Seminal mast cells in infertile asthenozoospermic males

Abstract

This work aimed to assess the possible association between the presence of seminal mast cells and asthenozoospermia. One hundred and seventy-six male subjects were investigated: group (Gr)1 (n=46) normozoospermic fertile controls, Gr2 (n=62) idiopathic asthenozoospermia, Gr3 (n=32) asthenozoospermia with scrotal varicocele and Gr4 (n=36) asthenozoospermia with leucocytospermia. Four smear slides were prepared for each semen sample to be stained with toluidine blue-pyronin to detect mast cells. A significant increase was shown in mast cell-positive samples among varicocele-associated and idiopathic asthenozoospermic patients in comparison with fertile controls. Seminal mast cells were also detected at higher frequency among smokers and in age group over 40 years. It is concluded that mast cells and their products may play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of asthenozoospermia, possibly proposing a new goal for medical treatment of infertile males to pursue. In addition, this concept may in a way detain smoking as a cause of male infertility considering the clear abundance of mast cells in semen samples of smokers.

Cigarette smoking and male infertility

“…It has been postulated that DCTs originate from the epididymal epithelium, possibly shed as part of epididymal involvement as a result of testicular pathology caused by several agents. In addition, El-Karaksy et al [63] showed that seminal mast cells were detected at higher frequency among smokers.…”

Mast cells: an expanding pathophysiological role from allergy to other disorders

“…There have been a number of studies documenting an increased number of mast cells in the testes, epididymis and seminal fluid of males exhibiting infertility with oligospermia or/and azoospermia (El-Karaksy et al 2007;Haidl et al 2011;Menzies et al 2011) along with beneficial effects of treatment with mast cell blockers on impaired male fertility (Hibi et al 2002). A mast cell blocker such as ketotifen has been documented to improve semen parameters, chromatin integrity and pregnancy rates as in infertile males following post-varicocelectomy (Azadi et al 2011) and in male patients with leukocytospermia and unexplained infertility (Oliva and Multigner 2006).…”

Correlation between testicular mast cell count and spermatogenic epithelium in non‐obstructive azoospermia

“…Sertoli and Leydig cells are the two key somatic cells in the testis that produce prostaglandins (PGs) and express cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2), which has also been identified in testicular mast cells (MCs) of infertile patients indicating their possible role in testicular inflammation associated with idiopathic infertility (Frungieri et al 2015). Although increased MCs have been detected in the testes of infertile cases, their negative impact on sperm functions in these cases has not been clearly elucidated (Haidl et al 2011). El-Karaksy et al (2007 have suggested a possible association between MCs and asthenozoospermia in infertility, yet MCs can be observed in the human ejaculate without influencing sperm function (Allam et al 2009).…”

“…El‐Karaksy et al . () have suggested a possible association between MCs and asthenozoospermia in infertility, yet MCs can be observed in the human ejaculate without influencing sperm function (Allam et al . ).…”