Evaluation of the antioxidative enzymes in the seminal plasma of infertile men: Contribution to classic semen quality analysis

Abstract

Protein expression/activity of antioxidative defense enzymes (AD) in seminal plasma of fertile men might be used as biomarkers of male fertility status. To test this concept, the present study examined the semen parameters of males among 14 normal idiopathic (normozoospermia) and 84 subnormal (teratozoospermia, oligoteratozoospermia, oligoasthenoteratozoospermia) infertile individuals\. We investigated levels of protein expression/activity of Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD), manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), their association with functional sperm parameters, as well as their potential to serve as biomarkers of specific sperm pathologies. Although the activity of CuZnSOD and protein expression of catalase were significantly correlated with several sperm parameters, underlying their potential role in etiology of various sperm abnormalities, investigation of their potential usefulness as a biomarker of semen quality showed that these AD enzymes could not distinguish subtle differences between various sperm pathologies. In contrast, GSH-Px activity was decreased in all groups with sperm pathologies and was a very good indicator of aberrations in functional sperm parameters, explaining up to 94.6% of infertility cases where functional sperm parameters were affected. Therefore, assessment of GSH-Px activity showed the potential to discriminate between infertile males with normal and subnormal semen characteristics and may prove useful in the evaluation of male (in)fertility.

Exploring Seminal Plasma GSTM3 as a Quality and In Vivo Fertility Biomarker in Pigs—Relationship with Sperm Morphology

“…On the other hand, coiled tails are formed during sperm epididymal maturation, probably because of the weakness of dense fibers [37]. Other studies in men showed significant correlations between sperm morphology and the content and/or activity of some antioxidant enzymes in SP such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and GPX [38,39]. Against this background, it is suggested that GSTM3 in SP plays a key role during epididymal maturation and is proposed as a sperm morphology biomarker candidate.…”

Análisis de la correlación entre las características fenotípicas y seminales en toros reproductores Bos indicus

“…Las anormalidades se clasifican en tres grupos: primarias (aquellas que afectan la cabeza y el acrosoma del espermatozoide), secundarias (las que afectan la pieza o tracto intermedio) y terciarias (las que causan daño de la cola). Otra escala de clasificación, que va acorde al órgano donde puede haberse generado la anormalidad, las clasifica en anomalías primarias y secundarias (Otasevic et al, 2019).…”

Seminal Plasma: Relevant for Fertility?

“…Molecules showing association with (in)fertility are innumerable, but association between variables is not definitory of function in a general population. Markers for sperm dysfunction [ 218 ] and (in)fertility have been detected in spermatozoa [ 27 , 190 , 219 , 220 ] and in the SP [ 221 , 222 ] of many species, including humans [ 218 , 222 , 223 , 224 , 225 ] and livestock [ 70 , 226 ]. They vary from gene presence [ 227 ], markers of Sertoli cell function [ 228 ], proteins [ 36 , 229 , 230 , 231 ], anti-oxidative enzymes [ 223 , 232 , 233 ] and metabolites [ 234 , 235 , 236 ] to exosome-associated molecules [ 237 , 238 ] and microRNAs [ 181 , 239 , 240 , 241 ].…”