Semen quality and age-specific changes: a study between two decades on 3,729 male partners of couples with normal sperm count and attending an andrology laboratory for infertility-related problems in an Indian city

Mukhopadhyay, D.; Varghese, Alex C.; Pal, Manisha; Banerjee, S. K.; Bhattacharyya, A.; Sharma, Rakesh K.; Agarwal, Ashok

doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2009.01.135

Cited by 76 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Several studies have reported concerns that infertility rates and the sperm quality of men may be increasing worldwide [3,4]. Common problems of male subfertility or infertility include oligozoospermia, azoospermia, asthenozoospermia, teratozoospermia, and any combination of these problems [5,6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterization of 3-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase, HIBADH, as a sperm-motility marker

Tasi

Chao

Chung

et al. 2013

J Assist Reprod Genet

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Purpose Asthenozoospermia is a major cause of male infertility. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying spermmotility defects remain largely unknown in the majority of cases. In our previous study, we applied a proteomic approach to identify unknown proteins that were downregulated in spermatozoa with low motility compared to spermatozoa with good motility. Several sperm motility-related proteins have been identified. In this study, 3-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase (HIBADH), one of the proteins identified using the proteomic tools, is further characterized.Methods Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCR), western blotting, and immunofluorescence assays (IFA) were preformed to investigate the expression pattern. The enzymatic activity of HIBADH was evaluated in sperm with good (>50 %), moderate (< 50 %) and lower motility (< 20 %). Results Using RT-PCR, we found that transcripts of HIBADH are enriched in the cerebellum, heart, skeletal muscle, uterus, placenta, and testes of male humans. In western blotting, it is expressed in the placenta, testes, and spermatozoa. During spermiogenesis, HIBADH is located at Capsule HIBADH is involved in the mitochondrial function of spermatozoa and maintains sperm motility. It may serve as a spermmotility marker.Pao-Lin Kuo and Ying-Hung Lin contributed equally to co-corresponding author. Assist Reprod Genet (2013) 30:505-512 DOI 10.1007 the mid-piece (a specialized development from the mitochondria) of elongating, elongated, and mature sperm. The enzymatic activity of HIBADH in sperm with moderate and lower motility were significantly reduced compared with good motility (P<0.0001 and P<0.05, respectively). Conclusions Our study indicated that HIBADH is involved in the mitochondrial function of spermatozoa, and maintains sperm motility. It may serve as a sperm-motility marker. Electronic supplementary material

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterization of 3-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase, HIBADH, as a sperm-motility marker

Tasi

Chao

Chung

et al. 2013

J Assist Reprod Genet

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“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] By contrast, other studies have shown no evidence of deteriorating semen quality. [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] Some studies concern infertile couples, while others analyse normal sperm parameters.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Approval for this study was obtained from the French institutional review board, the CNIL (National Board of Data Processing and Liberties n 0 909493) Statistical analyses were performed on the first sperm sample for each patient. We also performed statistical analyses on selected samples having a total normal sperm count (o40 million/ejaculate) according to the results obtained by Mukhopdayay et al 8 and Spirada et al 6 This corresponded to 7899 semen samples.…”

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confidence: 99%

Decline of semen quality among 10 932 males consulting for couple infertility over a 20-year period in Marseille, France

