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Updated: Jun 24, 2025

Flow Cytometric Analysis of Biomarkers for Detecting Human Sperm Functional Defects
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A comprehensive insight into the contribution of epigenetics in male infertility; focusing on immunological

Chou-Yi Hsu1, Saade Abdalkareem Jasim2, Harikumar Pallathadka3

  • 1Department of Pharmacy, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan, Taiwan.

Journal of Reproductive Immunology
|June 12, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Epigenetics, particularly DNA methylation, plays a crucial role in male infertility. Understanding sperm DNA methylation abnormalities and their link to infertility can lead to new diagnostic tools.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Biology
  • Epigenetics
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Epigenetics, including DNA methylation, is increasingly recognized for its impact on spermatogenesis and male fertility.
  • Abnormal DNA methylation patterns in genes like MEST, H19, and MTHFR are linked to compromised sperm production and reproductive failure.
  • Microbial infections can trigger immune responses that contribute to male infertility, with bacteria potentially acting as epimutagens.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the intricate relationship between epigenetic modifications, specifically sperm DNA methylation, and male infertility.
  • To investigate the potential role of microbial infections and their byproducts in causing epigenetic dysregulation affecting male reproductive health.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent studies examining DNA methylation patterns in infertile males.
  • Analysis of the correlation between dysregulated long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) levels and sperm parameters.
  • Investigation into the impact of bacterial epimutagens on host epigenomes.

Main Results:

  • Differential methylation of specific genes (MEST, H19, MTHFR) is associated with male infertility.
  • Dysregulated LncRNA levels correlate with reduced sperm motility and count in infertile individuals.
  • Pathogenic bacteria may induce epigenetic alterations, influencing host cell function and contributing to infertility.

Conclusions:

  • Sperm DNA methylation status is a critical factor in male reproductive capacity.
  • Further research into the mechanisms of sperm methylation and its connection to infertility is essential for developing novel diagnostic approaches.
  • Understanding epigenetic dysregulation caused by microbial factors could offer new therapeutic targets for male infertility.
Keywords:
Bacterial infectionEpigeneticImmune systemMale infertilityModifications

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