samples of these individuals were assessed for sperm parameters, DNA fragmentation (TUNEL), protamine deficiency (CMA3), lipid peroxidation index (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (TCA). All assessment was carried out before and after NAC treatment. In addition to improved sperm parameters and aforementioned functional parameters, the presented results revealed the significant increase in relative expression levels of HSPA2 was obtained after using NAC treatment (p < .05). Correlation analysis also demonstrated that HSPA2 expression is significantly related to most of the assessed parameters. NAC may directly or indecently impose its beneficial effect through increased expression of HSPA2, which plays a potential role in proper folding of element needed to counteract stress condition in infertile individuals.
The aim of this study is to evaluate the beneficial effects of N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), alpha lipoic acid (ALA) and combination of NAC + ALA supplement in freezing medium on Sperm structural and functional in asthenoteratozoospermia patients.Thirty freshly ejaculated semen samples were cryopreserved with sperm freezing medium (SFM) as control group and three group that SFM supplemented with NAC, ALA and their combination NAC+ ALA. The sperm samples were analysed according to WHO. Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), acrosome reaction (AR), antioxidant enzymes and DNA fragmentation were assessed using by Rhodamine123, PSA-FITC ELISA and TUNEL staining respectively. Expression level of NRF2 was assessed by real-time PCR assay. NAC and ALA alone significantly improved sperm motility, viability and DNA fragmentation (p < 0.05). MMP increased in NAC and ALA separately (p < 0.05). While did not affect the amount of sperm morphology and AR (p > 0.05). Antioxidant enzymes significantly difference in NAC and ALA groups (p < 0.05). In addition, NAC and ALA groups showed a significantly higher expression of NRF2 gene compared with other groups (p < 0.05). Our results revealed that the ALA and NAC supplements had a protective effect in cryopreservation process on the structural and functional characteristics of sperm.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.