• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제51권2호
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• pp.125-134
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• 2024

Objective: Vitamin D deficiency is a major problem for human health worldwide. The mechanisms of vitamin D in the male reproductive system are unknown. After coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines were developed, doubts were raised about their possible effects on male fertility. Based on vitamin D's function in the immune system, its potential role as an adjuvant for COVID-19 vaccines is intriguing. The aims of this study were to assess the effects of vitamin D first on sperm parameters and sex hormones, and then as an immune adjuvant on sperm parameters and sex hormones after study participants had received their second doses of COVID-19 vaccines. Methods: Phase 1 (before the COVID-19 pandemic) included 72 men with idiopathic infertility, and phase 2 had 64 participants who received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines. Both groups were instructed to take 50,000 IU of vitamin D twice monthly for 3 months. Sperm parameters and sex hormones were assessed pre-and post-supplementation. Results: Regular vitamin D intake for 3 months significantly increased the participants' vitamin D levels (p=0.0001). Both phases showed a positive correlation between vitamin D intake and sperm parameters. Vaccination had no negative effects on sperm parameters and sex hormones. Vitamin D was associated with follicle-stimulating hormone (p=0.02) and testosterone (p=0.0001) in phase 2 after treatment. Conclusion: Our results support vitamin D supplementation as an immune adjunct to COVID-19 vaccination for improving sperm parameters and hormone levels. COVID-19 vaccination is not harmful for male fertility potential, and vitamin D is an effective factor for male fertility.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.43-50
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• 1998

This study was performed to determine the effects of nitric oxide on human sperm cell function. Semen samples were obtained from normal healthy volunteers. Motile spermatozoas collected by swim-up method were incubated up to 24 hours in Ham's F-10 medium supplemented with a various concentration of sodium nitroprusside (nitric oxide releasing agent). Sperm motility, hyperactivation, acrosome reaction rate, and acrosin activity were determined. The results are as follows; 1. 1mM of SNP resulted in a significant decrease in sperm motility ($44.8%{\pm}8.9%:78.1%{\pm}6.3%$, and hyperactivation $(10.4%{\pm}6.4%:47.7%:{\pm}9.5%)$ after incubation for 3 hours compared with the control group (Ham's F-10 alone), but had no effect on acrosome reaction. 2. At $100{\mu}M$ SNP, sperm motility was reduced after incubation for 6 hours $(54.8%{\pm}3.2%)$ compared with that of the control group $(82.7%{\pm}8.9%)$, but hyperactivation and acrosome reaction were not affected. 3. However, a lower concentration (less than $10{\mu}M$) of SNP had no effect on sperm motility and hyperactivation for 8 hours of incubation but significantly decreased them when incubation periods were increased up to 24 hours compared with the control group. On the other hand, $1{\mu}M$ and $10{\mu}M$ SNP significantly increased the acrosome reaction rate in both acrosomal status ($17.3%{\pm}5.2%$, $23.5%{\pm}4.7%$, respectively) and acrosin activity ($34.3{\mu}IU{\pm}10.5{\mu}IU,\;45.6{\mu}IU{\pm}5.6{\mu}IU$, respectively) as compared with the control group $(7.0%{\pm}4.0%,\;9.5{\mu}IU{\pm}3.4{\mu}IU)$. These results indicate that SNP, NO releasing agent, has a dose-dependent effects on the sperm cell function. Therefore it may positively affect the fertilization by promoting acrosomal reaction at a lower concentration (less than $10{\mu}M$).

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.1-8
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• 1998

항정자항체의 종류 및 존재부위가 정액성상 및 수정능력에 미치는 영향을 조사하였다. 항정자항체의 종류 및 존재부위는 immunobead binding test에 의하여 시행하였으며, 정자와 수정능력은 투명대제거 햄스터 난자 침입법에 의하여 시행하였다. 항정자항체는 정자수, 운동성 및 운동지수에 악영향을 끼쳤으며, 수정능력에도 악영향을 끼쳤다. 항정자항체의 존재부위에 따른 차이는 보이지 않았다. 항정자항체 IgG가 정자두부 혹은 정자미부에 존재할 경우 및 항정자항체 IgA가 정자미부에 존재할 경우 수정능력을 크게 감소시켰다.

