Metabolomic analysis reveals a unique urinary pattern in normozoospermic infertile men

Area of Science:

• Metabolomics
• Urology
• Reproductive Medicine

Background:

• Normozoospermic infertility is a prevalent global health concern.
• Understanding its underlying mechanisms and identifying diagnostic biomarkers remain critical.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the urinary metabolome for potential biomarkers and mechanisms of normozoospermic infertility.
• To differentiate infertile individuals from fertile controls using metabolic profiling.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study involving 71 infertile men and 47 fertile controls.
• Urinary metabolomic profiling to identify discriminatory patterns and biomarkers.
• Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis for diagnostic capability assessment.

Main Results:

• A distinct urinary metabolome pattern differentiated normozoospermic infertile cases from controls.
• 37 potential biomarkers were identified, involved in energy production, antioxidation, and hormone regulation.
• A combined biomarker panel (leukotriene E4, 3-hydroxypalmitoylcarnitine, aspartate, xanthosine, methoxytryptophan) showed high diagnostic capability (AUC=0.901).

Conclusions:

• Urinary metabolomics can effectively distinguish normozoospermic infertile men from fertile individuals.
• Identified biomarkers offer insights into altered fatty acid and citrate cycle metabolism, hormone regulation, folate deficiency, oxidative stress, and eicosanoid metabolism.
• These findings may lead to novel diagnostic tools for idiopathic male infertility and elucidate its pathogenesis.