title: Neutralization of ASC improves sperm motility in men with spinal cord injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Does neutralization of apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase activation and recruitment domain (ASC) improve sperm motility in men with spinal cord injury (SCI)?
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neutralization of ASC improves sperm motility in men with SCI.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Semen of men with SCI contains normal sperm concentrations but abnormally low sperm motility. Inflammatory cytokines, activated via the inflammasome complex, are contributory. A key component of the inflammasome is ASC.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective study included semen samples collected from 32 men with SCI.
  
  
  METHODS
  At a major university medical center, untreated semen was compared with semen treated with anti-ASC polyclonal antibody. Semen treated with IgG was used as a control.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Addition of anti-ASC polyclonal antibody to semen significantly increased mean sperm motility from 11.5% (95% CI, 6.3-16.7) to 18.3% (95% CI, 11.8-24.8). Improvements were most pronounced in the subgroup whose starting motility ranged between 6 and 40%. In this subgroup, the mean sperm motility improved from 13.3% (95% CI, 9.3-17.3) to 23.9% (95% CI, 14.7-23.0). Sperm motility did not improve after treatment with IgG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study is limited by the small sample size as this is a rare population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Blockade of the inflammasome via treatment with anti-ASC improved sperm motility in men with SCI. In doing so, this treatment significantly increased their total motile sperm count. This is the first study to demonstrate that interference with the inflammasome improves sperm motility in men with SCI. This treatment has potential as a therapeutic intervention.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  This study was funded by the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation, Grant # 224598, the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Miami, FL, USA. R.W.K. and J.P.d.R.V. hold a patent for the treatment of inflammation after central nervous system injury using antibodies against inflammasome proteins. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
authors.affiliation: The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA e.ibrahim@miami.edu.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Castle
authors.affiliation: The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Aballa
authors.affiliation: The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Keane
authors.affiliation: The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: de Rivero Vaccari
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lynne
authors.affiliation: The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: N L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Brackett
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053468:CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing; D053468:CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; C402202:PYCARD protein, human
keywords: ASC; infertility; inflammasome; sperm motility; spinal cord injury