• 한국동물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국동물학회 1998년도 공동 춘계학술대회
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• pp.46.1-46
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• 1998

No Abstract, See Full Text

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제2권1호
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• pp.63-68
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• 1998

본 연구에서는 보다 효율적인 동결 보존법을 수립하기 위하여 현재 사용되는 동결 보존액과 동결방법을 정자의 운동성 측면에서 비교해 보았다. 즉, 세 종류의 조성이 다른 동결보존액인 TYB, dithiothreitol을 첨가한 TYB+DTT, KS II 등이 동결보존 전후에 있어 운동성에 미치는 영향을 조사하였으며, 또한 vapor freezing 방법과 computerized freezer를 사용한 동결방법이 정자 운동성에 미치는 영향을 알아보았다. 정자의 분석은 현미경적 방법과 두 종류의 컴퓨터 정자 자동측정기인 SAIS와 Hamilton Thorn을 사용하여 동결 전 후의 정자 운동성과 VCL, VSL, VAP, ALH, LIN 등의 sub-motility 패턴을 측정하였다. 정액성상이 정상인 군에서 동결보존액을 비교한 실험결과는 TYB군과 TYB+DTT군, 그리고 KS II군의 융해 후 운동성이 각각 28.3%, 23.0%, 34.8%로 KS II군이 우수하였고, 동결방법을 비교한 실험에서는 vapor freezing 군과 computerized freezing 군의 융해 후 정자 운동성이 각각 27.8%, 33.2%로 유의차는 없었다. 또한 무력정자증을 보인 정액군에서는 TYB군과 TYB+DTT군, 그리고 KS II군에서 융해후 정자 운동성이 각각 13.6%, 10.0%, 18.5%로 여기 KS II군이 우수하였으며, vapor freezing군과 computerized freezing군의 융해 후 정자 운동성은 12.8%, 12.9%로 유의차가 없었다. 이상의 결과로 보아 운동성이 정상인 정액군과 무력정자증을 보이는 정액군에서 KS II를 사용해 동결하는 것이 TYB나 TYB+DTT를 사용하는 것보다 운동성 있는 정자를 회수하는데 더 효율적이며, 동결방법 측면에서는 vapor freezing 방법과 computerized freezing방법간에 큰 차이가 없음을 볼 수 있었다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제42권2호
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• pp.33-44
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• 2015

The generation of artificial gametes is a real challenge for the scientific community today. In vitro development of human eggs and sperm will pave the way for the understanding of the complex process of human gametogenesis and will provide with human gametes for the study of infertility and the onset of some inherited disorders. However, the great promise of artificial gametes resides in their future application on reproductive treatments for all these people wishing to have genetically related children and for which gamete donation is now their unique option of parenthood. This is the case of infertile patients devoid of suitable gametes, same sex couples, singles and those fertile couples in a high risk of transmitting serious diseases to their progeny. In the search of the best method to obtain artificial gametes, many researchers have successfully obtained human germ cell-like cells from stem cells at different stages of differentiation. In the near future, this field will evolve to new methods providing not only viable but also functional and safe artificial germ cells. These artificial sperm and eggs should be able to recapitulate all the genetic and epigenetic processes needed for the correct gametogenesis, fertilization and embryogenesis leading to the birth of a healthy and fertile newborn.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.81-87
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• 1991

There studies were carried for evaluation of the efficiency of freezing of hamster oocytes for use in a human sperm penetration assay. The hamster oocytes fully equilibrated in various cryoprotectant agents and inseminated with human sperm. After insemination with hamster oocytes, there was no difference in penetrated rates. Cumulus free oocytes equilibrated in 1.5M various cryoprotective agents and slowely cooled to temperature $-30^{\circ}C$ before rapid cooling and storage in nitrozen tank. After rapid thawing, survival rates of frozen oocytes according to cryo-protective agents were examined and the human sperm penetration assay with zona free hamster oocytes was conducted. 1. Survival rates of oocytes after cryoprotectants exposure have no significant difference (range 88-91%) and peneration rate was 51.1%. 2. Recovery and survival rate of frozen-thawed oocytes were 85.1 and 66.8%. There was no significant difference on cryoprotective agents. 3. Penetration rates of the frozen-thawed and intact oocytes were 69.0 and 77.0%, respectively. 4. Hamster oocytes cryopreservation provides a convenient way of supplying and trans-porting hamster oocytes for the assessment of the fertilizing potential of human spermatozoa.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제7권4호
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• pp.181-190
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• 2001

