• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• 제60권3호
• /
• pp.195-200
• /
• 2022

There have been few reports on extra-enteric infections by Blastocystis STs and none have been molecularly identified in samples from human reproductive organs. We report for the first time the identification of 3 different subtypes of Blastocystis (ST1-3) in vaginal and sperm samples, from patients infected with Trichomonas vaginalis. Blastocystis STs were identified by PCR-sequencing and by phylogenetic inferences using 28 vaginal swab samples and 7 sperm samples from patients trichomoniasis. Blastocystis STs were identified in 6 of 28 vaginal swabs (21.4%) and in 3 of 7 sperm samples (42.8%). In both biological samples, STs 1-3 were found; one vaginal sample showed subtype co-infection with ST1 and ST3. High genetic variation was observed in the sequences obtained and no specific clustering in the phylogenetic trees was detected. Most of the haplotypes identified were placed far from the main dispersal centers. Our finding suggested that incorrect cleaning of the genital area or a contamination by combination of anal and vaginal intercourse.

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 대한불임학회 2000년도 제39차 춘계 학술대회
• /
• pp.37-42
• /
• 2000

Objective: To determine whether particular semen characteristics in various clinical diagnoses of infertility are associated with high oxidative stress and whether any group of infertile men is more likely to have high seminal oxidative stress. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in sperm physiological functions, but elevated levels of ROS or oxidative stress are related to male infertility. Design: Measurement of sperm concentration, motility, morphology, seminal ROS, and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in patients seeking infertility treatment and controls. Setting: Male infertility clinic of a tertiary care center. Patient(s): One hundred sixty-seven infertile patients and 19 controls. Intervention(s): None. Main Outcome Measure(s): Semen characteristics, seminal ROS, and TAC in samples from patients with various clinical diagnoses and controls. Result(s): Fifteen patients (9.0%) were Endtz positive and 152(91.0%) Endtz negative. Sperm concentration, motility, and morphology were significantly reduced in all groups compared with the controls (P = .02), except in varicocele associated With infection group. Mean (${\pm}$SD) ROS levels in patient groups ranged from 2.2 ${\pm}$ 0.13 to 3.2 ${\pm}$ 0.35, signilicantly higher than controls (1.3 ${\pm}$ 0.3; P<.005). Patient groups had a significantly lower mean (${\pm}$SD) TAC from 1014.75 ${\pm}$ 79.22 to 1173.05 ${\pm}$ 58.07 than controls (1653 ${\pm}$ 115.28, P<.001), except ill the vaseclony reversal group (1532.02 ${\pm}$ 74.24). Sperm concentration was negatively correlated with ROS both overall and within all groups (P${\leq}$.007), with the exception of idiopathic infertility. Conclusion(s): Irrespective of the clinical diagnosis and semen characteristics, the presence of seminal oxidative stress in infertile men suggests its role in the pathophysiology of infertility. Medical or surgical treatments for infertility in these men should include strategies to reduce oxidative stress.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• 제23권5호
• /
• pp.381-392
• /
• 2019

Sperm function and male fertility are closely related to pH dependent $K^+$ current (KSper) in human sperm, which is most likely composed of Slo3 and its auxiliary subunit leucine-rich repeat-containing protein 52 (LRRC52). Onion peel extract (OPE) and its major active ingredient quercetin are widely used as fertility enhancers; however, the effect of OPE and quercetin on Slo3 has not been elucidated. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of quercetin on human Slo3 channels. Human Slo3 and LRRC52 were co-transfected into HEK293 cells and pharmacological properties were studied with the whole cell patch clamp technique. We successfully expressed and measured pH sensitive and calcium insensitive Slo3 currents in HEK293 cells. We found that OPE and its key ingredient quercetin inhibit Slo3 currents. Inhibition by quercetin is dose dependent and this degree of inhibition decreases with elevating internal alkalization and internal free calcium concentrations. Functional moieties in the quercetin polyphenolic ring govern the degree of inhibition of Slo3 by quercetin, and the composition of such functional moieties are sensitive to the pH of the medium. These results suggest that quercetin inhibits Slo3 in a pH and calcium dependent manner. Therefore, we surmise that quercetin induced depolarization in spermatozoa may enhance the voltage gated proton channel (Hv1), and activate non-selective cation channels of sperm (CatSper) dependent calcium influx to trigger sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• 제16권2호
• /
• pp.153-160
• /
• 1989

