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Ejaculated and Testicular Spermatozoa: Molecular Biological Research of Morphology, Physiology and Spermatogenesis

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2023) | Viewed by 12749

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Vladimir Isachenko

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Leader of Research Group for Reproductive Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
Interests: cancer; cells; cryopreservation; embryo; proliferation; reproductive; spermatozoa; oocyte; ovarian tissue
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Marc Yeste

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Department of Biology, Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, Pic de Peguera 15, 17003 Girona, Spain
Interests: cell biology; molecular biology; reproductive biology; cryobiology; sperm; oocyte; embryo; infertility; human repro-duction; animal reproduction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, “Ejaculated and Testicular Spermatozoa: Molecular Biological Research into Morphology, Physiology and Spermatogenesis”, will cover a selection of recent research and current review articles in the field. The cryopreservation of spermatozoa leads to sperm cell damage. Intracellular and extracellular ice-crystal formation and osmotic damage to cells can further deteriorate their viability. The production of reactive oxygen species leads to an increase in lipid peroxidation after the cryopreservation of spermatozoa, which is associated with a loss of sperm motility. Cryopreservation also leads to diminished antioxidant defense activity during cooling and (or) structural damage to the cytoskeleton and (or) antioxidant enzymes. It can also lead to chromatin damage, which is extremely important because chromatin abnormalities have repercussions on sperm quality and male fertility. Additionally, sperm DNA damage is strongly correlated with the mutagenic effects of cryopreservation. The viability of spermatozoa drops significantly after cryopreservation with respect to that of fresh sperm. The study of such cryo-changes using molecular biological methods will certainly help in the development of more efficient technologies for spermatozoon cryopreservation. It is also known that the cryo-biological properties of spermatozoa can change during the process of spermatogenesis. For example, a direct correlation is expected between the synthesis of proteins (natural cryoprotectants) and the cryo-properties of spermatozoa. Thus, this Special Issue of the journal is devoted not only to research directly related to the cryopreservation of cells, but also to the study of the characteristics of spermatogenesis, theoretically associated with the cryo-resistance of spermatozoa.

Dr. Vladimir Isachenko
Dr. Marc Yeste
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 1081 KiB  
Article
Targeted Analysis of HSP70 Isoforms in Human Spermatozoa in the Context of Capacitation and Motility
by Sarah Grassi, Marie Bisconti, Baptiste Martinet, Vanessa Arcolia, Jean-François Simon, Ruddy Wattiez, Baptiste Leroy and Elise Hennebert
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(12), 6497; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23126497 - 10 Jun 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1760
Abstract
HSP70s constitute a family of chaperones, some isoforms of which appear to play a role in sperm function. Notably, global proteomic studies analyzing proteins deregulated in asthenozoospermia, a main cause of male infertility characterized by low sperm motility, showed the dysregulation of some [...] Read more.
HSP70s constitute a family of chaperones, some isoforms of which appear to play a role in sperm function. Notably, global proteomic studies analyzing proteins deregulated in asthenozoospermia, a main cause of male infertility characterized by low sperm motility, showed the dysregulation of some HSP70 isoforms. However, to date, no clear trend has been established since the variations in the abundance of HSP70 isoforms differed between studies. The HSPA2 isoform has been reported to play a key role in fertilization, but its dysregulation and possible relocation during capacitation, a maturation process making the spermatozoon capable of fertilizing an oocyte, is debated in the literature. The aim of the present study was to investigate the fate of all sperm HSP70 isoforms during capacitation and in relation to sperm motility. Using Multiple-Reaction Monitoring (MRM) mass spectrometry, we showed that the relative abundance of all detected isoforms was stable between non-capacitated and capacitated spermatozoa. Immunofluorescence using two different antibodies also demonstrated the stability of HSP70 isoform localization during capacitation. We also investigated spermatozoa purified from 20 sperm samples displaying various levels of total and progressive sperm motility. We showed that the abundance of HSP70 isoforms is not correlated to sperm total or progressive motility. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ejaculated and Testicular Spermatozoa: Molecular Biological Research of Morphology, Physiology and Spermatogenesis)
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14 pages, 1688 KiB  
Article
Cryoprotectants-Free Vitrification and Conventional Freezing of Human Spermatozoa: A Comparative Transcript Profiling
by Mengying Wang, Plamen Todorov, Wanxue Wang, Evgenia Isachenko, Gohar Rahimi, Peter Mallmann and Vladimir Isachenko
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(6), 3047; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23063047 - 11 Mar 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2563
Abstract
Introduction: Spermatozoa cryopreservation is an important technique to preserve fertility for males. This study aimed at exploring the stability of epigenetics information in human spermatozoa, manipulated by two different technologies, freezing and vitrification. Methods: Spermatozoa samples were distributed into three groups: 1. Fresh [...] Read more.
Introduction: Spermatozoa cryopreservation is an important technique to preserve fertility for males. This study aimed at exploring the stability of epigenetics information in human spermatozoa, manipulated by two different technologies, freezing and vitrification. Methods: Spermatozoa samples were distributed into three groups: 1. Fresh spermatozoa (control group), 2. Frozen spermatozoa, 3. Vitrified spermatozoa. Epigenetic differences of fresh and cryopreserved spermatozoa were evaluated using high-throughput RNA sequencing. Results: Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in frozen (1103 genes) and vitrified (333 genes) spermatozoa were evaluated. The bioinformatical analysis identified 8 and 15 significant pathways in groups of frozen and vitrified spermatozoa, respectively. The majority of these pathways are most relevant to immune and infectious diseases. The DEGs of the fertilization process are not detected during vitrification. The freezing process induces more down-regulation of genes and is relevant to apoptosis changes and immune response. Conclusion: Cryopreservation of human spermatozoa is an epigenetically safe method for male fertility preservation. Cryoprotectant-free vitrification can induce more minor biological changes in human spermatozoa, in comparison with conventional freezing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ejaculated and Testicular Spermatozoa: Molecular Biological Research of Morphology, Physiology and Spermatogenesis)
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Review

