Effect of in vitro vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) supplementation in human spermatozoon submitted to oxidative stress

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant effect of in vitro supplementation with vitamin E in human spermatozoon incubated with an oxidative stress inducer. In this study, semen samples from 30 patients were collected and with one aliquot we performed semen analysis according to WHO. The remaining volume was divided into four aliquots: group C: incubated with BWW medium; group I: incubated with 5 mmol 1-1 hydrogen peroxide; group A: incubated with 40 μmol 1-1 vitamin E; and group AI: incubated with both them. After incubations, sperm functional analyses were performed and included: evaluation of oxidative stress, acrosome integrity, mitochondrial activity and DNA fragmentation. Groups were compared using a Friedman test with Bonferroni post hoc (α = 5%). In this study, we observed that in group I there was a decrease in acrosome integrity and mitochondrial activity, and an increase in DNA fragmentation, when compared to group C. Group AI showed an increase in acrosome integrity and mitochondrial activity when compared with group I. Based on our findings, we conclude that the vitamin E supplementation had a positive effect in protecting human spermatozoon from induced oxidative stress.

Dietary Micronutrient Supplementation for 12 Days in Obese Male Mice Restores Sperm Oxidative Stress

“…Previous increased dietary intake of vitamin C in men reduced sperm oxidative DNA damage (8OHdG) [61], while in vitro exposure of sperm to 300 µM of ascorbic acid (the active component of vitamin C) had beneficial effects on sperm intracellular ROS levels and sperm chromatin integrity [62]. The same has also been shown for vitamin E both in vitro for protecting human sperm from induced oxidative stress at 40 μmol 1-1 vitamin E [63], and through oral supplementation of sub-fertile men to reduce sperm DNA fragmentation and oxidative stress [37]. Therefore, 12 days of micronutrient supplementation may have reduced sperm intracellular ROS concentrations and associated oxidative DNA damage of high fat diet fed males in this study via increased transfer of antioxidant factors into the lumen of the epididymis.…”

Carnosine treatment during human semen processing by discontinuous density gradient

“…The spermatozoa were divided into two populations: (a) negative population for the DHE probe and (b) positive population for the DHE probe, and 10,000 spermatozoa were counted within the size and complexity (Forward Scatter X Side Scatter) already pre‐established on the flow cytometer BD Accuri C6. The analysis of the technique was performed by the percentage of positive spermatozoa for the DHE probe (Adami et al, ).…”

“…Acrosome integrity was evaluated using a lectin that binds to the outer acrosomal membrane (peanut agglutinin—PNA) conjugated to a fluorescent probe (fluorescein isothiocyanate—FITC; Sigma FITC‐PNA—1 mg/ml – L21409 Invitrogen ® ) (Adami et al, ). Semen was smeared onto glass microscope slides and fixed in methanol 100% for 15 min.…”

“…However some findings are inconclusive. Some studies demonstrating positive outcomes from sample antioxidant supplementation (Adami et al, ; Aitken, Clarkson, & Fishel, ; Burton & Ingold, ; Hughes et al, ; Ribas‐Maynou et al, ), others demonstrating no effect (Raad et al, ; Sigman, Glass, Campagnone, & Pryor, ) and others still a negative effect (Donnelly et al, ).…”

Role of Alpha Lipoic Acid in Ameliorating the Histological Alterations of Pituitary-Testicular Axis –induced by Hydrogen Peroxide in Rats

“…Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)is non-radical oxidant produced in vivo by many reactions via a wide variety of enzymes (11). Recently many studies showed that H2O2 is one of the most toxic reactive oxygen species in the mammalian spermatozoa (12,13).…”