Zekri Shadi, Bahiraei Roya, Ghezelayagh Zeinab, Maghami Parvaneh, Shahverdi Abdolhossein, Sabbagian Marjan, Ebrahimi Bita
Department of Biology, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran.
Department of Embryology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
Urol J. 2025 Apr 12. doi: 10.22037/uj.v22i.8352.
Sperm cryopreservation is a valuable method for fertility preservation in men who suffer from oligozoospermia and cancer. The increase of oxidative stress during this process negatively affects the sperm viability, membrane fluidity, and function. Supplementation of antioxidants to the cryopreservation medium can reduce these negative effects. This study investigated the effects of 6-Gingerol as a natural antioxidant during human sperm cryopreservation on different sperm parameters, DNA fragmentation, and apoptosis.
MATERIAL & METHOD: In this experimental study, semen samples were obtained from 42 normozoospermic men referred to the Royan Institute. The samples were randomly divided into Fresh, Control (cryopreservation), and Gingerol (cryopreservation with 6-Gingerol) groups. Sperm evaluations were conducted before and after cryopreservation. Sperm parameters, DNA fragmentation index (DFI), caspase-3 activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels were assessed.
Use of 6-gingerol in the cryopreservation medium resulted in the recovery of a significantly higher viable sperm post-cryopreservation compared to the control group (64.1 ± 1.3 % vs 56.4 ± 1.3 %; P = 0.000). The ROS levels were significantly lower (P = 0.000), and percent sperm with intact membrane potential was significantly higher (P = 0.000) in the gingerol group (26.1 ± 0.1 RLU/s, 63.5 ± 1.4 %) compared to the control group (32.1 ± 0.7 RLU/s, 53.3 ± 1.5 %). Active caspase-3 (P = 0.007) and DFI (P = 0.008) were non-significantly lower in the gingerol group (47.3 ± 3.6 %, 37.9 ± 1.3 %, respectively) compared to the control group (60.5 ± 3.6 %, 42.1 ± 0.1 %, respectively).
Supplementing sperm cryopreservation medium with 6-Gingerol could improve sperm quality and function, and positively affect the degree of apoptosis incidence during sperm freezing.
精子冷冻保存是一种对少精子症和癌症男性进行生育力保存的重要方法。在此过程中氧化应激的增加会对精子活力、膜流动性和功能产生负面影响。在冷冻保存培养基中添加抗氧化剂可以减少这些负面影响。本研究调查了6-姜酚作为一种天然抗氧化剂在人类精子冷冻保存过程中对不同精子参数、DNA片段化和细胞凋亡的影响。
在这项实验研究中，精液样本取自42名前往罗扬研究所就诊的正常精子男性。样本被随机分为新鲜组、对照组（冷冻保存）和姜酚组（添加6-姜酚冷冻保存）。在冷冻保存前后进行精子评估。评估精子参数、DNA片段化指数（DFI）、半胱天冬酶-3活性、活性氧（ROS）水平、丙二醛（MDA）浓度和总抗氧化能力（TAC）水平。
与对照组相比，在冷冻保存培养基中使用6-姜酚导致冷冻保存后存活精子的回收率显著更高（64.1±1.3%对56.4±1.3%；P = 0.000）。姜酚组的ROS水平显著更低（P = 0.000），膜电位完整的精子百分比显著更高（P = 0.000），分别为（26.1±0.1 RLU/s，63.5±1.4%），而对照组为（32.1±0.7 RLU/s，53.3±1.5%）。与对照组相比，姜酚组的活性半胱天冬酶-3（P = 0.007）和DFI（P = 0.008）分别为（47.3±3.6%，37.9±1.3%），略低于对照组（分别为60.5±3.6%，42.1±0.1%）。
在精子冷冻保存培养基中添加6-姜酚可改善精子质量和功能，并对精子冷冻过程中的细胞凋亡发生率产生积极影响。
