Mechanisms by Which SARS-CoV-2 May Impact Male Fertility

Hsu, Albert; Finlinson, Alex; Warncke, Kristen

doi:10.1007/s43032-020-00304-5

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…Interestingly, the number of cells that were ACE2 positive was found more frequently in a 30 years old male patient when compared with men in their 20s and 60s. That report might stress a particularly increased risk of infertility in male patients around 30s (10)(11).…”

Section: Spermmentioning

confidence: 95%

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The Impact of COVID-19 on Gametes and Endometrium: A Narrative Review

Karataş

Güneş

Temiz

et al. 2022

Gynecol Obstet Reprod Med

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The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been affecting our lives since December 19. Naturally, during the COVID-19 outbreak, it has become a point of interest whether severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection might affect oocyte, and sperm and influence the implantation during the assisted reproductive technology cycles. In the current narrative review, we aimed to scrutinize articles about SARS-CoV-2 infection and infertility concerning the safety of gametes and the endometrium. Whereas the available data suggest that SARS-CoV-2 interferes with various types of molecular pathways in the oocyte, spermatozoa, and endometrium, the lack of co-expression in angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and transmembrane protease serine 2 in those cell lines theoretically avoid concerns by patients and reproductive endocrinologists. However, one should consider that those observations were based on a few case series and should be confirmed with further observational studies including a larger sample size with various clinic spectrums. Alternative pathways that can be utilized by the virus to invade gametes and individual differences in molecular expression are other potential limitations that should be considered.

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Section: Spermmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…In the study by Stanley et al,11 cell types were tested, including the germ and somatic niche cells such as Leydig, endothelial, myoid cells, and macrophages. Additionally, differentiating spermatogonia, early primary spermatocytes, late primary spermatocytes, round spermatids, elongated spermatids, and spermatozoa were also assessed (5).…”

Section: Spermmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of COVID-19 on Gametes and Endometrium: A Narrative Review

Karataş

Güneş

Temiz

et al. 2022

Gynecol Obstet Reprod Med

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In line with these observations, other authors have found prominent leukocyte infiltration, including CD3 + T lymphocytes, CD20 + B lymphocytes, CD68+ macrophages, HLA-DR+ myeloid cells, and CD38 + plasma cells in the testes of COVID-19 patients [ 70 ]. All this evidence of localized testicular damage suggests the potential for adverse reproductive consequences at the anatomical, cellular, and molecular levels [ 71 ].…”

Section: Sars-cov-2 Impact On the Male Reproductive Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Air Pollution and COVID-19: A Possible Dangerous Synergy for Male Fertility

Montano

Donato

Bianco

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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Several studies indicate that semen quality has strongly declined in the last decades worldwide. Air pollution represents a significant co-factor with the COVID-19 impact and has negative effects on the male reproductive system, through pro-oxidant, inflammatory and immune-dysregulating mechanisms. It has recently been reported that chronic exposure to PM2.5 causes overexpression of the alveolar ACE2 receptor, the entry route of SARS-CoV-2 into the organism shared by the lungs and testis where expression is highest in the body. In the testis, the ACE2/Ang-(1–7)/MasR pathway plays an important role in the regulation of spermatogenesis and an indirect mechanism of testicular damage could be due to the blockade of the ACE2 receptor by SARS-CoV-2. This prevents the conversion of specific angiotensins, and their excess causes inflammation with the overproduction of cytokines. PM2.5-induced overexpression of the alveolar ACE2 receptor, in turn, could increase local viral load in patients exposed to pollutants, producing ACE2 receptor depletion and compromising host defenses. By presenting an overall view of epidemiological data and molecular mechanisms, this manuscript aims to interpret the possible synergistic effects of both air pollution and COVID-19 on male reproductive function, warning that the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the fertile years may represent a significant threat to global reproductive health. All of this should be of great concern, especially for men of the age of maximum reproductive capacity, and an important topic of debate for policy makers. Altered environmental conditions, together with the direct and indirect short- and long-term effects of viral infection could cause a worsening of semen quality with important consequences for male fertility, especially in those areas with higher environmental impact.

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Coronavirus and Sexual Transmission: A Systematic Review

Tajik,

Heshmati,

pormehr-yabandeh

et al. 2023

Hormozgan medical journal

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Introduction: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS) was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. Although the respiratory system is infected in this disease, other tissues are prone to coronavirus attack so that the male reproductive system is another target for the virus causing sexual transmission of coronavirus. This study systematically examined the results of studies conducted on COVID-19 and possible sexual transmission of this virus. Method: This was a systematic review study in which the articles and papers were collected by using some keywords such as COVID-19, Semen, Novel Coronavirus, SARS-COV-2, ACE2, and Male Infertility searching through databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar) using OR and AND operators from December 2019 to November 2020. Finally, 13 papers as eligible articles were studied. Findings: The collected papers were reviewed, and ultimately 13 papers were entered into this study. According to current studies, the Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE2), which is found abundantly in testicles can perform as a cellular receptor for SARS-COV-2. This finding is the foundation of this hypothesis that human testis and semen can be infected by SARS-COV-2. In particular, a study showed that SARS-COV-2 might be detected in semen of patients with COVID-19 while other studies found no viral RNA in testicular biopsy tissue. Furthermore, some studies concluded that this virus, even in the acute phase, could not infect testicles or the male genital system. Accordingly, no evidence confirms that this virus can be transmitted through male genital organs. Conclusion: Although this virus has not been detected in semen fluid and it has not been sexually transmitted, one study found this virus in semen of coronavirus-infected patients and introduced its possible sexual transmission. Therefore, there is a low probability of sexual transmission of coronavirus.

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Mechanisms by Which SARS-CoV-2 May Impact Male Fertility

Cited by 4 publications

References 5 publications

The Impact of COVID-19 on Gametes and Endometrium: A Narrative Review

The Impact of COVID-19 on Gametes and Endometrium: A Narrative Review

Air Pollution and COVID-19: A Possible Dangerous Synergy for Male Fertility

Coronavirus and Sexual Transmission: A Systematic Review

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