Journal Article

Oxidative stress and male infertility

Faiq, Muneeb, Dada, Rima, Bisht, Shilpa, Tolahunase, Madhuri

2017

Overview

Key Points Male infertility is a complex lifestyle-related disorder Oxidative stress has adverse effects on the structural and functional integrity of sperm and is a major cause of defective sperm function and male infertility Oxidative stress causes damage to both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA and also affects the sperm epigenome, resulting in infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, poor pregnancy outcomes and an increased disease burden in the offspring Spermatozoa are most vulnerable to oxidative stress and oxidative DNA damage (ODD) as these cells have limited antioxidant defence mechanisms and a limited capacity for detection and repair of DNA damage A number of intrinsic and extrinsic factors can regulate oxidative stress, and these must be maintained at moderate levels for optimal sperm function and the maintenance of cellular homeostasis and redox-sensitive signal-transduction pathways Simple lifestyle modifications and interventions can substantially reduce levels of testicular inflammation, oxidative stress and ODD and improve the quality of life of infertile couples High levels of seminal oxidative stress lead to sperm DNA damage and male factor infertility. In this review, the authors describe the mechanisms of oxidative-stress-induced male factor infertility, and how lifestyle-related interventions might reduce levels of seminal oxidative stress, ameliorate infertility and potentially improve the health of the children of men with high levels of seminal oxidative stress. DNA damage, largely owing to oxidative stress, is a leading cause of defective sperm function. High levels of oxidative stress result in damage to sperm DNA, RNA transcripts, and telomeres and, therefore might provide a common underlying aetiology of male infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss, in addition to congenital malformations, complex neuropsychiatric disorders, and childhood cancers in children fathered by men with defective sperm cells. Spermatozoa are highly vulnerable to oxidative stress owing to limited levels of antioxidant defence and a single, limited DNA-damage detection and repair mechanism. Oxidative stress is predominantly caused by a host of lifestyle-related factors, the majority of which are modifiable. Antioxidant regimens and lifestyle modifications could both be plausible therapeutic approaches that enable the burden of oxidative-stress-induced male factor infertility to be overcome. Lifestyle interventions including yoga and meditation can substantially improve the integrity of sperm DNA by reducing levels of oxidative DNA damage, regulating oxidative stress and by increasing the expression of genes responsible for DNA repair, cell-cycle control and anti-inflammatory effects. Oxidative stress is caused by various modifiable factors, and the use of simple interventions can decrease levels of oxidative stress, and therefore reduce the incidence of both infertility and complex diseases in the resultant offspring.

• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group UK,Nature Publishing Group
• Subject: 631/337/1427 / 631/80/86/2366 / 692/4025/2768/294 / 692/700/459/284 / Antioxidants - pharmacology / Antioxidants - therapeutic use / Deoxyribonucleic acid / DNA / DNA Damage - drug effects / DNA Damage - physiology / DNA Repair - drug effects / DNA Repair - physiology / Health aspects / Humans / Infertility / Infertility, Male - diagnosis / Infertility, Male - metabolism / Infertility, Male - therapy / Lifestyles / Male / Male infertility / Medicine & Public Health / Miscarriage / Oxidation / Oxidative stress / Oxidative Stress - drug effects / Oxidative Stress - physiology / Physiological aspects / review-article / Risk Reduction Behavior / Sperm / Spermatozoa - drug effects / Spermatozoa - metabolism / Urology