Clastogenic effects of different Ureaplasma urealyticum serovars on human chromosomes

Abstract

The possibility that Ureaplasma urealyticum might play an important role in human infertility was first raised more than 20 years ago, but this association remains speculative. Considering the hypothesis that the pathogenicity of Ureaplasma urealyticum may depend on its serotypes, the clastogenic effects of different strains of Ureaplasma urealyticum, at concentrations of 10 3 CCU (color changing units)/ml, 10 4 CCU/ml and 10 5 CCU/ml, were evaluated in vitro in short-term cultures of human lymphocytes. Total or partial mitotic inhibition was produced by Ureaplasma urealyticum serotypes 2, 3 and 10 independent of the concentration (10 3 CCU/ml, 10 4 CCU/ml or 10 5 CCU/ml) of the microorganisms employed. In contrast, the clastogenic effects observed with serotypes 1, 7 and 12 varied according to the concentration employed in the test. Mitotic alterations were observed in Ureaplasma urealyticum serotypes 5,6,7,8,9, 11 and 12. Chromatid gaps (53.0%) and chromatid breaks (13.9%) were the most frequent types of alterations observed. The results of this in vitro assay demonstrated that the clastogenic effects varied with the Ureaplasma urealyticum serotypes evaluated.

In Vivo and In Vitro Impairment of Human and Ram Sperm Nuclear Chromatin Integrity by Sexually Transmitted Ureaplasma urealyticum Infection1

“…This effect was observed after a short infection time (30 min). These results confirm the observation that U. urealyticum causes mitotic alteration, especially chromatid gaps and chromatid breaks, in cultures of human lymphocytes [42,43].…”

Invasion of Ureaplasma diversum in bovine spermatozoids

“…However, Reichart et al [16] concluded that U. urealyticum has a direct deleterious effect on the DNA and nuclear chromatin of human and ram spermatozoid. According to Cunha et al [20], U. urealyticum resulted in clastogenic effects on human chromosomes and on the mitotic process itself, and the clastogenic effects varied with the U. urealyticum serotypes evaluated.…”

Relevant prevalence of Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum serogroups in HIV-1 infected men without urethritis symptoms

“…Transmission of U. urealyticum to the fetus or newborn may cause severe broncopulmonar displasias, and even central nervous system (CNS) infections 1,6 . However, a difference of pathogenicity among it's 14 serotypes has been reported, by frequency of isolation from different clinical manifestations, as well as different in vitro properties 4 .…”