Andrology-Open Access
Open Access

Abstract

Effect of Seminal Transforming Growth Factorβ1 (β1) and Glutathione on Apoptosis in Spermatozoa from Tunisian Infertile Men

Habib Ben Ali

We aimed to compare the effect of TGFB1 and glutathione on sperm necrosis in three groups of patients with increased necrospermia. The study included 120 men aged 37.6 ± 4.6 years consulting for sterility of the couple. Patients were subdivided into three groups according to the percentage of necrotic spermatozoa: necrospermia<30%; N=40), moderate necrozoospermia (50-80%, n=45) and severe necrozoospermia (>80%) For each patient, the sperm parameters were evaluated according to WHO standards, TGFB1 and glutathione Oxidized and reduced was carried out by the ELISA technique and by spectrophotometry respectively. We found a significant increase in the levels of TGFβ1 and DFI in moderate and severe necrospermia groups and positive correlations between these two factors and sperm parameters (numeration, mobility and morphology). In addition, a significant decrease in seminal GHSt was observed in the necrozoospermic groups compared to the control group. A strong correlation was observed between the degree of necrozoospermia and the fragmentation of sperm DNA (r=0.878, p=0.001). In addition, a significant positive correlation between TGFβ1 and DFI in the two groups of patients with moderate necrospermia (r=0.43, p<0.05) and severe necrospermia (r=0.52, p<0.05). This confirms that seminal TGFβ1 is a factor in the fragmentation of spermatozoa DNA. These results suggest that decreased glutathione and increased seminal TGFβ1 are important risk factors that can lead to a succession of morphological and functional alterations of spermatozoa resulting in necrozoospermia. Their perturbation in seminal plasma can lead to mediocre results of medically assisted procreation.