Service of Clinical Chemistry & Toxicology, Central Institute of Hospitals, Hospital of Valais, Sion, Switzerland.
Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Andrology. 2020 Sep;8(5):1126-1135. doi: 10.1111/andr.12785. Epub 2020 Apr 6.
A role for endocannabinoids in the male and female reproductive systems has been highlighted during the recent decades. Some of these compounds bind the cannabinoid CB1 receptor, which is abundantly expressed in the central nervous system but also present in the reproductive system, while others act as 'entourage compounds' modulators.
The present study aimed at evaluating the relationship between sperm quality and endocannabinoid profiles in a cohort of 200 young Swiss men and whether the presence of specific xenobiotics could influence these profiles.
Semen analysis was performed according to WHO guidelines. Endocannabinoid profiles in blood and semen, as well as bisphenol A and S in urine, were determined by LC-MSMS methods. The presence of selected drugs was tested in urine by immunological screening, and urinary tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) metabolites were quantified by GC-MS.
Anandamide concentrations in seminal fluid and oleoylethanolamide (OEA) concentrations in blood serum appeared inversely correlated with sperm motility, while semen palmytoylethanolamide (PEA) was positively linked to sperm concentration. Moreover, OEA and PEA in seminal fluid were associated with better sperm morphology. Interestingly, the concentrations of the same endocannabinoids measured in both blood and semen were not correlated, and the presence of THC metabolites in some individuals was linked to lower concentrations of endocannabinoids.
In the context of the general decline of the sperm count observed within the male population, endocannabinoids in semen constitute a class of promising biochemical markers that open new perspectives as a complement for the usual evaluation of semen quality or for the toxicological screening of individuals' exposure to putative endocrine disruptors.
在最近几十年中，内源性大麻素在男性和女性生殖系统中的作用得到了强调。这些化合物中的一些与大麻素 CB1 受体结合，该受体在中枢神经系统中大量表达，但也存在于生殖系统中，而另一些则作为“伴生化合物”调节剂。
本研究旨在评估 200 名瑞士年轻男性的精子质量与内源性大麻素谱之间的关系，以及特定外源性化学物质的存在是否会影响这些谱。
根据世界卫生组织的指南进行精液分析。通过 LC-MSMS 方法测定血液和精液中的内源性大麻素谱，以及尿液中的双酚 A 和 S。通过免疫筛选测试尿液中存在的选定药物，并用 GC-MS 定量尿液中的四氢大麻酚代谢物。
精液中花生四烯酸乙醇酰胺 (anandamide) 的浓度与精子活力呈负相关，而血清中油酰乙醇酰胺 (oleoylethanolamide, OEA) 的浓度与精子浓度呈正相关。此外，精液中棕榈酰乙醇酰胺 (palmytoylethanolamide, PEA) 与精子形态有关。有趣的是，在血液和精液中测量的相同内源性大麻素的浓度没有相关性，而一些个体中存在四氢大麻酚代谢物与内源性大麻素浓度降低有关。
在男性群体中观察到的精子数量普遍下降的背景下，精液中的内源性大麻素构成了一类有前途的生化标志物，为常规精液质量评估或个体暴露于潜在内分泌干扰物的毒理学筛选提供了新的视角。
