title: Effects of tumour necrosis factor-alpha on human sperm motility and apoptosis.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) on sperm motility, mitochondrial membrane potential (DeltaPsi), phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization, sperm chromatin packaging quality, and DNA fragmentation. Motile spermatozoa, obtained from 10 normozoospermic men, were incubated with increasing concentrations of TNF-alpha and analyzed 1, 3, 6, and 24 h after incubation by flow cytometry. TNF-alpha decreased total motility 24 h after incubation at 10 ng/mL and progressive motility 3 h after incubation. Accordingly, TNF-alpha reduced sperm DeltaPsi in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. TNF-alpha increased the percentage of spermatozoa with PS externalization from the concentration of 1 ng/mL 1 h after incubation. TNF-alpha produced sperm chromatin and DNA damage in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. In conclusion, these findings may explain the reduction of fertility, secondary to upregulated production of TNF-alpha, in men with urogenital infections.
authors.affiliation: Section of Endocrinology, Andrology and Internal Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perdichizzi
authors.forename: Ferdinando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nicoletti
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: La Vignera
authors.forename: Nunziata
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Barone
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: D'Agata
authors.forename: Enzo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vicari
authors.forename: Aldo E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Calogero
authors.forename: Aldo E E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Calogero
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D002843:Chromatin; D004249:DNA Damage; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000502:physiology; D010718:Phosphatidylserines / Q000378:metabolism; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D010718:Phosphatidylserines; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha