N‐acetyl‐ l ‐cysteine and alpha lipoic acid are protective supplement on human sperm parameters in cryopreservation of asthenoteratozoospermia patients

Abstract

The aim of this study is to evaluate the beneficial effects of N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), alpha lipoic acid (ALA) and combination of NAC + ALA supplement in freezing medium on Sperm structural and functional in asthenoteratozoospermia patients.Thirty freshly ejaculated semen samples were cryopreserved with sperm freezing medium (SFM) as control group and three group that SFM supplemented with NAC, ALA and their combination NAC+ ALA. The sperm samples were analysed according to WHO. Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), acrosome reaction (AR), antioxidant enzymes and DNA fragmentation were assessed using by Rhodamine123, PSA-FITC ELISA and TUNEL staining respectively. Expression level of NRF2 was assessed by real-time PCR assay. NAC and ALA alone significantly improved sperm motility, viability and DNA fragmentation (p < 0.05). MMP increased in NAC and ALA separately (p < 0.05). While did not affect the amount of sperm morphology and AR (p > 0.05). Antioxidant enzymes significantly difference in NAC and ALA groups (p < 0.05). In addition, NAC and ALA groups showed a significantly higher expression of NRF2 gene compared with other groups (p < 0.05). Our results revealed that the ALA and NAC supplements had a protective effect in cryopreservation process on the structural and functional characteristics of sperm.

Effect of Micronutrients and L-Carnitine as Antioxidant on Sperm Parameters, Genome Integrity, and ICSI Outcomes: Randomized, Double-Blind, and Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

“…A network meta-analysis included 23 randomized controlled trials and reported that L-carnitine and coenzyme Q10 have a strong ameliorative effect on sperm motility [22]. Several studies confirmed these results [42][43][44][45][46].…”

Redox Homeostasis and Nrf2-Regulated Mechanisms Are Relevant to Male Infertility

“…Jannatifar et al [101] supplemented the cryopreservation medium with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and alpha lipoic acid, used during a freezing protocol of semen samples of patients with asthenoteratozoospermia. They found that both antioxidants protected spermatozoa increasing the expression level of NRF2 gene and consequently the level of antioxidant enzymes, mainly CAT and SOD.…”

Sperm freezing damage: the role of regulated cell death

“…When Trolox and DFO are administered simultaneously, sperm motility parameters that are reduced during oxidative stress are significantly improved by up to 20% [ 128 ]. Additionally, α-lipoic acid (ALA) is an antioxidant widely used in sperm diluents that enhances the quality of thawed semen in humans [ 129 , 130 ] and goats [ 131 ]. Interestingly, ALA is also considered a ferroptosis inhibitor, inhibiting ferroptosis by scavenging free radicals and chelating free iron ions [ 132 , 133 ].…”