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26 pages, 860 KiB  
Review
The Role of Promyelocytic Leukemia Zinc Finger (PLZF) and Glial-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Family Receptor Alpha 1 (GFRα1) in the Cryopreservation of Spermatogonia Stem Cells
by Asma’ ‘Afifah Shamhari, Nur Erysha Sabrina Jefferi, Zariyantey Abd Hamid, Siti Balkis Budin, Muhd Hanis Md Idris and Izatus Shima Taib
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(3), 1945; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24031945 - 18 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1938
Abstract
The cryopreservation of spermatogonia stem cells (SSCs) has been widely used as an alternative treatment for infertility. However, cryopreservation itself induces cryoinjury due to oxidative and osmotic stress, leading to reduction in the survival rate and functionality of SSCs. Glial-derived neurotrophic factor family [...] Read more.
The cryopreservation of spermatogonia stem cells (SSCs) has been widely used as an alternative treatment for infertility. However, cryopreservation itself induces cryoinjury due to oxidative and osmotic stress, leading to reduction in the survival rate and functionality of SSCs. Glial-derived neurotrophic factor family receptor alpha 1 (GFRα1) and promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger (PLZF) are expressed during the self-renewal and differentiation of SSCs, making them key tools for identifying the functionality of SSCs. To the best of our knowledge, the involvement of GFRα1 and PLZF in determining the functionality of SSCs after cryopreservation with therapeutic intervention is limited. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to determine the role of GFRα1 and PLZF as biomarkers for evaluating the functionality of SSCs in cryopreservation with therapeutic intervention. Therapeutic intervention, such as the use of antioxidants, and enhancement in cryopreservation protocols, such as cell encapsulation, cryoprotectant agents (CPA), and equilibrium of time and temperature increase the expression of GFRα1 and PLZF, resulting in maintaining the functionality of SSCs. In conclusion, GFRα1 and PLZF have the potential as biomarkers in cryopreservation with therapeutic intervention of SSCs to ensure the functionality of the stem cells. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ejaculated and Testicular Spermatozoa: Molecular Biological Research of Morphology, Physiology and Spermatogenesis)
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27 pages, 1906 KiB  
Review
Influence of Risk Factors for Male Infertility on Sperm Protein Composition
by Marie Bisconti, Jean-François Simon, Sarah Grassi, Baptiste Leroy, Baptiste Martinet, Vanessa Arcolia, Vladimir Isachenko and Elise Hennebert
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(23), 13164; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms222313164 - 06 Dec 2021
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 4982
Abstract
Male infertility is a common health problem that can be influenced by a host of lifestyle risk factors such as environment, nutrition, smoking, stress, and endocrine disruptors. These effects have been largely demonstrated on sperm parameters (e.g., motility, numeration, vitality, DNA integrity). In [...] Read more.
Male infertility is a common health problem that can be influenced by a host of lifestyle risk factors such as environment, nutrition, smoking, stress, and endocrine disruptors. These effects have been largely demonstrated on sperm parameters (e.g., motility, numeration, vitality, DNA integrity). In addition, several studies showed the deregulation of sperm proteins in relation to some of these factors. This review inventories the literature related to the identification of sperm proteins showing abundance variations in response to the four risk factors for male infertility that are the most investigated in this context: obesity, diabetes, tobacco smoking, and exposure to bisphenol-A (BPA). First, we provide an overview of the techniques used to identify deregulated proteins. Then, we summarise the main results obtained in the different studies and provide a compiled list of deregulated proteins in relation to each risk factor. Gene ontology analysis of these deregulated proteins shows that oxidative stress and immune and inflammatory responses are common mechanisms involved in sperm alterations encountered in relation to the risk factors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ejaculated and Testicular Spermatozoa: Molecular Biological Research of Morphology, Physiology and Spermatogenesis)
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