Department of Internal Medicine and Systemic Diseases, Section of Endocrinology, Andrology and Internal Medicine, Human Reproduction and Biotechnology Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2011 Feb;15(2):129-34.
Inositol is a component of the vitamin B complex. Myo-inositol (MYO) is the most biologically important form in nature. It is involved in several systemic processes and in mechanisms of signal transduction in the plasma membrane as precursor of second messengers. On the male reproductive function, MYO appears to regulate seminal plasma osmolarity and volume; the expression of proteins essential for embryogenetic development and sperm chemiotaxis; and sperm motility, capacitation, and acrosome reaction. Recently, a seminal antioxidant action has also been suggested.
To evaluate the effects of MYO on sperm mitochondrial function and apoptosis.
Spermatozoa isolated from 5 normozoospermic men and from 7 patients with oligo-astheno-teratozoospermia (OAT) were incubated in-vitro with 2 mg/ml of MYO or placebo (control) for 2 hours. After this incubation period, the following sperm parameters were evaluated by flow cytometry: mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) by JC-1 staining; phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization by annexin V and propidium iodide double staining; and chromatin compactness following propidium iodide staining.
MYO did not affect the mitochondrial function of spermatozoa isolated from normozoospermic men, whereas it increased significantly the number of spermatozoa with high MMP and decreased significantly the number of those with low MMP in OAT patients. No effect of MYO was observed on PS externalization and chromatin compactness in both normozoospermic men and OAT patients.
The data suggest that MYO is able to ameliorate mitochondrial function in OAT patients. We conclude that this compound may be useful for the treatment of male infertility.
肌醇是维生素 B 复合物的组成部分。肌醇（MYO）是自然界中最重要的生物形式。它参与了几种全身过程，并在质膜中的信号转导机制中作为第二信使的前体。在男性生殖功能方面，MYO 似乎可以调节精液的渗透压和体积；调节胚胎发育和精子趋化性所必需的蛋白质的表达；调节精子运动能力、获能和顶体反应。最近，也有人提出精液具有抗氧化作用。
评估 MYO 对精子线粒体功能和凋亡的影响。
从 5 名正常生育力男性和 7 名少精症患者的精液中分离出精子，在体外与 2mg/ml 的 MYO 或安慰剂（对照）孵育 2 小时。孵育后，通过流式细胞术评估以下精子参数：JC-1 染色评估线粒体膜电位（MMP）； Annexin V 和碘化丙啶双重染色评估磷脂酰丝氨酸（PS）外翻；碘化丙啶染色评估染色质致密性。
MYO 对正常生育力男性的精子线粒体功能没有影响，但能显著增加少精症患者中具有高 MMP 的精子数量，并显著减少具有低 MMP 的精子数量。MYO 对正常生育力男性和少精症患者的 PS 外翻和染色质致密性均无影响。
数据表明，MYO 能够改善少精症患者的线粒体功能。我们得出结论，这种化合物可能对男性不育症的治疗有用。
