Relationship between apoptotic markers in semen from fertile men and demographic, hormonal and seminal characteristics.
Apoptosis in the testis has two putative roles during normal spermatogenesis; limitation of the germ cell population to numbers that can be supported by the Sertoli cells, and, possibly, selective depletion of meiotic and postmeiotic abnormal germ cells. We investigated the demographic and biological correlates of the pro-apoptotic marker Fas and the anti-apoptotic marker Bcl-xL in sperm cells of fertile men. Six hundred and four men from Greenland, Poland and Ukraine were consecutively enrolled during their pregnant wife's antenatal visits. Semen analysis was performed as recommended by the World Health Organization. Immunofluorescence coupled to flow cytometry was utilized for detection of apoptotic markers in the sperm cell. DNA damage was assessed by flow cytometry using both the sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) and the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) assay. The percentage of Fas-positive sperm cells was higher in men with high total sperm count (P<0.01), more motile sperms (P=0.04) and fewer sperm head defects (P=0.05). These associations were consistent within and across study regions. Furthermore, testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and sexual hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) were significantly negatively correlated with Fas within and across regions as well. The data indicated no association between the anti-apoptotic Bcl-xL marker and semen or personal characteristics. The finding of Fas-positive sperm cells associated with better semen quality in a cohort of spouses of pregnant women seems different from previous data obtained in infertile men and warrants further investigation to clarify the biological significance of sperm apoptotic markers.
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Copenhagen NV DK-2400, Denmark. ispe0002@bbh.regionh.dk
Ina O
IO
Specht
Marcello
M
Spanò
Karin S
KS
Hougaard
Gian C
GC
Manicardi
Davide
D
Bizzaro
Gunnar
G
Toft
Aleksander
A
Giwercman
Jens-Peter E
JP
Bonde
D000328:Adult; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000502:physiology*; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000032:analysis; D006116:Greenland; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland; D011247:Pregnancy; D012661:Semen / Q000737:chemistry*; D055101:Semen Analysis; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000032:analysis; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000235:genetics; D013739:Testosterone / Q000032:analysis; D014455:Ukraine; D051020:bcl-X Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000032:analysis*
D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C494811:BCL2L1 protein, human; D015415:Biomarkers; C491901:FAS protein, human; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D051020:bcl-X Protein; D019014:fas Receptor; D013739:Testosterone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone