Analysis of the Functional Aspects of Sperm and Testicular Oxidative Stress in Individuals Undergoing Metabolic Surgery.

Purpose: Metabolic surgery is a recommended treatment for obese patients that results in BMI reduction; however, the observed impact of this therapy on male fertility is inconsistent. This research aimed to study the effects of BMI changes after metabolic surgery on seminal analysis, sex hormonal profile, sperm functional integrity, and the seminal plasma lipid peroxidation levels.

Materials And Methods: A prospective study was performed in 15 patients for whom metabolic surgery was recommended.

Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM)-profiling for biomarker discovery applied to human polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Rationale: We describe multiple reaction monitoring (MRM)-profiling, which provides accelerated discovery of discriminating molecular features, and its application to human polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) diagnosis. The discovery phase of the MRM-profiling seeks molecular features based on some prior knowledge of the chemical functional groups likely to be present in the sample. It does this through use of a limited number of pre-chosen and chemically specific neutral loss and/or precursor ion MS/MS scans.

Antioxidant enzyme profile and lipid peroxidation products in semen samples of testicular germ cell tumor patients submitted to orchiectomy.

Purpose: To determine enzymatic antioxidant and lipid peroxidation levels in seminal plasma of patients orchiectomized for testicular tumors.

Materials And Methods: The study included 52 patients: 26 control men and 26 orchiectomized patients for testicular tumor, of which 12 men had seminoma tumor and 14 men non-seminoma tumor. After semen analysis performed according to the WHO guidelines, an aliquot of semen was centrifuged and the seminal plasma was collected.

Follicular fluid lipid peroxidation levels in women with endometriosis during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation.

This observational study aimed to establishing a relationship between lipid peroxidation and endometriosis in women undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. A total of 79 women were divided into two groups: (i) controls (tubal or male factor); and (ii) endometriosis (stages III/IV). The endometriosis diagnosis was confirmed by videolaparoscopy and the controlled ovarian stimulation protocol was similar to all patients.

Alterations in the proliferative/apoptotic equilibrium in semen of adolescents with varicocele.

Purpose: To verify if the presence of varicocele (grades II and III) with and without seminal alterations, using the 5 centile cutoff values in table A1.1 of the World Health Organization (WHO, 2010) manual, alters the seminal plasma levels of proteins DNASE1 (deoxyribonuclease-1) and IGFBP7 (Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7), which are related to apoptosis regulation and cell proliferation, respectively, demonstrating that these proteins are important for correct spermatogenesis.

Methods: This cross sectional study was performed at the Sao Paulo Federal University Paulo between May 2014 and April 2016.

Association between the seminal plasma proteome and sperm functional traits.

Objective: To analyze the seminal plasma proteome and biological functions associated with sperm functional alterations.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: University andrology and research laboratories.

Lipidomics analysis of follicular fluid by ESI-MS reveals potential biomarkers for ovarian endometriosis.

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to analyze the lipid profile of follicular fluid from patients with endometriosis and endometrioma who underwent in vitro fertilization treatment (IVF).

Methods: The control group (n = 10) was composed of women with tubal factor or minimal male factor infertility who had positive pregnancy outcomes after IVF. The endometriosis group consisted of women with endometriosis diagnosed by videolaparoscopy (n = 10), and from the same patients, the endometriomas fluids were collected, which composed the endometrioma group (n = 10).

Follicular fluid alterations in endometriosis: label-free proteomics by MS(E) as a functional tool for endometriosis.

Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological condition that affects 10-32% of women of reproductive age and may lead to infertility. The study of protein profiles in follicular fluid may assist in elucidating possible biomarkers related to this disease. For this, follicular fluid samples were obtained from women with tubal factor or minimal male factor infertility who had pregnancy outcomes after in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment (control group, n = 10), women with endometriosis (endometriosis group, n = 10), along with the endometrioma from these same patients were included (endometrioma group, n = 10).

Follicular fluid lipid fingerprinting from women with PCOS and hyper response during IVF treatment.

Purpose: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine-metabolic disorder that leads to lower natural reproductive potential and presents a challenge for assisted reproductive medicine because patients may exhibit immature oocyte retrieval and a higher risk of ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome during in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. This study aimed to identify potential lipid biomarkers for women with PCOS and a hyper response to controlled ovarian stimulation.

Methods: Follicular fluid samples were collected from patients who underwent IVF, including normal responder women who became pregnant (control group, n = 11), women with PCOS and a hyper response to gonadotropins (PCOS group, n = 7) and women with only hyper response to gonadotropins (HR group, n = 7).

Lipid profiling of follicular fluid from women undergoing IVF: young poor ovarian responders versus normal responders.

This study identified possible lipid biomarkers in follicular fluid from women with poor ovarian response. These biomarkers indicate pathophysiological pathways and have potential diagnostic applications. An observational case-control study of young women undergoing ovarian stimulation for in-vitro fertilization was conducted.

