Male infertility is a common and complex problem affecting 1 in 20 men. Despite voluminous research in this field, in many cases, the underlying causes are unknown. Epigenetic factors play an important role in male infertility and these have been studied extensively. Epigenetic modifications control a number of processes within the body, but this review will concentrate on male fertility and the consequences of aberrant epigenetic regulation/modification. Many recent studies have identified altered epigenetic profiles in sperm from men with oligozoospermia and oligoasthenoteratozoospermia. During gametogenesis and germ cell maturation, germ cells undergo extensive epigenetic reprogramming that involves the establishment of sex-specific patterns in the sperm and oocytes. Increasing evidence suggests that genetic and environmental factors can have negative effects on epigenetic processes controlling implantation, placentation and fetal growth. This review provides an overview of the epigenetic processes (histone-to-protamine exchange and epigenetic reprogramming post-fertilization), aberrant epigenetic reprogramming and its association with fertility, possible risks for ART techniques, testicular cancer and the effect of environmental factors on the epigenetic processes.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3288140 | PMC |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10815-012-9715-0 | DOI Listing |
Reprod Biol Endocrinol
January 2025
Reproductive Medicine Center, Zhuhai Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, 543 Ningxi Road, Zhuhai, 519000, China.
Purpose: Prior sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) thresholds for diagnosing male infertility and predicting assisted reproduction technology (ART) outcomes fluctuated between 15 and 30%, with no agreed standard. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the sperm DFI on early embryonic development during ART treatments and establish appropriate DFI cut-off values.
Methods: Retrospectively analyzed 913 couple's ART cycles from 2021 to 2022, encompassing 1,476 IVF and 295 ICSI cycles, following strict criteria.
BMC Plant Biol
January 2025
School of Engineering, Dali University, Dali, Yunnan Province, China.
The homeotic transformation of stamens into pistil-like structures (pistillody) causes cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS). This phenomenon is widely present in plants, and might be induced by intracellular communication (mitochondrial retrograde signaling), but its systemic regulating mechanism is still unclear. In this study, morphological observation showed that the stamens transformed into pistil-like structures, leading to flat and dehiscent pistils, and fruit set decrease in sua-CMS (MS K326, somatic fusion between Nicotiana.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiol Res
January 2025
Clinical Research Development Unit of Tabriz Valiasr Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Fluoride (F), as a natural element found in a wide range of sources such as water and certain foods, has been proven to be beneficial in preventing dental caries, but concerns have been raised regarding its potential deleterious effects on overall health. Sodium fluoride (NaF), another form of F, has the ability to accumulate in reproductive organs and interfere with hormonal regulation and oxidative stress pathways, contributing to reproductive toxicity. While the exact mechanisms of F-induced reproductive toxicity are not fully understood, this review aims to elucidate the mechanisms involved in testicular and ovarian injury.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBMC Med Genomics
January 2025
Department of Surgery, Faculty of General of Medicine, Koya University, Koya, Kurdistan Region - F.R., KOY45, Iraq.
Background: During mammalian spermatogenesis, the cytoskeleton system plays a significant role in morphological changes. Male infertility such as non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) might be explained by studies of the cytoskeletal system during spermatogenesis.
Methods: The cytoskeleton, scaffold, and actin-binding genes were analyzed by microarray and bioinformatics (771 spermatogenic cellsgenes and 774 Sertoli cell genes).
Front Biosci (Landmark Ed)
January 2025
Division of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education "Siberian State Medical University" of the Ministry of Health of Russia, 634050 Tomsk, Russia.
Background: Over the past five years, the pregnancy rate in assisted reproductive technology (ART) programs in Russia has remained relatively stable. The aim of this study was to assess the distribution of monocyte and macrophage subsets in the blood and follicular fluid of infertile women undergoing assisted reproductive technology.
Methods: The study involved 45 women with a mean age of 35 ± 4.
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!