Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the virus causing coronavirus disease 2019 . Because COVID-19 is a multisystem infection, there are some concerns regarding its possible effects on male fertility. This study aimed to investigate the effects of COVID-19 on semen oxidative status and parameters 14 and 120 days after diagnosis in patients presenting with moderate infection (defined as respiratory symptoms, with or without fever, with S p O 2 ,93% and .90% and lung involvement ,50%). Semen samples were obtained from 20 participants at two time points: the first sample on Day 14 and the second on Day 120 after diagnosis. Semen parameters (sperm concentration, motility, morphology, and viability) were evaluated, as were levels of seminal reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and sperm DNA fragmentation. Semen parameters, including sperm motility and DNA integrity, improved at 120 days after the COVID-19 diagnosis relative to values at 14 days. In addition, ROS and MDA levels were significantly reduced in patients 120 days after infection, and TAC increased at 120 days compared with 14 days (during the acute stage of infection). In conclusion, the present study shows that the detrimental effects of COVID-19 on sperm properties caused by oxidative stress decrease up to Day 120 after diagnosis.
Background:Endometrial receptivity plays a key role in the establishment of successful implantation and its impairment may contribute to subfertility and limit the assisted reproduction techniques (ART) success.Objective: The aim of present study was to investigate endometrial receptivity in terms of β3 integrin, calcitonin and plexin-B1 expression in women with unexplained infertility. Materials and Methods:We evaluated expression of β3 integrin, calcitonin and plexin-B1 through mRNA level measurement with real-time RT-PCR, in the endometrium of 16 infertile women with unexplained infertility and 10 fertile women. Endometrial biopsies were collected during a single menstrual cycle on postovulatory day LH+7 in each subject. Results:Significant differences regarding β3 integrin and calcitonin expression levels found between patients with unexplained infertility and the fertile women. Endometrial plexin-B1 expression levels showed no significant difference between fertile and infertile women. There were significant correlations between expression of β3 integrin with calcitonin and plexin-B1 in fertile and infertile women. Conclusion:Reduced in endometrial expression of β3 integrin and calcitonin alone or together may contribute to unexplained infertility and these genes could account as the potential molecular markers of infertility.
Background
Nowadays, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent cause of infertility affecting women of reproductive age around the world. Thymoquinone is a natural antioxidant, derived from
Nigella sativa
.
Objectives
The current study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of thymoquinone on the detrimental effects of PCOS rats induced with letrozole.
Methods
Thirty‐two female rats were randomly divided into four groups: (1) Control, (2) PCOS, (3) PCOS+5 mg/kg thymoquinone and (4) PCOS+10 mg/kg thymoquinone. Thymoquinone was administered every 3 days for 30 days. Ovaries were histopathologically and stereologically examined, and antioxidant and apoptotic enzymes gene expression in ovaries and sex hormones in serum were measured.
Results
The number of unilaminar, multilaminar, antral, and graffian follicles, volume density of corpus luteum (
p
< 0.01), and
GPx1
gene expression in ovaries and level of FSH in the blood increased in both thymoquinone groups when compared to untreated PCOS (
p
< 0.05). Ovaries in thymoquinone groups showed a significant reduction in the number of atretic follicles, ovary weight and volume, volume density of cortex and ovarian cysts,
Bax
gene expression (
p
< 0.01) and
Bax/Bcl2
ratio as well as levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), LH/FSH ratio and testosterone (
p
< 0.05) in the blood of female rats when compared to PCOS group. Administration of thymoquinone restored the most detrimental effects of PCOS on ovaries (
p
< 0.01) and sexual hormones (
p
< 0.05) in rats.
Conclusions
These data suggest that thymoquinone has improved effects on ovarian function in the PCOS rat model. Therefore, thymoquinone might be useful as a protective agent and adjunct treatment in PCOS patients.
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