Differential expression of mRNA aromatase in ejaculated spermatozoa from infertile men in relation to either asthenozoospermia or teratozoospermia

Abstract

Oestrogen biosynthesis in ejaculated spermatozoa is an autonomous process, which may influence sperm functions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the expression of aromatase, sperm quality and seminal neutral α-glucosidase marker in semen of Tunisian infertile men: asthenozoospermia (A; n = 16), teratozoospermia (T; n = 12) and asthenoteratozoospermia (AT; n = 11) in comparison with 18 normozoospermic ones. Aromatase mRNA levels estimated by real-time PCR were reduced in groups T (52%) and AT (67%) compared to controls and inversely correlated with the percentage of normal forms. A higher coefficient of correlation was noted in presence of microcephaly or acrosome malformations (r = -0.64). The asthenozoospermic group was divided into two subgroups according to the relative amount of aromatase. The subgroup (A2) with higher aromatase transcript level was associated with an increased seminal pH, a decreased sperm viability, low sperm percentage motility and low neutral α-glucosidase semen levels. Our data highlight the involvement of aromatase in motility and morphology of spermatozoa. Thus, this enzyme could bring new insights about quality and fertilising capacity of human spermatozoa.

Level of neutral alpha-1,4-glucosidase in seminal plasma of Chinese men

“…Moreover, the levels of NAG in patients with teratozoospermia and oligoasthenospermia were significantly higher than those in patients with severe oligozoospermia. These data confirmed that NAG was significantly associated with semen concentration, motility and morphology, which was consistent with current studies (Levrant et al., ; Pena et al., ; Said, Saad, & Carreau, ; Said, Saad, Luna et al., ), but was not in line with the study reported by Pena, et al. ().…”

“…Sperm dysfunction is frequently observed in most infertile men (Chemes & Rawe, ; Chua et al., ). According to the criteria of World Health Organization (WHO ), infertile patients were classified into normozoospermia, asthenozoospermia and teratozoospermia groups (Said, Saad, & Carreau, ; Said, Saad, Luna et al., ). Epididymis is an important place for sperm capacitation before fertilisation, which plays a key role in sperm maturation and motility (Moore, ; Pena, Sanchez, Vasquez, Castillo, & Miska, ).…”

“…Said et al. reported that NAG in human semen was associated with semen quality, which was reduced in patients with asthenozoospermia and teratozoospermia (Said, Saad, & Carreau, ; Said, Saad, Luna et al., ). However, Pena, et al.…”

Venlafaxine‐induced damage to seminiferous epithelium, spermiation, and sperm parameters in rats: A correlation with high estrogen levels

“…Moreover, treatment with an estrogen receptor‐alpha agonist downregulates genes involved in spermiogenesis, 58 indicating that the changes in sperm motility observed in VFG35 may be related to the impact of venlafaxine‐induced high estrogen levels on tail formation during spermiogenesis. The strong inverse correlation between aromatase mRNA levels and the percentage of normal spermatozoa in humans 59 reinforces this idea and agrees with the increased number of spermatozoa with normal morphology in VFG65 as estrogen levels decreased. It is known that apoptosis during spermatogenesis enables the elimination of defective germ cells, 57 preventing the formation of abnormal spermatozoa.…”

Intra-Testicular Signals Regulate Germ Cell Progression and Production of Qualitatively Mature Spermatozoa in Vertebrates

“…Indeed, Carreau and co-workers reported that, in human ejaculated SPZ, the immotile sperm fraction showed low levels of P450arom, both mRNA and protein activity (30 and 50%, respectively), as compared with the motile sperm fraction (153–155). In addition, the same authors have recently reported that in SPZ from asthenospermic, teratospermic, and asthenoteratospermic patients, P450arom mRNA levels were progressively lower as compared with SPZ from control patients (156). The hypothesis that E 2 treatment improves motility by enhancing oxidative metabolism and the intracellular ATP concentrations in human sperm (157, 158) well fit with the observation that E 2 can regulate mitochondrial function in MCF7 cells by increasing nuclear respiratory factor-1 expression (159).…”