Keyser Shannen, van der Horst Gerhard, Maree Liana
Comparative Spermatology Laboratory, Department of Medical Bioscience, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville 7535, South Africa.
Life (Basel). 2021 Nov 17;11(11):1250. doi: 10.3390/life11111250.
Considering the challenges surrounding causative factors in male infertility, rather than relying on standard semen analysis, the assessment of sperm subpopulations and functional characteristics essential for fertilization is paramount. Furthermore, the diagnostic value of sperm interactions with biological components in the female reproductive tract may improve our understanding of subfertility and provide applications in assisted reproductive techniques. We investigated the response of two sperm motility subpopulations (mimicking the functionality of potentially fertile and sub-fertile semen samples) to biological substances present in the female reproductive tract. Donor semen was separated via double density gradient centrifugation, isolated into high (HM) and low motile (LM) sperm subpopulations and incubated in human tubal fluid (HTF), capacitating HTF, HD-C medium, progesterone, myo-inositol, dopamine and prolactin. Treated subpopulations were evaluated for vitality, motility percentages and kinematic parameters, hyperactivation, positive reactive oxygen species (ROS), intact mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and acrosome reaction (AR). While all media had a significantly positive effect on the LM subpopulation, dopamine appeared to significantly improve both subpopulations' functional characteristics. HD-C, progesterone and myo-inositol resulted in increased motility, kinematic and hyperactivation parameters, whereas prolactin and myo-inositol improved the LM subpopulations' MMP intactness and reduced ROS. Furthermore, progesterone, myo-inositol and dopamine improved the HM subpopulations' motility parameters and AR. Our results suggest that treatment of sub-fertile semen samples with biological substances present in follicular fluid might assist the development of new strategies for IVF treatment.
考虑到男性不育病因相关的挑战，评估对受精至关重要的精子亚群和功能特征比依赖标准精液分析更为重要。此外，精子与女性生殖道生物成分相互作用的诊断价值可能会增进我们对亚生育力的理解，并为辅助生殖技术提供应用。我们研究了两个精子活力亚群（模拟潜在可育和亚可育精液样本的功能）对女性生殖道中存在的生物物质的反应。通过双重密度梯度离心分离供体精液，分离为高活力（HM）和低活力（LM）精子亚群，并在人输卵管液（HTF）、获能HTF、HD-C培养基、孕酮、肌醇、多巴胺和催乳素中孵育。对处理后的亚群进行活力、活力百分比和运动学参数、超活化、活性氧（ROS）阳性、完整线粒体膜电位（MMP）和顶体反应（AR）的评估。虽然所有培养基对LM亚群都有显著的积极影响，但多巴胺似乎能显著改善两个亚群的功能特征。HD-C、孕酮和肌醇导致活力、运动学和超活化参数增加，而催乳素和肌醇改善了LM亚群的MMP完整性并降低了ROS。此外，孕酮、肌醇和多巴胺改善了HM亚群的活力参数和AR。我们的结果表明，用卵泡液中存在的生物物质处理亚可育精液样本可能有助于开发新的体外受精治疗策略。
