Effect of Mycoplasma pulmonis on in-vivo fertilization in the mouse

Abstract

When fresh, epididymal mouse spermatozoa were incubated with viable Mycoplasma pulmonis, the mycoplasma adhered to the heads and tails of spermatozoa. Spermatozoa that had been preincubated with M. pulmonis in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and spermatozoa incubated in PBS alone were inseminated into the uterine horns of mice induced to superovulate. The mycoplasma treatment resulted in a reduced rate of fertilization and a decrease in the number of spermatozoa associated with eggs recovered from the oviduct at 5--18 h after ovulation. The percentage of spermatozoa recovered from the oviduct with adherent mycoplasmas, as determined by fluorescence microscopy, was lower than that seen in the uterus. Mycoplasma treatment of spermatozoa inseminated directly into the ovarian bursa did not result in a reduced fertilization rate. The results suggest that M. pulmonis adversely affects sperm transport through the female reproductive tract in the mouse.

Genital Mycoplasmosis in Rats: A Model for Intrauterine Infection1

“…57 Fertility in mice can also be reduced by M. pulmonis. 55,56 Viable M. pulmonis reduces in-6itro fertilization and survival of murine embryos. 55 Furthermore, M. pulmonis infection of murine spermatozoa adversely affects their transport through the female reproductive tract.…”

“…55 Furthermore, M. pulmonis infection of murine spermatozoa adversely affects their transport through the female reproductive tract. 56 The ability of M. pulmonis to successfully colonize the reproductive tract and induce reproductive failure in mice is more likely a consequence of systemic mycoplasmosis as opposed to an ascending infection of the genital tract. Intraperitoneal inoculation of M. pulmonis in female mice produces salpingitis, endometritis, and metritis, 58 whereas intravaginal inoculation produces a self-limiting infection.…”

Male germ cell specific sulfogalactoglycerolipid is recognized and degraded by mycoplasmas associated with male infertility

“…The association of male infertility in rodents with mycoplasma infection has been well documented (Swenson, 1982;Fraser and Taylor-Robinson, 1977;Cassell, 1981). However, the suggested role of similar infections (Ureaplasma urealyticum) in human infertility is less clear.…”

“…Mycoplasma pulmonis is a rodent urogenital pathogen which has been shown to cause infertility in infected males (Cassell, 1982). These organisms have been shown to bind to sperm (Swenson, 1982;Fraser and Taylor-Robinson, 1977), primarily in the head region (Swenson, 19821, and to inhibit fertilization in vitro (Fraser and Taylor-Robinson, 1977) and in vivo (Swenson, 1982).…”

Systematic semen culture and its influence on IVF management

“…This organism is very prevalent in infertilc mcn and couples (Lewis 1981;Foresta 1983;Upadhyaya 1983). The effect of mycoplasmal infection on IVF has not been studied in man, but in the mouse (Swenson 1982) and in the hamster heterologous ovum penetration test (Busolo & Zanchetta 1985), the oocyte fertilization rate is decreased in the presence of this organism.…”