Epigenetics and oxidative stress: A twin‐edged sword in spermatogenesis

Abstract

Spermatogenesis is a series of complex events involving a delicate balance between cell proliferation and cell differentiation. Aggregation of chromatins and epigenetic modifications play a vital role in spermatogenesis via regulation of molecular pathways to maintain testicular homeostasis. These epigenetic mechanisms consist of histone modification, chromatin remodelling, DNA methylation and miRNA, etc., which reportedly are critical players in spermatogenesis. One such mechanism involves regulation of oxidative stress in the male reproductive system. The fact that testicular cells contain plenty of unsaturated fatty acids and undergo division at a high rate makes spermatogenic cells highly susceptible to oxidative insult leading to deleterious effect on spermatozoa, which may culminate in infertility in men. Although the correlation between ROS‐mediated oxidative stress and epigenetic alterations has been indicated, research in this regard is still in infancy. Further, the fact that environmental and life style factors are critical determinants of spermatogenic potential indicates the importance of epigenetic regulation of key molecular events in spermatogenesis. Therefore, the current review aims to discuss the ROS‐induced epigenetic deregulation of the molecular mechanism(s) involved in spermatogenesis.

Oxidative stress and male infertility

“…These proteins could be possible biomarkers for OS in semen. Environmental factors, such as endocrine disruptors such as BPA (bisphenol A), DBP (dibutyl phthalate), and DEHP (bis (2‐ethylhexyl phthalate)) in plastics, can generate OS and cause epigenetic DNA methylation 138 . Moreover, oxidative damage can cause epigenetic changes through a variety of mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and chromatin remodeling.…”

Capsaicin improves sperm quality in rats with experimental varicocele

“…In addition, testicular histological sections of groups in this study Oxidative stress is the main mediator of several chronic diseases, the consequence of which is as follows: (a) lesions to single/double strands, (b) modification of nucleotide especially guanine that is more susceptible to oxidative changes due to low reduction potential (Smith, Park, Krause, & Banik, 2013) and (c) epigenetic changes (Sharma, Ghanghas, Kaushal, Kaur, & Kaur, 2019). In addition, accumulation of ROS in cells can also result in deleterious effects on lipid peroxidation, and protein oxidation (Nixon et al, 2015).…”

LRWD1 expression is regulated through DNA methylation in human testicular embryonal carcinoma cells

“…During the stages of sperm cells maturation, the total CpG methylation levels are 70% in human spermatozoa yielding approximately 4% of total cytosines methylated [24]. Spermatogenesis, a dynamic DNA methylation process, is disturbed by environmental stress and epigenetic risk factors, which cause abnormal gene expression and sperm cell maturation [22,23,[25][26][27].…”