The effect of antisperm antibodies (ASA) on the human in vitro fertilization (lVF) process was evaluated by analyzing the IVF data between October and December 1988 at Seoul National University Hospital prospectively. The immunobead test (IBT) was used to identify Ig G, Ig A, and Ig M in the serum, semen, and follicular fluid from 93 couples undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (lVF-ET ) . The fertilization rate in couples with ASA to sperm head of at least one isotype in female serum (n= 10) was significantly less than that in couples without ASA to sperm head (n=83; 28.5% versus 45.3% , p=0.028). The presence of ASA to sperm head in follicular fluid (n=8) also reduced fertilization rate from 45.3% to 24.4% (p=O.0l3). However, ASA binding to sperm head in male serum and semen did not predict fertilization. Similarly, ASA binding to sperm tail and tail-tip did not reduced the oocyte fertilization rate significantly in any of the fluids tested. The zygote cleavage rate was not reduced in the presence of ASA. These results suggest that the presence of ASA to sperm head in female serum and follicular fluid is associated with reduced fertilization in IVF-ET. Another observation is that the oocyte that do fertilize in the presence of antisperm antibodies can subsequently proceed with normal cleavage. The results of this investigation therefore suggest that the IBT is a useful test forscreening of women participat.ing IVF-ET program.

• 생명과학회지
• /
• 제29권4호
• /
• pp.395-401
• /
• 2019

Phthalate는 내분비 교란물질로 호르몬의 변화, 에스토젠, 앤드로젠, 갑상선 호르몬의 분비를 방해한다. 또한, 인간과 동물에서 심혈관질환, 대사작용, 면역 및 번식체계에 영향을 끼친다. Curcumin은 항산화물질로 항염증 활성 및 항암작용에 영향을 미치는 것으로 알려져 있다. 본 연구는 phthalate가 정자의 운동성, 생존율, 미토콘드리아 활성 및 세포막 기능에 미치는 영향을 알아보고자 실시하였다. 또한, curcumin을 처리하여 phthalate에 노출된 정자에 미치는 영향을 분석하였다. 정자의 운동성과 생존율은 di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), mono-n-butyl phthalate (MBP) 및 di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP)을 처리하였을 때 감소하였다(p<0.05). Phthalate는 정자의 미토콘드리아 활성 및 세포막의 기능을 감소시켰다(p<0.05). 그러나, 정자의 운동성과 생존율은 curcumin을 처리하지 않은 것보다 처리한 정자에서 높게 나타났으며(p<0.05), 정자의 미토콘드리아 활성 및 세포막 기능에서도 높게 나타났다(p<0.05). 결론적으로, phthalate는 정자의 생존율과 세포의 기능에 영향을 미칠 수 있고, 이로부터 세포의 기능을 보호하기 위해서는 curcumin의 처리가 필요 할 것으로 생각된다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• 제41권4호
• /
• pp.165-167
• /
• 2014

Objective: The objective of this study is to estimate the effects of Inclear, a feminine cleanser, on sperm motility. Methods: Semen samples were obtained from infertile male patients. Following liquefaction, the raw semen samples were diluted with Ham's F-10 nutrient mixture medium containing 0.4% human serum albumin solution at a ratio of 1:3. The semen samples were subsequently centrifuged to separate the seminal plasma from the serum. The supernatant was discarded, and the pellet was resuspended. The sample was again centrifuged to remove cell debris, and the supernatant was removed. The final pellet was gently loosened by resuspension and incubated in medium alone as a control, and in a 10% solution of the medium plus Inclear. A sampling time of 30 minutes was selected on the basis of sperm transport studies. Sperm motility was evaluated with computer-assisted sperm analysis. Results: A total of 20 samples were analyzed. The mean age of patients was $34.40{\pm}2.96years$. There was no difference in sperm concentration and motility in the two samples at 0 minute and 30 minutes of incubation. In both semen samples, the sperm concentration and motility decreased after an incubation period of 30 minutes. However, there was no statistical difference between the samples. Sperm concentration and motility were not significantly different between the control and Inclear samples after 0 minute and 30 minutes of incubation. Conclusion: Inclear has no negative effects on sperm motility. This product can be recommended to pregnancy planners for vaginal hygiene and as a vaginal lubricant.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• 제40권1호
• /
• pp.23-28
• /
• 2013

