Association between Pus Cells and Semen Parameters in Infertile Pakistani Males

Effect of cottonseed milk on growth performance, hematological and semen characteristics in male Wistar albino rats

Various plant based milk extract is appropriate for human nutrition among which cottonseed is one of the potential crops with the advantages of stable milk emulsion, improved nutrient profile with affordable waste utilization. Although cottonseed milk is a popular indigenous beverage, it has not been exploited worldwide for regular consumption owing to the presence of gossypol. The gossypol toxicity and associated gossypol-iron complex formation in the intestine lead to changes in hematological characteristics and alternation of sperm motility in monogastric animals. Male Wistar albino rats weighing 60 to 70 g were divided into four groups of five animals each. The group fed the standard diet (STD) served as control, and the experimental groups included the group (i) rats fed cottonseed diet (CSD) supplemented at 10% of cottonseed level (ii) rats fed conventional aqueous extracted cottonseed milk (CCM) diet (CAD) and (iii) rats fed enzymatic assisted aqueous extracted cottonseed milk (ECM) diet (EAD). The CAD and EAD feed was administrated @ 1 ml/100 g of animal body weight /day for the study period of 45 days among the experimental groups and control group. A significant difference in weight gain of the experimental rats was noticed between the CCM and ECM cottonseed milk extracts fed experimental groups compared with the standard and cottonseed fed groups. The rats fed with CSD, CCM and ECM diet exhibited higher white blood cell counts, also reducing the red blood cells count, hemoglobin hematocrit and platelet in the group compared with STD. No significant difference in semen motility characteristics was noticed among the CSD, CCM and ECM fed groups. In conclusion, the intake of less than the permissible level of gossypol from selected cottonseed and its aqueous extracted milk samples has influenced the hematological parameters and whereas an improved effect was shown in semen characteristics.

Graphical Abstract

Is there a role for Serratia marcescens in male infertility: An experimental study?

OBJECTIVE

Establishment of a male BALB/c mouse model to study the role of sperm impairing S. marcescens on mouse reproductive potential. The current study can add to use of reliable animal models to provide a noteworthy evidence for the microbial cause of infertility.

METHODS

The mice in the test groups II, III, IV were intraperitoneally administered with different doses (10⁴, 10⁶ or 10⁸ cfu) of S. marcescens whereas, group I serving as control, received PBS, for 10 consecutive days. The groups were evaluated for any change in body weight, tissue somatic index (%), seminal parameters and histology. Confirmation of S. marcescens from reproductive organs was done by reisolating the same by cultural characteristics and biochemical tests.

RESULTS

The results showed that weight gain was evident only in mice receiving PBS (group I), whereas a decrease was recorded in the test groups (group II, III and IV). Only testes of test groups showed significant changes in TSI values whereas, no change in TSI was observed in any reproductive organ of any test group. Seminal parameters viz. sperm count, motility and viability were found to decrease in test groups II, III and IV as compared to control group I. Interestingly, the number of pus cells and percent decapitation was more prominent in test groups which received higher doses (i.e. group III and group IV). The histopathological examination revealed mild to dense inflammation in vas deferens and caudal epididymis in all test groups except hypospermatogenesis which was observed only in test group III and IV. However, in group I, neither adverse changes nor any sign of inflammation were observed.

CONCLUSION

Intraperitoneal inoculation of S. marcescens could lead to alteration of semen parameters, induction of decapitation in spermatozoa and histopathological changes, thereby decreasing the reproductive potential of male mice.

Mitochondrial DNA haplogroup associated with sperm motility in the Han population

In this study, we aimed to determine whether the main mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplogroups of the Han people have an impact on spermatozoa motility. We recruited 312 men who were consecutively admitted to two affiliated hospitals of College of Medicine, Zhejiang University from May 2011 to April 2012 as part of fertility investigations. Semen and whole blood samples were collected from the men. We determined the mtDNA haplogroups by analysing the sequences of mtDNA hypervariable segment I and testing diagnostic polymorphisms in the mtDNA coding region with DNA probes. No significant differences were found in the clinical characteristics of the mtDNA haplogroup R and non-R (P>0.05). Our results suggest that mtDNA haplogroup R is a strong independent predictor of sperm motility in the Han population, conferring a 2.97-fold (95% confidence interval: 1.74-4.48, P<0.001) decreased chance of asthenozoospermia compared with those without haplogroup R.