Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy as an instrument for human sperm assessment

Polina Vishnyakova; Elena Nikonova; Enar Jumaniyazova; Ilya Solovyev; Anastasia Kirillova; Maria Farmakovskaya; Alexander Savitsky; Evgeny Shirshin; Gennady Sukhikh; Timur Fatkhudinov

doi:10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.01.016

Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy as an instrument for human sperm assessment

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2023 Feb 19:645:10-16. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.01.016. Epub 2023 Jan 9.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology Named after Academician V.I. Kulakov of Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia; Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Moscow, Russia. Electronic address: vishnyakovapolina@gmail.com.
² Laboratory of Clinical Biophotonics, Biomedical Science and Technology Park, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia.
³ Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Moscow, Russia.
⁴ A.N. Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.
⁵ National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology Named after Academician V.I. Kulakov of Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia; Center of Life Sciences, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech), Skolkovo, Russia.
⁶ National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology Named after Academician V.I. Kulakov of Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia.
⁷ Faculty of Physics, M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia.
⁸ Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Moscow, Russia; A.P. Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology, Moscow, Russian Federation.

PMID: 36669422
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.01.016

Abstract

Mammalian spermatozoa are highly energized cells in which most of the proteins and activated signaling cascades are involved in the metabolic pathways. Flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) has one of the most important roles in the correct functional activity of spermatozoa since it acts as a cofactor for flavoenzymes, critical for proper metabolism and predominantly located in mitochondria. Non-invasive, vital and non-traumatic examination of sperm FAD level and microenvironment could be performed by fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM). In this study, we assessed the metabolic status of spermatozoa from healthy donors and found that FLIM could be used to segregate and separate the male germ cells according to the type of metabolic activity which corresponds with spermatozoa motility measured in standard spermogram tests.

Keywords: FAD; FLIM; Fluorescence-lifetime imaging microscopy; Metabolism; Spermatozoa.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Flavin-Adenine Dinucleotide* / metabolism
Fluorescence
Humans
Male
Microscopy, Fluorescence / methods
Mitochondria / metabolism
Semen* / metabolism
Spermatozoa* / metabolism

Substances

Flavin-Adenine Dinucleotide