Clonal diversity of Ureaplasma species and its relationship with oligozoospermia and semen quality in Chinese infertile males

Abstract

Whether Ureaplasma spp. are a causative agent of male infertility remains controversial. Previous studies concerning Ureaplasma spp. and male infertility have been confined to the species level of Ureaplasma. Currently, an expanded multilocus sequence typing (eMLST) scheme has been established with high discriminatory power. The aim of this study was to use eMLST to explore the distribution of Ureaplasma spp. and to analyze its role in oligozoospermia and semen quality. A total of 480 semen samples were obtained from Chinese infertile males. The associations between Ureaplasma spp. with oligozoospermia and semen characteristics were further evaluated. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that 102 Ureaplasma spp. could be separated into two clusters and seven sub-groups. Within cluster I (U. parvum), eST16 and eST41 were the most frequent clones. For cluster II (U. urealyticum), eST82 and eST147 were the most prevalent clones. Sub-groups A and C belonging to cluster I and sub-group 1 belonging to cluster II showed an association with oligozoospermia, in contrast with the Ureaplasma spp. negative group (P < 0.05). Compared with the negative group, semen motility decreased in sub-group 2, especially for non-progressive motility (P < 0.05). These results indicated that sub-groups A and C belonging to cluster I (U. parvum) and sub-group 1 belonging to cluster II (U. urealyticum) were shown to be associated with oligozoospermia. Sub-group 2 belonging to cluster II may have the ability to impair semen motility, especially for non-progressive motility.

The semen microbiome and its impact on sperm function and male fertility: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…Thirty‐five studies used PCR or culture to isolate specific bacteria, namely Chlamydia trachomatis , Ureaplasma spp. and Mycoplasma spp 9,19,51,52,55,60‐89 . The PCR technique identified C trachomatis in 15 studies with reported prevalence of between 0.3% and 43.3% in infertile men, which is in contrast to the culture technique where this species was not identified in any of the studies (0/20).…”

Exploring the Mechanism of Zhibai Dihuang Decoction in the Treatment of Ureaplasma Urealyticum-Induced Orchitis Based on Integrated Pharmacology

“…At the same time, UU can lead to the formation of multinucleated giant cells and sperm cell nucleus, seminal convoluted tubule atrophy, interstitial edema and exudation and other pathological changes, leading to oligospermia, azoospermia, and affecting sperm maturation. Meanwhile, UU infection can severely damage the morphology and function of sperm, and also make the acrosome membrane and the plasma membrane unable to fuse normally, the acrosome and the nuclear membrane are separated, the double-layer structure is partially interrupted, and the structure of part of the sperm head is damaged, which increases the rate of sperm deformity ( Yang et al, 2018 ). UU infection has an impact on sperm density, sperm motility and forward motility, which can lead to a decrease in semen quality ( Zhou et al, 2018 ).…”

Microbiology and immune mechanisms associated with male infertility

“…Ureurealyticum can damage sperm structure and function by reducing motility and causing damage to the sperm membrane, especially the lipid bilayer. In the analysis of various types and subgroups of Ureaplasma, Yang et al found that subgroups A and C of Ureaplasma microgenesis and subgroup 1 of Ureaplasma urealyticum were associated with oligozoospermia, and subgroup 2 of Ureaplasma urealyticum may have the ability to impair semen motility (110).…”

“…In the analysis of various types and subgroups of Ureaplasma, Yang et al. found that subgroups A and C of Ureaplasma microgenesis and subgroup 1 of Ureaplasma urealyticum were associated with oligozoospermia, and subgroup 2 of Ureaplasma urealyticum may have the ability to impair semen motility ( 110 ).…”