Activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase and content of malondialdehyde in seminal plasma of infertile patients

Abstract

The reactive oxygen species, the highly reactive metabolites of oxygen, play a crucial role in both the normal function and the metabolism of sperm cells. Oxygen radicals achieve their physiological effects in the cells only if there is a proper balance between their production and degradation. In case of radicals' production exceeding the antioxidant capacity of the semen, there is an oxidative damage of the membrane lipids and proteins as well as the DNA damage followed by the fragmentation and decondensation of DNA. The ejaculates were obtained from seventy-seven infertile and fertile healthy individuals. The semen samples were collected and classified according to the WHO criteria. The activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase as well as the concentration of malondialdehyde were measured spectrophotometrically. The fertile, healthy donors showed the significantly higher activities of both superoxide dismutase and catalase, as well as the lower concentration of malondialdehyde compared to the infertile donors. The activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase, as well as the HOS test, correlated positively with the sperm cell number, but negatively with the concentration of malondialdehyde. The activity of superoxide dismutase and the concentration of malondialdehyde were highest in the group of patients with the lowest success of the HOS test. The assessment of the antioxidant enzymes and malondialdehyde in addition to the semen analysis and the HOS test may be greatly useful in diagnosing infertility in men having oxidative stress in their etiology.

Association of CAT–262C/T with the concentration of catalase in seminal plasma and the risk for male infertility in Algeria

“…These results were biologically reasonable and highlighted the central role of CAT in detoxification of ROS and its protection of spermatozoa integrity, in agreement with and supported those reported by Khosrowbeygi et al [2004] who showed that an altered CAT state can have a significant role in the etiology of impaired sperm function. Our results also supported those of Zelen et al [2010], in which they showed fertile donors had significantly higher CAT activities in seminal plasma than infertile men. Our results also supported those of Ramya et al [2011].…”

Preventive effects ofAframomum meleguetaextracts on the reproductive complications of propylthiouracil‐induced hypothyroidism in male rat

“…Evidence from the literature demonstrates that oxidative stress has harmful effects on spermatogenesis (Asadi, Bahmani, Kheradmand, & Rafieian‐Kopaei, ; Guerriero, Trocchia, Abdel‐Gawad, & Ciarcia, ; Tremellen, ). Free radicals have the ability to directly damage sperm DNA by attacking the purine and pyrimidine bases and the deoxyribose backbone (Zelen, Mitrović, & Jurisic‐Skevin, ). They can initiate apoptosis within the spermatozoa, leading to caspase‐mediated enzymatic degradation of the DNA modifying susceptible molecules including lipids and proteins (Tremellen, ).…”

Reactive Oxygen Species and Sperm Function—In Sickness and In Health

“…In other studies, the scavenging action of albumin has also been emphasized, reflecting the ability of this protein to act both as a sacrificial antioxidant and as a docking site for lipid peroxides clipped out of the plasma membrane by phospholipase A2 (Armstrong et al, 1998; Twigg et al, 1998). Additional small‐molecular‐mass scavengers such as vitamin E are also present in seminal plasma, as are antioxidant enzymes, particularly glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase, as well as some catalase‐like activity, particularly in the rabbit (Foote and Hare, 2000; Zelen et al, 2010; Moretti et al, 2011). Incidentally, the latter observation explains why addition of hydrogen peroxide to rabbit semen has no discernable effect on sperm motility in seminal plasma (Wales et al, 1959).…”