Giacone Filippo, Condorelli Rosita A, Mongioì Laura M, Bullara Valentina, La Vignera Sandro, Calogero Aldo E
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Policlinico "G. Rodolico", via S. Sofia 78, Catania, 95123, Italy.
Endocrine. 2017 May;56(2):408-415. doi: 10.1007/s12020-016-1013-7. Epub 2016 Jul 15.
Reactive oxygen species favor reproductive processes at low concentrations, but damage spermatozoa and decrease their fertilizing capacity at high concentrations. During infection and/or inflammation of the accessory sex glands reactive oxygen species overproduction may occur which, in turn, may negatively impact on sperm motility, sperm DNA fragmentation, and lipid peroxidation. A number of nutraceutical formulations containing antioxidant molecules have been developed to counteract the deleterious effects of the oxidative stress. A recent formulation containing zinc, D-aspartic acid, and coenzyme-Q10 is present in the pharmaceutical market. Based on these premises, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of this combination on spermatozoa in vitro. The study was conducted on 24 men (32.2 ± 5.5 years): 12 normozoospermic men and 12 asthenozoospermic patients. Spermatozoa from each sample were divided into two control aliquots (aliquot A and B) and an aliquot incubated with zinc, D-aspartic acid, and coenzyme-Q10 (aliquot C). After 3 h of incubation, the following parameters were evaluated: progressive motility, number of spermatozoa with progressive motility recovered after swim-up, lipid peroxidation, and DNA fragmentation. Incubation with zinc, D-aspartic acid, and coenzyme-Q10 maintained sperm motility in normozoospermic men (37.7 ± 1.2 % vs. 35.8 ± 2.3 % at time zero) and improved it significantly in asthenozoospermic patients (26.5 ± 1.9 % vs. 18.8 ± 2.0 % at time zero) (p < 0.01). This resulted in a significantly higher (p < 0.01) number of spermatozoa with progressive motility recovered after swim-up in both normozospermic men (4.1 ± 0.9 vs. 3.3 ± 1.0 millions) and asthenozooseprmic patients (3.2 ± 0.8 vs. 1.6 ± 0.5 millions). Finally, a statistically significant lower sperm lipid peroxidation was found after incubation with zinc, D-aspartic acid, and coenzyme-Q10 (p < 0.05) in both normozospermic men (1.0 ± 0.4 % vs. 2.4 ± 0.9 %) and asthenozooseprmic patients (0.2 ± 0.1 % vs. 0.6 ± 0.2 %). No statistically significant effect was observed on sperm DNA fragmentation. This nutraceutical formulation may be indicated in vitro during the separation of the spermatozoa in the assisted reproduction techniques, during which the spermatozoa undergo an increased oxidative stress.
低浓度的活性氧有助于生殖过程，但高浓度时会损害精子并降低其受精能力。在附属性腺感染和/或炎症期间，可能会发生活性氧的过量产生，进而可能对精子活力、精子DNA碎片化和脂质过氧化产生负面影响。已经开发了许多含有抗氧化分子的营养制剂来对抗氧化应激的有害影响。一种含有锌、D-天冬氨酸和辅酶Q10的最新制剂已投放市场。基于这些前提，本研究的目的是评估这种组合在体外对精子的影响。该研究对24名男性（32.2±5.5岁）进行：12名正常精子症男性和12名弱精子症患者。每个样本的精子被分为两个对照等分试样（等分试样A和B）和一个与锌、D-天冬氨酸和辅酶Q10一起孵育的等分试样（等分试样C）。孵育3小时后，评估以下参数：进行性运动能力、上浮后恢复进行性运动能力的精子数量、脂质过氧化和DNA碎片化。与锌、D-天冬氨酸和辅酶Q10一起孵育可维持正常精子症男性的精子活力（孵育开始时为37.7±1.2%，而零时间为35.8±2.3%），并在弱精子症患者中显著提高精子活力（孵育开始时为26.5±1.9%，而零时间为18.8±2.0%）（p<0.01）。这导致在正常精子症男性（4.1±0.9对3.3±1.0百万）和弱精子症患者（上浮后恢复进行性运动能力的精子数量均显著更高（p<0.01）（3.2±0.8对1.6±0.5百万）。最后，在正常精子症男性（1.0±0.4%对vs.2.4±0.9%）和弱精子症患者（0.2±0.1%对vs.0.6±0.2%）中，与锌、D-天冬氨酸和辅酶Q10一起孵育后，精子脂质过氧化在统计学上显著降低（p<0.05）。未观察到对精子DNA碎片化有统计学显著影响。在辅助生殖技术中精子分离过程中，精子会经历增加的氧化应激，这种营养制剂在体外可能是适用的。
