Lifestyle impact on human sperm function

• Autor(a) principal: Gomes, Mariana Lourenço Mocho Fernandes
• Data de Publicação: 2015
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10773/14848
• topic: Biologia molecular; Stresse oxidativo; Espermatozóides; Antioxidantes

Oxidative stress (OS) is believed to be an important cause of male infertility, which accounts for about half of all infertility cases. Reactive species (RS)- induced OS is detrimental to spermatozoa, leading to the damage of many biomolecules, such as lipids, proteins and DNA. Several lifestyle factors, such as alcohol and tobacco consumption, are known to induce OS and have been studied for their negative effects on male reproductive system. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of acute lifestyle changes, namely alcohol and tobacco consumption, on semen quality, accessory glands function and oxidative balance of sperm cells. Furthermore, the correlation between the OS parameters analyzed and the basic semen parameters was also assessed. Male students, in reproductive age, who participated in the academic festivities, donated a semen sample at three time points: before and one week and three months after the academic festivities. Basic semen analysis was performed and, subsequently, semen samples were processed. Acessory glands function was evaluated and OS was analyzed through measurement of the total antioxidant capacity of the sperm cells and through determination of the expression of antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase 4 and superoxide dismutase 1. The impact of ROS in spermatozoa was also assessed through the determination of the protein carbonyl and 3-nitrotyrosine groups. The results indicate that a decrease in semen quality, demonstrated by a decrease in progressive motility and neutral α-glucosidase concentration and an increase in tail defects, occurs due to lifestyle alterations. The total antioxidant status of sperm cells and variations in protein oxidation levels are dependent on the alcohol and tobacco consumption. Moreover, some correlations were observed between the studied parameters, which may be useful in a clinical perspective. In conclusion, the lifestyle alterations are responsible for a decrease in semen quality and by an increase in protein modifications, which may consequently lead to a decrease in fertilizing potential.