Fatty acids profiling reveals potential candidate markers of semen quality.
Previous reports showed altered fatty acid content in subjects with altered sperm parameters compared to normozoospermic individuals. However, these studies focused on a limited number of fatty acids, included a short number of subjects and results varied widely. We conducted a case-control study involving 155 patients allocated into four groups, including normozoospermia (n = 33), oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (n = 32), asthenozoospermia (n = 25), and varicocoele (n = 44). Fatty acid profiling, including 30 species, was analyzed by a validated gas chromatography (GC) method on the whole seminal fluid sample. Multinomial logistic regression modeling was used to identify the associations between fatty acids and the four groups. Specimens from 15 normozoospermic subjects were also analyzed for fatty acids content in the seminal plasma and spermatozoa to study the distribution in the two compartments. Fatty acids lipidome varied markedly between the four groups. Multinomial logistic regression modeling revealed that high levels of palmitic acid, behenic acid, oleic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) confer a low risk to stay out of the normozoospermic group. In the whole population, seminal fluid stearic acid was negatively correlated (r = -0.53), and DHA was positively correlated (r = 0.65) with sperm motility. Some fatty acids were preferentially accumulated in spermatozoa and the highest difference was observed for DHA, which was 6.2 times higher in spermatozoa than in seminal plasma. The results of this study highlight complete fatty acids profile in patients with different semen parameters. Given the easy-to-follow and rapid method of analysis, fatty acid profiling by GC method can be used for therapeutic purposes and to measure compliance in infertility trials using fatty acids supplements.
Vascular Biology & Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy.
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Zerbinati
Center for Couple Infertility and Andrology, S. M. Goretti Hospital, Latina, Italy.
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Caponecchia
Pathophysiology of Reproduction and Andrology Unit, S. Pertini Hospital, Rome, Italy.
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Rago
Section of Hygiene, Institute of Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
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Leoncini
Vascular Biology & Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy.
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Bottaccioli
Vascular Biology & Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy.
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Ciacciarelli
Vascular Biology & Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy.
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Pacelli
Center for Couple Infertility and Andrology, S. M. Goretti Hospital, Latina, Italy.
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Salacone
Center for Couple Infertility and Andrology, S. M. Goretti Hospital, Latina, Italy.
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Sebastianelli
Urology Unit, Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Istituto Chirurgico Ortopedico alaumatologico, Latina, Italy.
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Pastore
Urology Unit, Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Istituto Chirurgico Ortopedico alaumatologico, Latina, Italy.
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Palleschi
Section of Hygiene, Institute of Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
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Boccia
Urology Unit, Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Istituto Chirurgico Ortopedico alaumatologico, Latina, Italy.
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Carbone
Vascular Biology & Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy.
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0000-0002-0027-9326
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Iuliano
D000328:Adult; D053627:Asthenozoospermia / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000378:metabolism; D012661:Semen / Q000737:chemistry*; D055101:Semen Analysis; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology*; D014646:Varicocele / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
D005227:Fatty Acids
fatty acids; lipids; metabolism; methodology; semen analysis