Dataset Information

Microbiota of the seminal fluid from healthy and infertile men.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To explore potential causes of male infertility by determining the composition and structure of commensal bacterial communities in seminal fluids.

Design

Microscopy of Gram-stained semen samples and classification of 16S rRNA gene sequences to determine the species composition of semen bacterial communities.

Setting

Clinical andrology laboratory and academic research laboratories.

Patient(s)

Nineteen sperm donors and 58 infertility patients.

Intervention(s)

None.

Main outcome measure(s)

Classification of 16S rRNA gene sequences, clustering of seminal microbial communities, and multiple statistical tests.

Result(s)

High numbers of diverse kinds of bacteria were present in most samples of both sperm donors and infertility patients. The bacterial communities varied widely among subjects, but they could be clustered into six groups based on similarities in composition and the rank abundances of taxa. Overall, there were no significant differences between sperm donors and infertility patients. However, multiple statistical tests showed a significant negative association between sperm quality and the presence of Anaerococcus. The results also indicated that many of the bacterial taxa identified in semen also occur in the vaginal communities of some women, especially those with bacterial vaginosis, which suggests that heterosexual sex partners may share bacteria.

Conclusion(s)

Diverse kinds of bacteria were present in the human semen, but there were no significant differences between sperm donors and infertility patients. The presence of Anaerococcus might be a biomarker for low sperm quality.

SUBMITTER: Hou D

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3888793 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Microbiota of the seminal fluid from healthy and infertile men.

Hou Dongsheng D Zhou Xia X Zhong Xue X Settles Matthew L ML Herring Jessica J Wang Li L Abdo Zaid Z Forney Larry J LJ Xu Chen C

Fertility and sterility 20130829 5

<h4>Objective</h4>To explore potential causes of male infertility by determining the composition and structure of commensal bacterial communities in seminal fluids.<h4>Design</h4>Microscopy of Gram-stained semen samples and classification of 16S rRNA gene sequences to determine the species composition of semen bacterial communities.<h4>Setting</h4>Clinical andrology laboratory and academic research laboratories.<h4>Patient(s)</h4>Nineteen sperm donors and 58 infertility patients.<h4>Intervention ...[more]

PMID: 23993888

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Project description:BACKGROUND:Reactive oxygen species (ROS) plays a major role in the pathology of male infertility. It is an independent biomarker of sperm function. Seminal plasma is a natural reservoir of antioxidants responsible for the nourishment, protection, capacitation, and motility of sperm within the female reproductive tract resulting in successful fertilization and implantation of the embryo. A comparative proteomic analysis of seminal plasma proteins from fertile men and infertile men with varying levels of ROS was carried out to identify signature proteins involved in ROS-mediated reproductive dysfunction. METHODS:A total of 42 infertile men presenting with infertility and 17 proven fertile donors were enrolled in the study. ROS levels were measured in the seminal ejaculates by chemiluminescence assay. Infertile men were subdivided into Low ROS (0-<93 RLU/s/10(6) sperm; n = 11), Medium ROS (>93-500 RLU/s/10(6) sperm; n = 17) and High ROS (>500 RLU/s/10(6) sperm; n = 14) groups and compared with fertile men (4-50 RLU/s/10(6) sperm). 4 subjects from fertile group and 4 each from the Low, Medium and High ROS were pooled. 1D gel electrophoresis followed by in-gel digestion and LC/MS-MS in a LTQ-Orbitrap Elite hybrid mass spectrometer system was used for proteome analysis. Identification of differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), their cellular localization and involvement in different pathways were examined utilizing bioinformatics tools. RESULTS:The results indicate that proteins involved in biomolecule metabolism, protein folding and protein degradation are differentially modulated in all three infertile patient groups in comparison to fertile controls. Membrane metallo-endopeptidase (MME) was uniformly overexpressed (>2 fold) in all infertile groups. Pathway involving 35 focus proteins in post-translational modification of proteins, protein folding (heat shock proteins, molecular chaperones) and developmental disorder was overexpressed in the High ROS group compared with fertile control group. MME was one of the key proteins in the pathway. FAM3D was uniquely expressed in fertile group. CONCLUSION:We have for the first time demonstrated the presence of 35 DEPs of a single pathway that may lead to impairment of sperm function in men with Low, Medium or High ROS levels by altering protein turn over. MME and FAM3D along with ROS levels in the seminal plasma may serve as good markers for diagnosis of male infertility.

Dataset Information

Microbiota of the seminal fluid from healthy and infertile men.

Objective

Design

Setting

Patient(s)

Intervention(s)

Main outcome measure(s)

Result(s)

Conclusion(s)

Publications

Microbiota of the seminal fluid from healthy and infertile men.

Similar Datasets

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