The Impact of Oxidative Stress in Male Infertility

Amanda Mannucci; Flavia Rita Argento; Eleonora Fini; Maria Elisabetta Coccia; Niccolò Taddei; Matteo Becatti; Claudia Fiorillo

doi:10.3389/fmolb.2021.799294

Male Fertility Male Factor Causes

The Impact of Oxidative Stress in Male Infertility

Mannucci A, Argento FR, Fini E, Coccia ME, Taddei N, Becatti M, Fiorillo C

Published January 5, 2022 Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences, 8, 799294

DOI 10.3389/fmolb.2021.799294 PMID 35071326 PMC PMC8766739

RRM Academy Synopsis

Oxidative stress harms sperm and may contribute to male infertility

Oxidative stress harms sperm and may cause male infertility, a 2022 review finds. It happens when the body has too many reactive oxygen molecules and too few antioxidants. Pills that add antioxidants are a debated fix.

Key Findings

About 15% of couples have infertility, and the male partner accounts for almost 50% of those cases.
White blood cells make 1,000 more times reactive oxygen species than normal sperm. Leukocytospermia, a high white cell count in semen, appears in about 10–20% of infertile men.
Oxidation reduction potential in semen was higher in infertile men than in healthy controls. A cited study observed a negative correlation with sperm concentration, total count, motility and morphology.
Of twenty clinical trials of antioxidant therapy analyzed in an earlier review, nineteen reported better sperm redox status and semen parameters.
One randomized trial of 3 months of antioxidant treatment found no gain in semen parameters or DNA fragmentation, and no gain in pregnancy or live birth rates.

Interpretation

This review brings together lab and clinical studies on oxidative stress in male infertility. Most cited studies link oxidative markers to semen quality. A few found no link to sperm motility. Blood and semen oxidative status matched in some studies and differed in others. The authors note that treatment guidelines for this type of male infertility are lacking. The findings support larger trials of antioxidant therapy for male infertility.

RRM Context

Male factor causes about half of infertility cases. Many men get no clear answer from a standard semen test. Restorative reproductive medicine treats a missing diagnosis as a reason to keep looking for the cause in both partners. Oxidative stress markers are one possible path to that cause.

Our editorial summary of this paper, not the article's abstract.

Abstract

At present infertility is affecting about 15% of couples and male factor is responsible for almost 50% of infertility cases. Oxidative stress, due to enhanced Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) production and/or decreased antioxidants, has been repeatedly suggested as a new emerging causative factor of this condition. However, the central roles exerted by ROS in sperm physiology cannot be neglected. On these bases, the present review is focused on illustrating both the role of ROS in male infertility and their main sources of production. Oxidative stress assessment, the clinical use of redox biomarkers and the treatment of oxidative stress-related male infertility are also discussed.

Topics

Male Fertility Male Factor Causes Lifestyle and Environment

Male Fertility › Male Factor Causes › Lifestyle and Environment

Amanda Mannucci, Flavia Rita Argento, Eleonora Fini, Maria Elisabetta Coccia, Niccolò Taddei, Matteo Becatti, Claudia Fiorillo

A Mannucci, F Argento, E Fini, M Coccia, N Taddei, M Becatti, C Fiorillo

PMID 35071326 35071326 DOI 10.3389/fmolb.2021.799294 10.3389/fmolb.2021.799294 Mannucci et al. 2022, Mannucci 2022

The Impact of Oxidative Stress in Male Infertility

Oxidative stress harms sperm and may contribute to male infertility

Key Findings

Interpretation

RRM Context

Abstract

Topics

By this author

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