Investigation of Sphingosine and Ceramide Level Changes in Oligozoospermia Samples from Infertile Men
Subject Areas : Developmental biology of plants and animals , development and differentiation in microorganisms
Fatemeh Ghasemian
1
,
Atena Akbari
2
1 - Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran
2 - Department of Biology, Faculty of sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.
Keywords: Sperm, Male infertility, Ceramide, Sphingosine, HPLC.,
Abstract :
Background: Oligozoospermia is one of the causes of infertility in men, characterized by a low sperm count compared to normozoospermia according to World Health Organization criteria. Sphingolipids are crucial regulators of many cellular processes, such as cell differentiation and apoptosis. The most important sphingolipid metabolites include ceramides and sphingosine, where an imbalance in ceramide levels can lead to apoptosis. This study aims to investigate the changes in various types of ceramides and sphingosine in oligozoospermia samples from infertile men. Materials and Methods: In this study, semen samples were collected from couples visiting the Alzahra Infertility Treatment Center in Rasht (n=10). The samples were analyzed based on World Health Organization parameters, and oligozoospermia (sperm count less than 15 million per milliliter of semen) and normozoospermia groups were included in the study. The levels of various ceramides (Cer14, Cer16, Cer18, and Cer20) and sphingosine were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. Results: The findings showed a significant difference in the level of sphingosine in the oligozoospermia group compared to the normozoospermia group (p<0.05). Additionally, the levels of various ceramides were significantly increased in the oligozoospermia group compared to the control group (p<0.0001). Conclusion: Overall, the results indicate that sphingolipid metabolites play a crucial role in the quantity of spermatogenesis, and alterations in these metabolites can lead to reduced fertility in men. Therefore, these metabolites can serve as good criteria for fertility assessments and pharmaceutical targets.
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