Alpha‐ and gamma‐tocopherol levels in human semen and their potential functional implications

Zerbinati, Chiara; Caponecchia, Luisa; Fiori, Cristina; Sebastianelli, Annalisa; Salacone, Paola; Ciacciarelli, Marco; Iuliano, Luigi

doi:10.1111/and.13543

Cited by 13 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…Although the γ-tocopherol form is a powerful antioxidant, it has been unexplored as an antioxidant treatment for male infertility. Low levels of γ-tocopherol but not of α-tocopherol have been reported in semen from infertile men with varicocele [36]. Low levels of these tocopherols were found in the blood and seminal plasma of a population of infertile patients comprising men with asthenozoospermia, asthenoteratozoospermia and oligoasthenozoospermia [37].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

A Novel Combination of γ-Tocopherol-Rich Mixture of Tocopherols and Ascorbic Acid Restores Fertility in Cases of Tyrosine Nitration-Associated Male Infertility in Mice

2020

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Infertility is an important health problem that affects up to 16% of couples worldwide. Male infertility is responsible for 50% of the cases. Currently, a physical examination, hormone profiling and the evaluation of two consecutive semen samples (to determine the sperm concentration, motility, morphology and, in very few cases, sperm DNA integrity) are the sole tools that physicians have to evaluate infertility in men. Antioxidant therapy is often used to improve sperm quality and function in infertile men. However, there are controversial results regarding the efficacy of these treatments. Prdx6−/− male mice are subfertile, displaying significant oxidative damage in the lipids, proteins and DNA of their spermatozoa. Here, we used Prdx6−/− male mice to test whether a novel combination of tocopherols that contained 60% γ-tocopherol and ascorbic acid could restore their fertility. These mice were fed with the supplemented (Vit. Mix) or control diets. To assess sperm quality, we determined the motility, levels of lipid peroxidation, DNA oxidation and tyrosine nitration in the spermatozoa. The number of pups sired by the Prdx6−/− mice fed with the Vit. Mix diet was higher than that sired by the males fed with the control diet, and the pups’ mortality was lower. The sperm quality was improved in the males fed with the supplemented diet. We concluded that treatment with a supplement composed of tocopherols and rich in γ-tocopherol and ascorbic acid is effective in restoring fertility in cases where oxidative stress and high levels of tyrosine nitration are associated with male infertility.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

A Novel Combination of γ-Tocopherol-Rich Mixture of Tocopherols and Ascorbic Acid Restores Fertility in Cases of Tyrosine Nitration-Associated Male Infertility in Mice

2020

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“…In domestic animals, in vitro exposure to vitamin E improves post-thaw motility and DNA integrity, while its addition during incubation improves motility and viability of normal and abnormal spermatozoa during cryopreservation [26,44.50-54] . Recently, it was observed that gamma-tocopherol, added to cryopreservation medium, induced higher post-thaw human sperm viability and motility than alpha-tocopherol [55] . Melatonin is a powerful antioxidant secreted by the pineal gland [56] .…”

Section: Role Of Antioxidants In Sperm Cryopreservationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanisms underlying human sperm cryodamage: the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants

Castellini,

Placidi,

Barbonetti

et al. 2024

Research Innovation Views Embryology Reproduction

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Sperm cryopreservation is an efficient procedure for male fertility preservation, although the freeze-thaw procedure causes irreversible structural and functional changes in human spermatozoa. Indeed, the procedure is responsible for harmful changes that may affect sperm biology. In mammalian cells, cryopreservation induces a shift of redox homeostasis towards increasing generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The characteristics of ROS and the cellular outcomes depend on the cell type. Supra-physiological ROS levels during cryopreservation severely impact sperm survival, reproductive potential and DNA integrity, the latter a fundamental factor for fertilisation and transmission of paternal genetic information to offspring. The aim of this review is to summarise current knowledge of the main molecular mechanisms underlying ROS generation during sperm cryopreservation and its subsequent effects. In addition, we report current experimental approaches based on the supplementation of cryopreservation media with enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants with the aim of minimising the harmful effects of ROS, and thus improving post-thaw sperm quality. Current data indicate that the potential use of antioxidants as constituents of the sperm freezing solution in clinical settings would require considerable attention. KEY WORDS: Spermatozoa, cryopreservation, ROS, oxidative stress, antioxidants.

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“…Pentoxifylline [123,[177][178][179], zinc [180,181], tocopherols [182][183][184][185][186], ascorbic acid [187][188][189], N-acetylcysteine [190,191], L-carnitine [190,[192][193][194][195], glutathione [196,197], hypotaurine [198], catalase [188,199,200], coenzyme Q [194] and curcumin [201][202][203] have been used in freezing protocols. Overall, they have had generally positive activity on human sperm quality (Table 1).…”

Section: Human Sperm As a Model To Assess The Antioxidant Activity Of...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Human Sperm as an In Vitro Model to Assess the Efficacy of Antioxidant Supplements during Sperm Handling: A Narrative Review

Moretti,

Signorini,

Corsaro

et al. 2023

Antioxidants

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Spermatozoa are highly differentiated cells that produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) due to aerobic metabolism. Below a certain threshold, ROS are important in signal transduction pathways and cellular physiological processes, whereas ROS overproduction damages spermatozoa. Sperm manipulation and preparation protocols during assisted reproductive procedures—for example, cryopreservation—can result in excessive ROS production, exposing these cells to oxidative damage. Thus, antioxidants are a relevant topic in sperm quality. This narrative review focuses on human spermatozoa as an in vitro model to study which antioxidants can be used to supplement media. The review comprises a brief presentation of the human sperm structure, a general overview of the main items of reduction–oxidation homeostasis and the ambivalent relationship between spermatozoa and ROS. The main body of the paper deals with studies in which human sperm have been used as an in vitro model to test antioxidant compounds, including natural extracts. The presence and the synergic effects of different antioxidant molecules could potentially lead to more effective products in vitro and, in the future, in vivo.

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Alpha‐ and gamma‐tocopherol levels in human semen and their potential functional implications

Cited by 13 publications

References 53 publications

A Novel Combination of γ-Tocopherol-Rich Mixture of Tocopherols and Ascorbic Acid Restores Fertility in Cases of Tyrosine Nitration-Associated Male Infertility in Mice

A Novel Combination of γ-Tocopherol-Rich Mixture of Tocopherols and Ascorbic Acid Restores Fertility in Cases of Tyrosine Nitration-Associated Male Infertility in Mice

Mechanisms underlying human sperm cryodamage: the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants

Human Sperm as an In Vitro Model to Assess the Efficacy of Antioxidant Supplements during Sperm Handling: A Narrative Review

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