Male subfertility and oxidative stress

Emily P P Evans; Jorien T M Scholten; Aldona Mzyk; Claudia Reyes-San-Martin; Arturo E Llumbet; Thamir Hamoh; Eus G J M Arts; Romana Schirhagl; Astrid E P Cantineau

doi:10.1016/j.redox.2021.102071

Male subfertility and oxidative stress

Redox Biol. 2021 Oct:46:102071. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2021.102071. Epub 2021 Jul 18.

Authors

Emily P P Evans¹, Jorien T M Scholten¹, Aldona Mzyk², Claudia Reyes-San-Martin¹, Arturo E Llumbet³, Thamir Hamoh¹, Eus G J M Arts⁴, Romana Schirhagl⁵, Astrid E P Cantineau⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biomedical Engineering, Groningen University University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713AW, Groningen, the Netherlands.
² Department of Biomedical Engineering, Groningen University University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713AW, Groningen, the Netherlands; Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Science, Polish Academy of Sciences, Reymonta 25, 30-059, Krakow, Poland.
³ Department of Biomedical Engineering, Groningen University University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713AW, Groningen, the Netherlands; Laboratory of Genomic of Germ Cells, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile. Independencia, 1027, Independencia Santiago, Chile.
⁴ Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
⁵ Department of Biomedical Engineering, Groningen University University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713AW, Groningen, the Netherlands. Electronic address: romana.schirhagl@gmail.com.
⁶ Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands. Electronic address: a.e.p.cantineau@umcg.nl.

Abstract

To date 15% of couples are suffering from infertility with 45-50% of males being responsible. With an increase in paternal age as well as various environmental and lifestyle factors worsening these figures are expected to increase. As the so-called free radical theory of infertility suggests, free radicals or reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an essential role in this process. However, ROS also fulfill important functions for instance in sperm maturation. The aim of this review article is to discuss the role reactive oxygen species play in male fertility and how these are influenced by lifestyle, age or disease. We will further discuss how these ROS are measured and how they can be avoided during in-vitro fertilization.

Keywords: Infertility; Oxidative stress; Reactive oxygen species; Sperm; Subfertility.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Fertilization in Vitro
Humans
Infertility, Male* / genetics
Infertility, Male* / metabolism
Male
Oxidative Stress
Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
Spermatozoa / metabolism

Substances

Reactive Oxygen Species