SP22 sperm protein as a potential biomarker of fertility in humans: A preliminary study.

Infertility affects approximately 15% of couples of reproductive age, and 50% of the cases are directly related to men. The evaluation of male fertility is based on analyses of routine seminal parameters and the use of more advanced techniques can help identify fertility biomarkers. SP22 sperm protein is considered a biomarker in murine species since its concentration is highly correlated with sperm fertility. As the role of this protein as a biomarker is already well-established in other species, we hypothesized that this same correlation could apply to human. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate possible correlations between SP22 concentration and sperm parameters in fertile and infertile men. For this, a study was carried out on 21 volunteers' seminal samples who were grouped according to fertility as fertile (n = 10) or infertile (n = 11). Conventional and functional sperm analyses, membrane protein extraction, quantification and immunolocalization of SP22 were performed. The infertile volunteers showed an increase in the percentage of sperm with abnormalities in head morphology and a decrease in the percentage of sperm with intact plasma membrane and damaged acrosomal membrane. Serum concentration of the hormone SHBG was also decreased in infertile volunteers. The damage to the plasma membrane was positively correlated with the superoxide anion production. Although none of the functional parameters were correlated with SP22 concentration, type D sperm motility was negatively correlated and type A+B sperm motility was positively correlated. This preliminary study opens new paths in the characterization of SP22 as a non-invasive biomarker for predicting fertility/infertility.

Effects of isolated or combined exposure to sibutramine and rosuvastatin on reproductive parameters of adult male rats.

Many obese patients are exposed to hypolipidemic and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) drugs. Statins are one of the most marketed drugs in the world to treat dyslipidemia, while sibutramine, a SNRI drug, is prescribed in some countries to treat obesity and is detected as an additive in many adulterated weight loss supplements marketed worldwide. Previous studies reported adverse effects of isolated exposure to these drugs on male rat reproductive parameters. In the present work, we further investigated male reproductive toxicity of these drugs, administered in isolation or combination in adult rats for a longer period of treatment. Adult male rats (90 days) were treated (gavage) for 70 days with saline and dimethyl sulfoxide (control), sibutramine (10 mg/kg), rosuvastatin (5 mg/kg), or rosuvastatin combined with sibutramine. Sibutramine alone or with rosuvastatin, promoted a reduction in food intake and body weight gain, weight of the epididymis, ventral prostate and seminal vesicle; as well as decreased sperm reserves and transit time through the epididymis; androgen depletion; and increased index of cytoplasmic droplet. The rosuvastatin-treated group showed reduced frequency of ejaculation. Exposure to this drug alone or combined with sibutramine impaired epididymal morphology. Co-exposed rats had altered epididymal morphometry, and seminal vesicle and testis weights. The rats also showed decreased fertility after natural mating and a trend toward a delay in ejaculation, suggesting a small synergistic effect of these drugs. Given the greater reproductive efficiency of rodents, the results obtained in the present study raise concern regarding possible fertility impairment in men taking statins and SNRI drugs.

Lack of Reproductive Toxicity in Adult Male Rats Exposed to Interferon-Alpha.

Interferon-alpha (IFN- α), a type I IFN, is a protein with antiviral, antiproliferative, and immunoregulatory activities, widely used in the treatment of several types of cancers as well as hepatitis B and C. Decrease of libido and erectile dysfunction are commonly reported by male patients during treatment of chronic hepatitis C with IFN- α . However, IFN therapy-associated underlying factors attributed to sexual dysfunction are still not well defined. Currently, there are few studies investigating the effects of IFN on male reproductive system functions. Given that, the aim of the present investigation was to examine effects of subchronic exposure to IFN- α (5 × 10(4) U/kg and 10 × 10(4) U/kg, 30 d) on serum hormones, sperm parameters, fertility, and testicular and epididymal hystopathology and morphometry in adult male Wistar rats. None of the evaluated parameters was markedly altered by IFN- α . Thus, our results suggest that exposure to IFN- α , in this experimental design, did not adversely affect sperm quality and fertile capacity of male rats.

Delayed reproductive development in pubertal male rats exposed to the hypolipemiant agent rosuvastatin since prepuberty.

Dyslipidemias are frequently found in children due to obesity, bad eating habits and the lack of physical exercises. Rosuvastatin acts as an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, decreasing total cholesterol and triglycerides. This study aimed to investigate initial sexual development and morphological aspect of the testis and epididymis in juvenile rats exposed to rosuvastatin since pre-puberty. Three groups were formed with newly weaned rats: control, whose rats received saline solution 0.9%, rosuvastatin at doses of 3 or 10 mg/kg daily by gavage, since post-natal day 21 until puberty onset. In the rosuvastatin-treated groups, the results demonstrated a trend toward a decrease in testosterone concentration, but below the significance level, as well as delays in both the age of puberty onset and in epididymal development. There were also testicular alterations that might be related to delayed puberty and decrease of serum testosterone. In conclusion, rosuvastatin administration to juvenile rats not only delayed puberty onset and epididymal development, but also impaired testicular and epididymal morphology.