Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Seminal Plasma: Search for Biomarkers in Diagnostic Approach to Male Infertility

Abstract

Oxidative and inflammatory damage underlie several conditions related to male infertility, including varicocele. Free light chains of immunoglobulins (FLCs) are considered markers of low-grade inflammation in numerous diseases. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), a lipidic antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound, is involved in spermatozoa energy metabolism and motility. We aimed to evaluate FLCs’ seminal levels in patients with varicocele in comparison to control subjects and to correlate them with CoQ10 and Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) in human semen. Sixty-five patients were enrolled. Semen analysis was performed; patients were divided into three groups: controls, 12 normozoospermic patients, aged 34 (33–41) years; varicocele (VAR), 29 patients, aged 33 (26–37) years; and idiopathic, 24 oligo-, astheno- and oligoasthenozoospermic patients aged 37 (33.5–40.5) years. FLCs (κ and λ) were assayed by turbidimetric method; CoQ10 by HPLC; TAC by spectrophotometric method. λ FLCs showed a trend toward higher levels in VAR vs. controls and the idiopathic group. VAR showed a trend toward lower κ FLCs levels vs. the other two groups. When comparing κ/λ ratio, VAR showed significantly lower levels vs. controls and idiopathic. Moreover, CoQ10 seminal levels showed higher levels in VAR and idiopathic compared to controls. Data reported here confirm lower levels of κ/λ ratio in VAR and suggest a possible application in personalized medicine as clinical biomarkers for male infertility.

Association between torquetenovirus in vaginal secretions and infertility: An exploratory metagenomic analysis

“…crispatus dominance is associated with a quiescent non-inflammatory vaginal milieu, 23,24 the TTV level in the vagina in infertility patients might be a biomarker for elevated inflammatory conditions that decrease the likelihood of fertility. Pro-inflammatory immunity in the male reproductive tract has been shown to result in deficient sperm production, 25 and TTV has been reported to be present in semen samples. 26 Thus, we hypothesize that an elevation in TTV in men with poor sperm parameters would result in the transfer of TTV-rich semen to the female partner.…”

Sperm Chromatin Condensation Defect Accelerates the Kinetics of Early Embryonic Development but Does Not Modify ICSI Outcome

“…The authors hypothesized that the delayed timing could be the consequence of the process of DDR occurring during the first step of embryo reprogramming. However, they did not explore sperm DNA damage parameters such as sperm chromatin state [36].…”

Total Antioxidant Capacity: Biochemical Aspects and Clinical Significance

“…To contribute to this field, in this review, we want to shed light on the important role played by TAC. In fact, determining TAC is an inexpensive and simple method used to evaluate the antioxidant components, including non-protein and non-enzymatic small chain-breaking substances, in the plasma, but also in other biological fluids [ 70 , 71 ]. We recommend employing a TAC assay (i.e., TEAC/ABTS) to estimate the antioxidant levels in samples of human biological fluids.…”