Characterization of seminal plasma proteomic alterations associated with the IVF and rescue‐ICSI pregnancy in assisted reproduction

Abstract

Background Seminal plasma is a promising diagnostic fluid for male infertility. In assisted reproduction, the seminal plasma‐based characteristics of normozoospermic men achieving successful clinical pregnancy through rescue intracytoplasmic sperm injection after in vitro fertilization failure remain unclear. Objective To identify potential seminal plasma proteins to contribute to a new understanding of unexplained male factor infertility. Materials and Methods An approach with isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification labeling coupled with liquid chromatography matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry was applied to investigate differentially expressed proteins in the seminal plasma of a rescue intracytoplasmic sperm injection pregnancy group versus an in vitro fertilization pregnancy group of normozoospermic men. Result(s) The present work revealed seventy‐three differentially expressed seminal plasma proteins between the in vitro fertilization and rescue intracytoplasmic sperm injection groups. Forty‐five proteins were upregulated, and 28 proteins were downregulated in the rescue intracytoplasmic sperm injection group compared with the in vitro fertilization group. Bioinformatics analyses showed that these altered proteins were involved in various functions, including the kallikrein‐related proteolytic cascade, immune response, and heparin binding. Furthermore, the validity of the proteomic results was verified by Western blot analysis of the proteins (lactoferrin [LTF], fibronectin [FN1], creatine kinase B type [CKB], kallikrein‐2 [KLK2], aminopeptidase N [ANPEP], extracellular matrix protein 1 [ECM1], glycodelin [PAEP], alpha‐1‐antitrypsin [SERPINA1], and semenogelin‐1 [SEMG1]) and immunofluorescence. Moreover, 16% of the seminal plasma proteins identified in the present work have not been reported in previous studies. Discussion This panel of altered seminal plasma proteins associated with unexplained male factor infertility might have clinical relevance and may be useful in the diagnosis and prognosis of idiopathic infertility in in vitro fertilization. Conclusions Our work not only provides a new complementary high‐confidence dataset of seminal plasma proteins but also shines new light onto the molecular characteristics of seminal plasma from normozoospermic men with different assisted reproductive outcomes.

Fertilization and neonatal outcomes after early rescue intracytoplasmic sperm injection: a retrospective analysis of 16,769 patients

“…Of note, ICSI has higher costs, procedure times [ 32 ], chances of damaging the oocyte [ 48 ], and proteomic alterations [ 49 ], as well as possibly higher rates of fetal anomalies [ 50 ]. The first 15 years of ART activity in Europe (1997–2011) showed an increasing proportion of ICSI and it exceeded the use of IVF from 2002 onwards.…”

Early Rescue Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection in Partial Fertilization Failure Is Necessary and Safe: A Retrospective Analysis of 1223 Patients

“…Of note, ICSI has higher costs, procedure times [32], chances of damaging the oocyte [40], and proteomic alterations [41], as well as possibly higher rates of fetal anomalies [42]. The rst 15 years of ART activity in Europe (1997-2011) showed an increasing proportion of ICSI and it exceeded the use of IVF from 2002 onwards.…”

Glycadelin in Obstetrical Practice: Past, Present, Practice

“…At the level of glycodelin from 16 to 64 µg/ml, a complete secretory transformation of the endometrium is determined, at values from 2 to 12 µg/ml-insufficiency of the luteal phase, below 2 µg/ml-anovulation, and at values from 128 µg/ml and above-the former in the pregnancy cycle. In the presence of pregnancy, the content of glycodelin in the blood from the uterine cavity depends on the duration of pregnancy and is higher in cases of artificial termination of pregnancy compared to spontaneous, which is due to the state of the decidual tissue [1,14]. The diagnostic criteria developed by us for the level of glycodelin in menstrual blood are currently used as standards in immunochemical kits for the determination of this protein (in terms of ng/ml).…”