Journal article

Publication year: 2014

Pages: 1609-U456

Journal: Fertility and Sterility

Volume number: 101

Issue number: 6

ISSN: 0015-0282

eISSN: 1556-5653

Open access status: Bronze

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2014.03.011

Publisher: Elsevier

Abstract: 

Objective: To use a proteomic approach to evaluate possible postinflammatory alterations in the protein composition of motile sperm in patients 3 months after acute epididymitis.

Design: Prospective case-control study.

Setting: University medical school research laboratory.

Patient(s): Eight patients 3 months after acute unilateral epididymitis and 10 healthy controls.

Intervention(s): None.

Main Outcome Measure(s): Proteome analysis of sperm samples collected by swim-up from control and acute epididymitis patients analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and subsequent protein identification by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionizationtime-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry; immunofluorescence staining for mitochondrial ATP synthase subunit beta (ATP5B), alpha-tubulin (TUBA1A), and tubulin-beta 2c (TUBB4B) for validation purposes.

Result(s): Proteome analysis identified 35 proteins in sperm from epididymitis patients that were down-regulated, irrespective of subcellular localization and biologic function. Furthermore, immunofluorescence microscopy confirmed ATP5B, TUBA1A, and TUBB4B were less abundantly expressed in epididymitis samples compared with controls.

Conclusion(s): Despite normal semen parameters observed by conventional semen analysis in patients after epididymitis, significant changes to sperm protein composition were observed. These changes may be implicated as additional factors contributing to subfertility/infertility in men after episodes of epididymitis. (C) 2014 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

Harvard Citation style: Pilatz, A., Lochnit, G., Karnati, S., Paradowska-Dogan, A., Lang, T., Schultheiss, D., et al. (2014) Acute epididymitis induces alterations in sperm protein composition, Fertility and Sterility, 101(6), Article 1617.e4. pp. 1609-U456. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2014.03.011

APA Citation style: Pilatz, A., Lochnit, G., Karnati, S., Paradowska-Dogan, A., Lang, T., Schultheiss, D., Schuppe, H., Hossain, H., Baumgart-Vogt, E., Weidner, W., & Wagenlehner, F. (2014). Acute epididymitis induces alterations in sperm protein composition. Fertility and Sterility. 101(6), Article 1617.e4, 1609-U456. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2014.03.011