Considerable debate still exists regarding the effects of cigarette smoking on male fertility. This work aimed to explore effects of cigarette smoking on semen parameters and DNA fragmentation on 95 infertile patients who were divided into infertile male nonsmokers (45) and infertile male smokers (50). Smokers were subdivided according to a number of cigarettes smoked per day into mild (≤10), moderate (11-20) and heavy smokers (≥21). Semen analysis, sperm chromatin condensation integrity with aniline blue staining and sperm viability were compared between the study groups. A significant decrease has been shown in sperm count (p = .006), progressive motility (p = <.001), percentage of normal forms (p = <.001) and viability (p = .002) between infertile nonsmoker and infertile smokers. The percentage of abnormal sperm chromatin condensation was significantly higher in smokers compared to nonsmokers (p = <.001). A linear correlation was detected between the extent of cigarette smoking and the degree of worsening in progressive motility (p = .001), total motility (p < .001), viability (p < .001) and normal morphology (p < .001). These results indicate that cigarette smoking has detrimental effects on semen parameters. It negatively affected all conventional semen parameters in addition to sperm chromatin condensation and sperm viability. These abnormalities were also proportional to the number of cigarettes smoked per day and to the duration of smoking.

Aim. This study aimed to assess seminal miRNA relationship with seminal apoptotic markers and oxidative stress (OS) in infertile men associated with varicocele (Vx). Methods. In all, 220 subjects were divided into the following groups: fertile normozoospermic men, fertile normozoospermic men with Vx, infertile oligoasthenoteratozoospermic (OAT) men without Vx, and infertile OAT men with Vx. They were subjected to history taking, clinical examination, and semen analysis. In their semen, the following were estimated: miRNA-122, miRNA-181a, and miRNA-34c5 using quantitative real-time PCR, apoptotic markers (BAX, BCL2) protein expression, and OS markers [malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)]. Results. The mean levels of seminal miRNA-122, miRNA-181a, and miRNA-34c5 were significantly reduced in infertile OAT men with Vx compared with other groups coupled with Vx grade and Vx bilaterality. Seminal miRNA-122, miRNA-181a, and miRNA-34c5 were positively correlated with sperm concentration, total sperm motility, sperm normal morphology, seminal GPx, and seminal BCL2 and negatively correlated with seminal MDA and seminal BAX. Conclusions. Seminal miRNA-122, miRNA-181a, and miRNA-34c5 are decreased in infertile OAT men with Vx associated with increased Vx grade and Vx bilaterality. In addition, they are positively correlated with sperm parameters and negatively correlated with OS, apoptotic markers.

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BackgroundEpidemiological in-vitro studies have highlighted the possibility that exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic waves emitted from cell phones may negatively affect seminal parameters through altering the DNA integrity of sperm and releasing reactive oxygen species (ROS). PurposeTo determine the hazardous effects of using a cell phone on semen quality in correlation with DNA damage and the release of ROS. Patients and methodsThe study was carried out at the Department of Dermatology and Andrology and Cleopatra-IVF center Ismailia, Egypt, on a total of one hundred with infertile men. They were divided into four groups according to their cell phone use: group A: no use (n = 15); group B: less than 2 h/day (n = 30); group C: 2-4 h/day (n = 25); and group D: more than 4 h/day (n = 30). Semen analyses were carried out using computer-aided sperm analysis both dynamically and morphologically according to WHO. DNA damage and ROS level were assessed using an alkaline comet assay and a thiobarbituric acid assay, respectively. ResultsThe current study showed that the duration of cell phone usage correlated negatively with the proportion of grade A and grade B sperm motility, but correlated positively with the proportion of grade C and grade D motility. Group D showed an increased ROS level and altered DNA strands in the spermatozoa. Conclusion Prolonged use of cell phones could have hazardous effects on semen quality in men. Electromagnetic radiation can lead to breakage of DNA strands and elevation in the ROS level.