The Impact of the Female Genital Microbiota on the Outcome of Assisted Reproduction Treatments

Cocomazzi, Giovanna; Stefani, Stefania; Pup, Lino Del; Palini, Simone; Buccheri, Matteo; Primiterra, Mariangela; Sciannamé, Natale; Faioli, Raffaele; Maglione, Annamaria; Baldini, Giorgio Maria; Baldini, Domenico; Pazienza, Valerio

doi:10.3390/microorganisms11061443

Cited by 21 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 92 publications

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“…Lactobacillus iners has the smallest reported genome of any member of this genus 24 while also having a subset of enzymes not available to other members of this genus. 25 For example, Lactobacillus iners can produce the less common L-lactic acid (rather than D-lactic acid) isomer, which can induce a pro-inflammatory local milieu. This may be sufficient to impair sperm motility in a clinically meaningful way.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Semen microbiota are dramatically altered in men with abnormal sperm parameters

Osadchiy,

Belarmino,

Kianian

et al. 2024

Sci Rep

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There has recently been an explosion of studies implicating the human microbiome in playing a critical role in many disease and wellness states. The etiology of abnormal semen analysis (SA) parameters is not identified in 30% of cases; investigations involving the semen microbiome may bridge this gap. Here, we explore the relationship between the semen microbiome and alterations of sperm parameters. We recruited men presenting for fertility evaluation or vasectomy consultation with proven biological paternity. SA and next generation sequencing was performed. Differential abundance testing using Analysis of composition of Microbiota with Bias Correction (ANCOM-BC) was performed along with canonical correlational analysis for microbial community profiling. Men with abnormal (N = 27) sperm motility showed a higher abundance of Lactobacillus iners compared to those with normal (N = 46) sperm motility (mean proportion 9.4% versus 2.6%, p = 0.046). This relationship persisted on canonical correlational analysis (r = 0.392, p = 0.011). Men with abnormal sperm concentration (N = 20) showed a higher abundance of Pseudomonas stutzeri (2.1% versus 1.0%, p = 0.024) and Pseudomonas fluorescens (0.9% versus 0.7%, p = 0.010), but a lower abundance of Pseudomonas putida (0.5% versus 0.8%, p = 0.020), compared to those with normal sperm concentration (N = 53). Major limitations are related to study design (cross-sectional, observational). Our results suggest that a small group of microorganisms may play a critical role in observed perturbations of SA parameters. Some of these microbes, most notably Lactobacillus iners, have been described extensively within other, fertility-related, contexts, whereas for others, this is the first report where they have potentially been implicated. Advances in our understanding of the semen microbiome may contribute to potentially new therapeutic avenues for correcting impairments in sperm parameters and improving male fertility.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…26 The female literature has even shown associations between the presence of Lactobacillus iners and pro-inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-alpha and macrophage migration inhibitory factor. 25,27 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Semen microbiota are dramatically altered in men with abnormal sperm parameters

Osadchiy,

Belarmino,

Kianian

et al. 2024

Sci Rep

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“…Ethyology and some demographic and clinical characteristics such as BMI and age are affecting assisted reproductive technology outcomes. [ 27 , 28 ] We have not analyzed the causes of infertility between study groups and we acknowledge this as one of the limitations of the study. Crued-model analysis found that hCG injection before HRT-FET affects clinical pregnancy outcomes, but considering other factors such as age, infertility years, infertility type, and BMI of clinical patients and so on, the correlation is significantly reduced, the reason why it do not emphasize the important value of hCG application mostly because that there is no consensus on the dose and time of hCG injection which could be potential confounding factors.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of human chorionic gonadotropin injection before frozen-thawed embryo transfer: A retrospective cohort study

Xin,

Dong,

Guan

et al. 2023

Medicine

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The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in hormone replacement regimen for frozen-thawed embryos. We performed a retrospective cohort study and included patients who underwent frozen embryo transfer (FET) between January 1, 2020 and May 31, 2022. According to the protocols for the FET cycle, the patients were divided into control (n = 238) and hCG groups (n = 216). The clinical pregnancy rate, live birth rate, early abortion rate, late abortion rate, and ectopic pregnancy rate were compared between the 2 groups. There was a significant difference in clinical pregnancy rate between the hCG and control groups (55.1% vs 45.8%, P = .048). The ectopic pregnancy rate decreased (5.0% vs 6.4%, P = .654), while the live birth rate increased (36.1% vs 29.0%, P = .105) in the hCG group. However, these differences were not statistically significant. The administration of hCG injection in HRT-FET cycles alone was also found to be associated with clinical pregnancy by logistic regressive analysis. HCG injection in the hormone replacement regimen for FET increased the clinical pregnancy rate.

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“…22 23 Factors like hormonal fluctuations, sexual activity, and contraceptive use exert an influence on the vaginal microbiome. 24 25 26 Lactic acid production by Lactobacillus sp. plays a central role in neutralizing pathogens, including Chlamydia trachomatis , Escherichia coli , and herpes simplex virus 1 (HIV-1).…”

Section: The Role Of the Microbiota In Reproductive Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring Immunome and Microbiome Interplay in Reproductive Health: Current Knowledge, Challenges, and Novel Diagnostic Tools

Lingasamy,

Modhukur,

Mändar

et al. 2023

Semin Reprod Med

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The dynamic interplay between the immunome and microbiome in reproductive health is a complex and rapidly advancing research field, holding tremendously vast possibilities for the development of reproductive medicine. This immunome–microbiome relationship influences the innate and adaptive immune responses, thereby affecting the onset and progression of reproductive disorders. However, the mechanisms governing these interactions remain elusive and require innovative approaches to gather more understanding. This comprehensive review examines the current knowledge on reproductive microbiomes across various parts of female reproductive tract, with special consideration of bidirectional interactions between microbiomes and the immune system. Additionally, it explores innate and adaptive immunity, focusing on immunoglobulin (Ig) A and IgM antibodies, their regulation, self-antigen tolerance mechanisms, and their roles in immune homeostasis. This review also highlights ongoing technological innovations in microbiota research, emphasizing the need for standardized detection and analysis methods. For instance, we evaluate the clinical utility of innovative technologies such as Phage ImmunoPrecipitation Sequencing (PhIP-Seq) and Microbial Flow Cytometry coupled to Next-Generation Sequencing (mFLOW-Seq). Despite ongoing advancements, we emphasize the need for further exploration in this field, as a deeper understanding of immunome–microbiome interactions holds promise for innovative diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for reproductive health, like infertility treatment and management of pregnancy.

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The Impact of the Female Genital Microbiota on the Outcome of Assisted Reproduction Treatments

Cited by 21 publications

References 92 publications

Semen microbiota are dramatically altered in men with abnormal sperm parameters

Semen microbiota are dramatically altered in men with abnormal sperm parameters

Effect of human chorionic gonadotropin injection before frozen-thawed embryo transfer: A retrospective cohort study

Exploring Immunome and Microbiome Interplay in Reproductive Health: Current Knowledge, Challenges, and Novel Diagnostic Tools

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