Association between the seminal plasma proteome and sperm functional traits

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Biology
• Proteomics
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Sperm function is crucial for male fertility.
• Alterations in sperm parameters like mitochondrial activity, acrosome integrity, and DNA fragmentation significantly impact reproductive outcomes.
• Understanding the seminal plasma proteome's role in these alterations is vital for diagnostics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the seminal plasma proteome and associated biological functions in relation to sperm functional alterations.
• To identify potential protein biomarkers in seminal plasma linked to reduced sperm mitochondrial activity, acrosome damage, and DNA fragmentation.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study involving 156 normozoospermic men.
• Proteomic analysis of seminal plasma using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
• Comparison of seminal plasma proteomes across groups with high/low sperm mitochondrial activity, acrosome integrity, and DNA fragmentation.

Main Results:

• Identified 506, 493, and 464 proteins in substudies focusing on mitochondrial activity, acrosome integrity, and DNA fragmentation, respectively.
• Enriched functions included oxidoreductase activity, lysosomal pathways, phospholipase inhibition, arachidonic acid metabolism, and prostaglandin biosynthesis.
• Proposed 8, 6, and 8 potential seminal biomarkers for each respective sperm functional alteration.

Conclusions:

• The seminal plasma proteome is reflective of sperm mitochondrial activity reduction, acrosome damage, and DNA fragmentation.
• Several postgenomic pathways in seminal plasma are associated with these specific sperm functional alterations.
• These findings suggest potential for novel seminal biomarkers for assessing male reproductive health.