Unraveling the sperm proteome and post-genomic pathways associated with sperm nuclear DNA fragmentation.

Purpose: Sperm DNA fragmentation has been suggested as a marker for infertility diagnosis and prognosis. Hence, understanding its impact on male physiology and post-genomic pathways would be clinically important. We performed the proteomics and functional enrichment analyses of viable spermatozoa from ejaculates with low and high sperm DNA fragmentation to identify protein expression and pathways altered in association with sperm DNA fragmentation.

Changes in the seminal plasma proteome of adolescents before and after varicocelectomy.

Objective: To compare seminal plasma protein profiles before and after varicocele correction to assess if surgical intervention alters the protein profile.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Academic research environment.

Proteomic analysis of follicular fluid from women with and without endometriosis: new therapeutic targets and biomarkers.

Endometriosis is a gynecological disease that affects women of reproductive age. The protein profiles of women with endometriosis who were able or unable to achieve pregnancy and women without endometriosis who did achieve pregnancy were compared in this study. The follicular fluid was collected from 21 patients undergoing in vitro-fertilization treatment, according to the following groups: nine women in the control group (Group C), four women with endometriosis who achieved pregnancy (Group E.

Effect of smoking on the functional aspects of sperm and seminal plasma protein profiles in patients with varicocele.

Study Question: What are the effects of smoking on the functional aspects of the sperm, the levels of lipid peroxidation and the protein profile of seminal plasma in patients with varicocele?

Summary Answer: In men with varicocele, smoking is associated with altered semen quality, decreased sperm functional integrity and seminal oxidative stress. Alterations in seminal plasma protein profiles are also present and may explain the altered semen phenotype.

What Is Known Already: Varicocele is a major cause of male infertility.

Association between obesity and alteration of sperm DNA integrity and mitochondrial activity.

Unlabelled: What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? The relationship between high levels of BMI and changes in altered standard semen analysis parameters are described in the literature. However, the functional characteristics of the sperm are essential to complete the evaluation of male infertility. Thus, this study provides important information about the functionality of the sperm of men with different levels of BMI.

Effect of varicocele on sperm function and semen oxidative stress.

Objective: To assess the effect of varicocele on sperm DNA integrity, mitochondrial activity, lipid peroxidation and acrosome integrity.

Patients And Methods: In all, 30 patients with a clinically diagnosed varicocele of grade II or III and 32 men without a varicocele were evaluated for sperm DNA fragmentation (comet assay), mitochondrial activity (3,3'-diaminobenzidine assay), lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde) and acrosome integrity (fluorescent probe labelled peanut agglutinin).

Results: The varicocele group showed fewer spermatozoa with intact DNA (grade II, P= 0.

Adolescent varicocele: improved sperm function after varicocelectomy.

Objective: To assess the effect of varicocelectomy on sperm function (DNA integrity and mitochondrial activity) and levels of lipid peroxidation in seminal plasma of adolescents.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Patients recruited from a local public school.

Individual and seminal characteristics of patients with testicular germ cell tumors.

Objective: To analyze the characteristics of patients with testicular germ cell cancer and compare patients' sperm quality according to histologic type (seminomatous and nonseminomatous tumors).

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Sperm bank at a university.

Is sperm cryopreservation an option for fertility preservation in patients with spinal cord injury-induced anejaculation?

Objective: To evaluate the effects of cryopreservation on sperm mitochondrial activity and nuclear DNA integrity in men with spinal cord injury.

Design: Prospective controlled study.

Setting: Patients in an academic research environment.

Effect of leukocytospermia and processing by discontinuous density gradient on sperm nuclear DNA fragmentation and mitochondrial activity.

Purpose: To assess the effect of leukocytospermia and semen processing on sperm DNA and mitochondria.

Methods: Twenty-two patients with and 41 without leukocytospermia were included. Sperm DNA fragmentation was assessed by the Comet assay, and mitochondrial activity by a colorimetric method for active mitochondria.

Quality and functional aspects of sperm retrieved through assisted ejaculation in men with spinal cord injury.

Objective: To assess semen quality, sperm DNA fragmentation, and mitochondrial activity in fertile men as well as in men with spinal cord injury who were collecting semen through different methods.

Design: Prospective controlled study.

Setting: Academic research environment.

Does varicocele grade determine extent of alteration to spermatogenesis in adolescents?

Objective: To determine whether grade of varicocele determines extent of alterations to semen quality in adolescents.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Patients recruited from a local public school.

Sperm nuclear DNA fragmentation and mitochondrial activity in men with varicocele.

Objective: To verify the impact of varicocele on semen quality and sperm function (DNA integrity and mitochondrial activity).

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Patients in an academic research environment.