Petra Huwe

Influence of different uropathogenic microorganisms on human sperm motility parameters in an in vitro experiment

Summary. The influence of different uropathogenic microorganisms (E. coli, enterococcus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Candida albicans) on human sperm motility was studied in vitro with a computer‐assisted sperm analyser (CASA).

Influence of urogenital infection on sperm function.

Male accessory sex gland infections are considered to be hazards to male fertility. Various pathophysiologic concepts have evolved from experimental and clinical studies that begin to explain the effects of bacteria and immunologic events on spermatozoa. Recent studies have identified and evaluated mediators that are responsible for specific molecular processes in infections that particularly affect the function of spermatozoa.

Urogenital infection and sperm motility

Summary.  Male accessory sex gland infections are considered as potential hazards to male fertility. Various pathophysiological concepts have evolved from experimental and clinical studies that begin to explain the effects of bacteria and immunological events on the function of spermatozoa and sperm motility in particular. Besides direct influences of pathogenic bacteria on spermatozoa whose impact on the motility of human spermatozoa is reviewed herein, recent studies have identified and evaluated infectious mediators that appear to be responsible for specific molecular processes in infections that particularly affect the motility of spermatozoa. This review will focus in detail on direct bacterial effects of sperm motility, the role of seminal leucocytes and the impact of pro‐inflammatory cytokines on the motility of spermatozoa.

Influence of autogenous leucocytes and Escherichia coli on sperm motility parameters in vitro

Urogenital infections are considered important factors in male infertility. In this in vitro study we have evaluated the impact of leucocytes in association with an artificial infection with Escherichia coli on the motility of human spermatozoa. Ejaculates and blood samples were obtained from healthy donors with normal semen parameters. Ejaculates were prepared by swim‐up technique and five fractions were isolated for incubation. Leucocyte subtypes were separated from blood samples by gradient centrifugation. Purified sperm suspensions were adjusted to a concentration of 20 × 106 ml−1 and incubated with lymphocytes/ monocytes, polymorphonuclear granulocytes (PMN), and E. coli. Samples were incubated for up to 6 h at 37 °C. Motility analysis was performed using a computer‐assisted sperm analyzer (CASA). Spermatozoa incubated with 3 × 106 PMN ml−1 revealed a significant (P=0.003) decrease in progressive motility after 2 h. This decrease remained weakly significant (P=0.024) after 4 and 6 h. Lymphocytes and monocytes had no effect on sperm motility. Spermatozoa incubated with granulocytes and E. coli demonstrated highly significant alterations in motility after 4 and 6 h of incubation (P < 0.001). The PMN indicate an effect on motility of spermatozoa under experimental conditions. However, the results suggest that bacteria are the primary agents that interfere with sperm motility.

Morphological sperm alternations in different types of prostatitis

Summary.  The possible negative effect of the chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) on semen parameters and especially sperm morphology is still a controversial matter. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate if different types of prostatitis can have a negative effect on sperm morphology and to compare our results with that of a literature survey. Semen analyses were performed on 34 males with confirmed CPPS (NIH III A), 18 males with CPPS (NIH III B) and 17 males as controls. When sperm morphology was evaluated according to WHO criteria, no differences were found between the mean percentages of morphologically normal spermatozoa for the three groups. An extended sperm morphology evaluation according to strict criteria showed that the NIH III A group had a tendency for a lower percentage of morphologically normal spermatozoa (5.3 ± 3.1%) and acrosome index (8.7 ± 4.8%) compared with the control group with values of 7.3 ± 5.6% and 12.7 ± 7.3%, respectively. There was a statistically significant higher (P = 0.0186) mean percentage (17.5 ± 15.7%) of elongated spermatozoa in the NIH III A group compared with the control group (7.2 ± 9.5%) while the NIH III B group had values between those of the control and NIH III A group. Our results indicate that CPPS NIH III A can have a significant negative effect on sperm morphology parameters, as evaluated by strict criteria, and to a lesser extent in cases of CPPS NIH III B compared with a control group.

Significance of inflammation on standard semen analysis in chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome

The impact of defined urogenital inflammations on standard ejaculate parameters is still a matter of controversial debate. Basic spermiogram parameters has been analysed in patients with inflammatory and noninflammatory chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS–NIH IIIA/IIIB) with regard to indicators of inflammation in prostatic secretions and/or the ejaculate. A total of 112 consecutive patients symptomatic for chronic pelvic pain were included in the study. All of them underwent a ‘four glass‐test’ including leukocyte determination in expressed prostatic secretions followed by ejaculate analysis according to WHO. The analysis included pH, volume, total sperm count, sperm density, motility, morphology (Shorr stain), vitality (eosin stain), and counting of peroxidase positive leukocytes (PPL). Patients were first subgrouped according to elevated leukocyte counts in prostatic secretions, and then according to the number of PPL in semen. Leukocytes neither in the prostatic secretions nor in the ejaculate were associated with reduced standard semen parameters. Our data supports previous results that elevated leukocyte counts in prostatic secretions and in ejaculate, as indicators of inflammation have no negative impact on total sperm count, sperm density, motility, morphology, and sperm vitality in patients with CP/CPPS.

Das Prostatitissyndrom Ejakulatveränderungen und Auswirkungen auf die Fertilität

ZusammenfassungEntzündungen und Infektionen des männlichen Genitaltrakts stellen einen wichtigen und potentiell therapierbaren Faktor männlicher Subfertilität dar. Voraussetzung einer exakten Bewertung von Ejakulatveränderungen ist eine standardisierte Diagnostik. Dies gilt in besonderem Maße für die verschiedenen Formen des Prostatitissyndroms. Verschiedene entzündungs- und infektionsbedingte Veränderungen des Ejakulats wurden beim Prostatitissyndrom gefunden und sollen die Ejakulatqualität mindern.Neben den Auswirkungen von Leukozyto- und Bakteriospermie werden heute insbesondere Entzündungsmediatoren wie Zytokine oder reaktive Sauerstoffspezies als relevante Pathomechanismen diskutiert. Zunehmend wird versucht, diese Parameter in die Diagnostik zu integrieren. Klinische Studien zur Ejakulatqualität bei den verschiedenen Formen des Prostatitissyndroms sind uneinheitlich. Als therapeutische Option ist bisher nur die antimikrobielle Therapie ausreichend beschrieben. Entscheidend für die Zukunft wird die Integration funktioneller und molekularer Parameter für die Definition einer Interaktion zwischen urogenitaler Entzündung und männlicher Fertilität sein.AbstractInflammation and infections of the male reproductive tract represent an important factor in male infertility that is potentially responsive to successful therapy. A standardized diagnostic procedure is a prerequisite for the exact evaluation of alterations of ejaculate specimens, especially in cases of the different forms of the prostatitis syndrome. Several alterations in ejaculate due to inflammation and infection have been identified that have a negative impact on the quality of sperm. Besides the influence of leuko- and bacteriospermia, the effect of inflammatory mediators, such as cytokines and reactive oxygen species (ROS), are being discussed as relevant pathomechanisms.These parameters just recently were incorporated into the conventional range of diagnostic criteria. Clinical studies that investigate the quality of ejaculate in the different forms of the prostatitis syndrome yielded contradictory results. Only antimicrobial therapy has been sufficiently described as a therapeutic option. In the future, it will be decisive to include novel functional and molecular parameters to define an interaction of urogenital infection and male infertility.