Reactive Oxygen Species and Their Consequences on the Structure and Function of Mammalian Spermatozoa

Abstract

Significance: Among the 200 or so cell types that comprise mammals, spermatozoa have an ambiguous relationship with the reactive oxygen species (ROS) inherent in the consumption of oxygen that supports aerobic metabolism. Recent Advances: In this review, we shall see that spermatozoa need the action of ROS to reach their structural and functional maturity, but that due to intrinsic unique characteristics, they are, perhaps more than any other cell type, susceptible to oxidative damage. Recent studies have improved our knowledge of how oxidative damage affects sperm structures and functions. The focus of this review will be on how genetic and epigenetic oxidative alterations to spermatozoa can have dramatic unintended consequences in terms of both the support and the suppression of sperm function. Critical Issues: Oxidative stress can have dramatic consequences not only for the spermatozoon itself, but also, and above all, on its primary objective, which is to carry out fertilization and to ensure, in part, that the embryonic development program should lead to a healthy progeny. Future Directions: Sperm oxidative DNA damage largely affects the integrity of the paternal genetic material to such an extent that the oocyte may have difficulties in correcting it. Diagnostic and therapeutic actions should be considered more systematically, especially in men with difficulties to conceive. Research is underway to determine whether the epigenetic information carried by spermatozoa is also subject to changes mediated by pro-oxidative situations. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 00, 000-000.

Spermatozoa isolation with Felix™ outperforms conventional density gradient centrifugation preparation in selecting cells with low DNA damage

“…19,20,41 Sperm DNA oxidation is hypothesized to have a wide range of origins, whether caused by genetic disorders, inflammatory/infectious situations and/or environmental factors. 42,43 Spermatozoa handling procedures in ART represent another potential source of oxidative insults to sperm DNA due to lengthy protocols, suboptimal media exposures, 18,44 non-physiological light/heat/cold exposures, and mechanical shearing associated with centrifugation steps. The data we present here illustrate this quite well, with DGC inducing a very high level of sperm DNA oxidation, regardless of the initial level of DNA oxidation in the raw semen sample.…”

Age-Related Decline of Male Fertility: Mitochondrial Dysfunction and the Antioxidant Interventions

“…ROS are a “double-edged sword” in regulating sperm function [ 9 ]. Under physiological conditions, an appropriate concentration of ROS is necessary for sperm maturation in the epididymis [ 32 , 33 ]. In particular, O 2 − , can activate the cAMP/PKA pathway, which regulates the signal activity of various downstream pathways by promoting the phosphorylation of serine and tyrosine residues in target proteins and activating protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs).…”

Omega6/omega 3 ratio is high in individuals with increased sperm DNA fragmentation

“…According to former studies, about 30 to 80% of male subfertility cases might be due to the destructive effects of oxidative stress on spermatozoa. This could be caused by the harmful effect of ROS by inducing lipid peroxidation and DNA damage [13,14]. Induced oxidative stress in seminal plasma is a consequence of the imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and the body's scavenging capacity [15].…”