Ibrahim E, Castle S M, Aballa T C, Keane R W, de Rivero Vaccari J P, Lynne C M, Brackett N L
The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
Department of Urology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
Hum Reprod. 2014 Nov;29(11):2368-73. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deu230. Epub 2014 Sep 8.
Does neutralization of apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase activation and recruitment domain (ASC) improve sperm motility in men with spinal cord injury (SCI)?
Neutralization of ASC improves sperm motility in men with SCI.
Semen of men with SCI contains normal sperm concentrations but abnormally low sperm motility. Inflammatory cytokines, activated via the inflammasome complex, are contributory. A key component of the inflammasome is ASC.
STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: This prospective study included semen samples collected from 32 men with SCI.
PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: At a major university medical center, untreated semen was compared with semen treated with anti-ASC polyclonal antibody. Semen treated with IgG was used as a control.
Addition of anti-ASC polyclonal antibody to semen significantly increased mean sperm motility from 11.5% (95% CI, 6.3-16.7) to 18.3% (95% CI, 11.8-24.8). Improvements were most pronounced in the subgroup whose starting motility ranged between 6 and 40%. In this subgroup, the mean sperm motility improved from 13.3% (95% CI, 9.3-17.3) to 23.9% (95% CI, 14.7-23.0). Sperm motility did not improve after treatment with IgG.
LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: This study is limited by the small sample size as this is a rare population.
Blockade of the inflammasome via treatment with anti-ASC improved sperm motility in men with SCI. In doing so, this treatment significantly increased their total motile sperm count. This is the first study to demonstrate that interference with the inflammasome improves sperm motility in men with SCI. This treatment has potential as a therapeutic intervention.
STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS: This study was funded by the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation, Grant # 224598, the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Miami, FL, USA. R.W.K. and J.P.d.R.V. hold a patent for the treatment of inflammation after central nervous system injury using antibodies against inflammasome proteins. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
中和含有半胱天冬酶激活和招募结构域（ASC）的凋亡相关斑点样蛋白是否能改善脊髓损伤（SCI）男性的精子活力？
中和ASC可改善SCI男性的精子活力。
SCI男性的精液中精子浓度正常，但精子活力异常低下。通过炎性小体复合物激活的炎性细胞因子起了作用。炎性小体的一个关键成分是ASC。
研究设计、规模、持续时间：这项前瞻性研究纳入了从32名SCI男性收集的精液样本。
参与者/材料、环境、方法：在一所主要大学的医学中心，将未处理的精液与用抗ASC多克隆抗体处理的精液进行比较。用IgG处理的精液用作对照。
向精液中添加抗ASC多克隆抗体可使平均精子活力从11.5%（95%CI，6.3 - 16.7）显著提高至18.3%（95%CI，11.8 - 24.8）。在起始活力介于6%至40%之间的亚组中改善最为明显。在该亚组中，平均精子活力从13.3%（95%CI，9.3 - 17.3）提高至23.9%（95%CI，14.7 - 23.0）。用IgG处理后精子活力未改善。
局限性、谨慎原因：由于这是一个罕见人群，本研究受样本量小的限制。
通过用抗ASC治疗阻断炎性小体可改善SCI男性的精子活力。这样做，这种治疗显著增加了他们的总活动精子数。这是第一项证明干扰炎性小体可改善SCI男性精子活力的研究。这种治疗具有作为治疗干预措施的潜力。
研究资金/利益冲突：本研究由克雷格·H·尼尔森基金会资助，资助编号224598，美国迈阿密大学米勒医学院和迈阿密瘫痪治疗项目。R.W.K.和J.P.d.R.V.拥有一项使用抗炎性小体蛋白抗体治疗中枢神经系统损伤后炎症的专利。其他作者无利益冲突声明。
