The fatty acid composition of phospholipids of spermatozoa from infertile patients

Abstract

The lipid composition of the sperm membrane has a significant effect upon the functional characteristics of spermatozoa. In the present study we investigated the fatty acid (FA) composition of subpopulations of spermatozoa separated on a discontinuous Percoll gradient (47:90%) and the FA composition of phospholipids (PL) of sperm heads and tails in both normal and abnormal semen samples. In normozoospermic samples, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) represented 34.0 +/- 1.3 (mean +/- SE, mole %) and 25.6 +/- 1.2% of total FA of PL of the 47 and 90% Percoll fractions respectively. Docosahexaenoic acid (22:6omega3, DHA) contributed to more than 60% of total PUFA. DHA was significantly lower in both the 47% (P < 0.05) and the 90% (P < 0.01) Percoll fractions of oligozoospermic samples and in the 90% Percoll layer of asthenozoospermic samples (P < 0.01), compared with normozoospermic samples. The omega6/omega3 ratio was significantly increased in both Percoll fractions of samples with oligozoospermia (47%, P < 0.001 and 90%, P < 0.001) or with asthenozoospermia (47%, P < 0.05 and 90%, P < 0.001) compared with normozoospermic samples. The oxidative potential index (OPI) of spermatozoa recovered from the 47% Percoll layer was significantly higher (P < 0.0001) than of those recovered from the 90% Percoll. Mean melting point (MMP), an index of membrane fluidity, was significantly lower in head than in tails (P < 0.01) of spermatozoa, and also in both the 47% (P < 0.01) and 90% (P < 0.001) Percoll fractions of normozoospermic samples in comparison with oligozoospermic samples. The MMP was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in samples of patients with idiopathic oligo/asthenozoospermia, varicocele, and male accessory gland infection (MAGI). These differences in FA composition of PL in subpopulations of human spermatozoa, and in their heads and tails may be related to sperm maturity and to differences in physiological function.

Diet Induced Modifications of Fatty-Acid Composition in Mealworm Larvae (Tenebrio molitor)

“…PUFAs influence cellular membrane fluidity, functions, signaling and expression (Jump, 2002). They play essential roles in brain functioning (Bradbury, 2011;Uauy, Hoffman, Peirano, Birch, & Birch, 2001), whole body metabolism (Arnold, Giroud, Valencak, & Ruf, 2015;Geiser & Kenagy, 1987;Hulbert, 2010;McGuire, Fenton, & Guglielmo, 2013;Munro & Thomas, 2004), muscular performance (Valencak, Arnold, Tataruch, & Ruf, 2003), immunity (Stanley & Miller, 2006;Stanley-Samuelson et al, 1991;Ziboh, Miller, & Cho, 2000) and reproduction (Fair, Doyle, Diskin, Hennessy, & Kenny, 2014;Rahman, Gasparini, Turchini, & Evans, 2014;Safarinejad, Hosseini, Dadkhah, & Asgari, 2010;Strzeżek, Fraser, Kuklińska, Dziekońska, & Lecewicz, 2004;Zalata, Christophe, Depuydt, Schoonjans, & Comhaire, 1998). Animal species use a combination of desaturases and elongases to convert alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3ω-3) and linoleic acid (LA,) into longer polyunsaturated chains.…”

Seminal plasma levels of free 8-isoprostane and its relationship with sperm quality parameters

“…After allowing at least 30 min for liquefaction to occur, semen analysis was performed to measure sperm concentration, normal sperm morphology and percentage sperm motility using Sperm Quality Analyzer IIC (SQA IIC, United Medical Systems Inc, Santa Ana, CA, USA) (21,22). Samples with a leukocyte concentration >10 6 /ml of ejaculate were excluded from this study (23). The differentiation of leukocytes and spermatogenic cells was performed by the myeloperoxidase staining (LeucoScreen; FertiPro).…”

The Mg2+ transporter CNNM4 regulates sperm Ca2+ homeostasis and is essential for reproduction

“…The heads and tails of sperm were separated as described previously (Zalata et al, 1998). Briefly, cauda epididymal sperm were suspended in PBS, and their heads and tails were separated by sonication for 15 s in a sonicator (VP-5S; Taitec).…”