In Vitro Combination of Ascorbic and Ellagic Acids in Sperm Oxidative Damage Inhibition

Abstract

It is known that an altered redox balance interferes with normal spermatic functions. Exposure to genotoxic substances capable of producing oxidative stress (OS) can cause infertility in humans. The use of antioxidants to reduce oxidative stress contributes to the improvement in reproductive function. This study focused on an antigenotoxic evaluation of ellagic acid (EA) and ascorbic acid (AA) in combination against benzene genotoxic action on human spermatozoa in vitro. In addition to the evaluation of sperm parameters, damage in sperm genetic material and intracellular ROS quantification were assessed after AA, EA and benzene co-exposure using the TUNEL technique and DCF assay. The results showed that the combination of the two antioxidants generates a greater time-dependent antigenotoxic action, reducing both the sperm DNA fragmentation index and the oxidative stress. The genoprotective effect of AA and EA association in sperm cells lays the foundations for a more in-depth clinical study on the use of antioxidants as a therapy for male infertility.

The effect of ellagic acid on rabbit sperm in vitro parameters after cryopreservation

“…Different observations in the sensitivity of sperm to oxidative stress may be due to differences in experimental methodology and animal species. search of Mottola et al (2022) on human sperm, where EA did not cause any changes in sperm parameters. The effects of EA on the kinematic parameters were not significant (P > 0.05).…”

“…As far as we know, several studies have been conducted using ellagic acid as a supplement to the sperm of different animal species and humans (Omur and Coyan 2016;Kia et al 2017;Bucak et al 2019;Najafi et al 2019;Mottola et al 2022). We observed that the values of total and progressive sperm motility did not change after the addition of EA to sperm, which is consistent with the re-apoptotic spermatozoa (Yo-Pro-1+), acrosome integrity (PNA+), mitochondrial activity (MT Green+), and ROS production (CellRox+).…”

Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Male Infertility: Established Methodologies and Future Perspectives

“…In physiological concentrations, ROS are necessary for proper spermatic functions such as the acrosome reaction, capacitation, and sperm-oocyte fusion [1]. However, an excess of ROS leads to OS, causing structural and functional damage to sperm cells, including lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, and DNA damage, resulting in compromised male fertility and a risk of genetic mutations in offspring [2,3]. Elevated ROS concentrations, found in seminal fluid samples from infertile men, are often due to pathological conditions or environmental factors such as infections, smoking, alcoholism, and diet [4][5][6][7].…”

Molecular Research on Reproductive Toxicity

“…Ten published manuscripts, including seven research articles and three reviews, can be found in this Special Issue. Two articles [ 1 , 2 ] underline the importance of the redox balance in sperm functions. Mottola et al [ 1 ] report for the first time the antigenotoxic effects of the combined exposure to ascorbic and ellagic acids, two well-known antioxidants, on human spermatozoa in vitro.…”

“…Two articles [ 1 , 2 ] underline the importance of the redox balance in sperm functions. Mottola et al [ 1 ] report for the first time the antigenotoxic effects of the combined exposure to ascorbic and ellagic acids, two well-known antioxidants, on human spermatozoa in vitro. The authors demonstrated that the combination of the two antioxidants generates a time-dependent antigenotoxic action against benzene, reducing both the sperm DNA fragmentation index and oxidative stress, putting the foundations for clinical studies on the use of these class of antioxidants as a therapy for male infertility.…”