Objective: The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship among male age, strict morphology, and sperm chromatin structure and condensation. Methods: Sperm samples from a total of 100 men underwent semen analysis, and sperm chromatin structure and condensation were assessed with toluidine blue (TB) and aniline blue (AB) tests. Results: Prevalence of strict morphology of less than 4%, and abnormal sperm chromatin structure and condensation did not show any statistically significant differences according to male age (p=0.605, p=0.235, and p=0.080). No significant correlation was demonstrated among age of male partners, strict morphology, and abnormal sperm chromatin structure using TB and AB tests. However, abnormal sperm chromatin condensation was positively associated with sperm chromatin structure (r=0.594, p=0.000) and showed negative correlation with strict morphology (r=-0.219, p=0.029). Conclusion: The tests for sperm chromatin condensation showed a significant association with strict morphology. Further study is needed to elucidate the relationship between clinical outcome and sperm chromatin tests.

• 대한한의학방제학회지
• /
• 제17권1호
• /
• pp.113-120
• /
• 2009

Objectives : This study focuses on the effect of the extract which We manufactured by adding Aliium sativum to Ojayeonjonghwan on the amount of semen, the number and the activity of sperm. Methods : We observed any changes in the amount of semen, the number and the activity of sperm after orally administering the test drug for thirty days and taking semen samples from a selected group of men - healthy men in their 20s, as well as men in their 40s who were feeling a decrease in energy. Results : This experiment showed the result that the amount of semen increased by adding Aliium sativum to Ojayeonjonghwan in the case of men in their 20s, but did not show a statistically significant result. It showed the result that the amount of semen increased by a statistically significant level as well as the activity of sperm. Consequently, the result indicated that orally administering the extract added Aliium sativum to Ojayeonjonghwan increased the amount of semen, the number and the activity of sperm for men in their 20s. Men in their 40s who are feeling a decline in energy generally decreased the amount of semen, the number and the ratio of activity of sperm. However the amount of semen remarkably increased and the number and the activity of sperm increased but the result was not statistically significant after orally administering the test drug for thirty days. Conclution : Eventually, the result after orally administering the test drug to the group of men in their 20s and 40s for thirty days indicated that both groups increased the amount of semen, number of sperm and activity of sperm to a statistically significant degree.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• 제18권1호
• /
• pp.49-53
• /
• 1991

The development of 2-cell mouse embryos to the blastocyst stage in vitro has been used as a quality control for the media empolyed for human in vitro fertilization. There was a comparison between the quality control data of the culture medium as ascertained by 2-cell mouse embryos development and sperm motility and the data from fertilization and cleavage of human oocytes. However, there was no obvious association between fertilization and cleavage of human oocytes and the quality of the medium ascertained by mouse embryo development and sperm motility.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
• /
• 제37권2호
• /
• pp.85-89
• /
• 2013

For more than two decades, the intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) technique has been used as a valuable tool to provide opportunities for studying fertilization, treating human infertility, and producing transgenic animals. Not only in facilitating fertilization but also in propagating mammalian species, ICSI has enhanced the potential of assisted reproductive technologies in human. Polyspermic fertilization has been one of major problems in pig reproduction, but the ICSI helped to solve the problem, and used widely to generate transgenic piglets. Although the ICSI technique is considered to be a very useful tool in assisted reproductive technologies, including generation of transgenic animals, there are some disadvantages using the technique. In this review, we describe the ICSI technique and its application in animal production and human infertility, and discuss advantage and disadvantage of the technique in mammals.