Geoffroy-Siraudin¹,

Loundou²,

Romain³

et al. 2012

Asian J Androl

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Semen from 10 932 male partners of infertile couples was analysed and sperm parameter trends were evaluated at the Reproduction Biology Laboratory of the University Hospital of Marseille (France) between 1988 and 2007. After 3-6 days of abstinence, semen samples were collected. Measurements of seminal fluid volume, pH, sperm concentration, total sperm count, motility and detailed morphology of spermatozoa were performed. Sperm parameters were analysed on the entire population and in men with normal total numeration (o40 million per ejaculate). The whole population demonstrated declining trends in sperm concentration (1.5% per year), total sperm count (1.6% per year), total motility (0.4% per year), rapid motility (5.5% per year) and normal morphology (2.2% per year). In the group of selected samples with total normal sperm count, the same trends of sperm quality deterioration with time were observed. Our results clearly indicate that the quality of semen decreased in this population over the study period. Keywords: environment; male infertility; regional differences; semen quality; sperm parameters INTRODUCTION Numerous studies suggest a decline in semen quality in some parts of the world. 1-8 By contrast, other studies have shown no evidence of deteriorating semen quality. 9-16 Some studies concern infertile couples, while others analyse normal sperm parameters. Thus, a worldwide decreasing trend in semen parameter values can be neither confirmed nor rejected. 17 It was recently reported that fecundity is affected by this decrease. 18,19 It was speculated that decreasing sperm parameters are in response to adverse environmental factors. Nevertheless, the observed discrepancies between studies suggest regional differences in semen quality. [20][21][22] Variations in environmental factors, industrial pollution and/or lifestyle could explain these discrepancies. A large number of environmental factors can pollute air, drinking water and food. This can directly alter the male gonad by blood-testis barrier disruption and cellular toxicity, or disrupt androgen biosynthesis and action. Among these environmental factors, oestrogenic or anti-androgenic endocrine disrupting compounds inhibit critical cellular process controlling steroidogenesis in Leydig cells and androgen binding to the androgen receptor. 23 It has been hypothesized that endocrine disrupting compounds play a major role in the aetiology of increased incidence of testicular dysgenesis syndrome which gathers decreased quality of semen, cryptorchidism, hypospadias and testicular cancer. 24 Chemicals with hormone-like activity can also

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“…[27][28][29][30][31][32] However, other studies report that sperm concentration remains stable while motility and morphology decline. 33 In a review of the literature, Kidd et al 34 also concluded that semen volume, sperm motility and morphology but not sperm concentration decreased with age. Obesity, which tends to be more prevalent in older men is a potential confounding factor although a meta-analysis found no association between body mass index and semen quality.…”

Section: Biological Factors That Could Cause Biasmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ignorance but not bliss: too little is known about the determinants of semen quality

Ford

2013

Asian J Androl

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riticisms of the data that have been presented to demonstrate a decline in sperm counts over time reveal problems with semen analysis methods and a lack of understanding of the genetic and environmental factors that determine a man's sperm count. Potential sources of error in the WHO semen analysis protocol and some areas of ignorance about the biological and environmental factors which can influence sperm counts are briefly discussed. I conclude that there is a need to include semen analyses in a large cohort study to fill the gaps in our knowledge.The paper by Carlsen et al. 1 that is being marked in this issue of Asian Journal of Andrology stimulated widespread concern and considerable research effort. Together with other supportive studies, e.g. Auger et al., 2 strong evidence that testicular cancer was not only becoming more prevalent but was developing at lower ages 3,4 and observations that other disorders of male development, e.g. cryptorchidism and hypospadias, were being more frequently reported, although this might be due to changes in clinical practice (see Thonneau et al. 5 ), have raised serious concerns that something was going amiss with the human male. The proposition that oestrogen exposure in utero might be responsible by an effect on Sertoli cell development gave rise to the 'testicular dysgenesis' hypothesis to explain these effects, 6 although the role of oestrogen has been questioned recently. As most andrologists, I have followed developments in this area with keen interest but other contributors to this issue are far more knowledgeable than me, so I intend to say nothing about the testicular dysgenesis hypothesis or the latest consensus on whether sperm counts have indeed declined. Instead I will review some of the reasons why assessing trends in semen quality over time is difficult, and how these problems reveal gaps, or perhaps chasms, in our knowledge about the biology of human semen.First, although there is no better alternative, the standard semen analysis is inherently imprecise and is prone to many errors. The equipment used has changed over time and with it the nature of the error, making historical comparisons difficult. The errors introduced could be random, leading to imprecision and greater difficulty in demonstrating statistical significance but without effect on the nature of the trend, or systematic, leading to bias in the results. In theory systematic error could be corrected by direct comparison of former and current techniques. However, as discussed below results can potentially be affected by technical errors whose effects are difficult to predict. These can only be detected and eliminated by good quality control systems that have only been in place for at most two decades. Therefore doubt about older data will always remain. Secondly, the environmental factors that might influence a man's sperm count have changed over time and movements of populations have changed the genetic mix in many places. Moreover, social changes might affect the characteristics of the men rec...

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Semen quality and age-specific changes: a study between two decades on 3,729 male partners of couples with normal sperm count and attending an andrology laboratory for infertility-related problems in an Indian city

Cited by 76 publications

References 47 publications

Characterization of 3-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase, HIBADH, as a sperm-motility marker

Characterization of 3-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase, HIBADH, as a sperm-motility marker

Decline of semen quality among 10 932 males consulting for couple infertility over a 20-year period in Marseille, France

Ignorance but not bliss: too little is known about the determinants of semen quality

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