This study was designed to investigate the effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on DNA stability in human spermatozoa. To verify human spermatozoa were incubated with xanthine-xanthine oxidase (X 100$\mu$M-XO 50 mlU ~ 400 mIU), $H_2O_2$ (125 $\mu$M ~ 1 mM), sodium nitroprusside (SNP 0.1 $\mu$M ~ 100 $\mu$M) or lymphocyte. Otherwise, spermatozoa were incubated under low $O_2$ (5%) condition. Damage of sperm DNA was analyzed by single cell electrophoresis (Comet assay) and flow cytometry after acridine orange staining. In the presence of ROS, there was increase in DNA damage. The rate of DNA single strand breakage (9.0$\pm$1.0% ~ 46.0$\pm$4.6%) and DNA fragmentation (7.51$\pm$1.0% ~ 29.5$\pm$4.6%) were similar regardless of the kinds of ROS and exposure time. DNA damage in the lower $O_2$ condition (5%) was lower than ambient $O_2$ condition (20%). Taken together, it suggested that sperm DNA might be damaged by ROS. In the presence of ROS, increase in DNA damage and chromatin instability was obvious in spite of short exposure. Although present study reconfirmed that sperm incubation in the low concentration of ROS have the benefit m the induction of capacitation and Ah, the increase in DNA damage by ROS and possible genetic problem should be considered before the human trials.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제20권2호
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• pp.107-115
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• 1993

Procedures to separate motile. normal & motile and acrosome-reacted sperm with high efficiency have clinical application in Assisted Reproductive Technology in terms of increasing the probability of fertilization by a normal sperm and subsequent normal embryonic development. This study evaluated the effects of 10 sperm preparation techniques [Swim-up from a washed pellet (SU). Swim-up from semen (SO). Continuous Percoll Gradients I (PIC). Discontinuous Percoll Gradients I (PID). Continuous Percoll Gradients II(P II C). Discontinuous Percoll Gradients II(P II D), SpermPrep (SFC). Wang's tube (WT). Albumin Gradients (AG), Low temperature capacitation (LTC)] on motility (%), normal morphology (%), motile sperm recovery rate(%). morphologically normal & motile sperm recovery rate (%), true acrosome reaction (%) and fertilizing ability. A P II D proved to be an effective means of separating morphologically normal & motile sperm. Our results indicated the P II D has advantages as compared with other methods in terms of recovery rate. enhancement of motility and normal morphology. And a LTC seems to be an effective means of enhancing the true acrosome reaction and fertilizing ability. These results suggest that the combined method of LTC and P II D for separation of morphologically normal & motile sperm and acrosome reacted sperm may be a useful procedure for intrauterine insemination and in vitro fertilization in the management of male factor infertility as well as for isolation of subpopulation of sperm for basic research.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.351-355
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• 1996

Objective: To analyze the direct effect of nitre oxide, generated from sodium nitroprusside, on sperm motility and reactive oxygen species. Design: Human sperm samples were treated to allow swim-up and washing. And the samples were devided into four aliquots. Each aliquot was incubated with either concentration at 0, 100nM, $10{\mu}M$, 1mM of nitroprusside. Intervention: Samples were measured chemiluminosence for reactive oxygen species of each aliquot with concentrations at 0, 100nM, $10{\mu}M$, 1mM of nitroprusside at allowing swim-up and washing of sperm. Main Outcome Measures: Percent motion parameters and viability were asse-ssed at 0, 3, 6, 12, 24 hours incubation. Results: The percent viablity was lower slightly in control group (50.2%) than that in sperm treated with 100nM of nitroprusside(57.5%) at 24 hours after incubation, while was reduced significantly in sperm with concentra-tion of $10{\mu}M(42.1%)$ and 1mM(21.3%)of nitroprusside at 6 hours after incubation. And the sperm treated with 1mM of nitroprusside was immotile totally at 6 hours after incubation. The straight line$(35.3{\pm}5.6%)$, the rapid forward$(37.2{\pm}6.4%)$ and the weak curvilinear velocity$(9.6{\pm}2.4%)$were more favorable comparing with those ($32.4{\pm}4.2%$, $30.0{\pm}7.8%$ and $18.0{\pm}4.6%$ respectively) in control group at 3 hours after incubation, but reduced significantly in sperm treated with $10{\mu}M$ and 1mM of nitroprusside. The levels of reactive oxygen species in control(700 c.p.m.) is lower significantly than that in each experimental groups of sperm treated with nitroprusside. And the levels of reactive oxygen species were 2200 c.p.m. in 100nM, 6200c.p.m. in $1{\mu}M$ and 12800c.p.m. in 1mM respectively. Conclusion: These results suggested that the concentration of 100nM of nitroprusside on sperm is beneficial to the maintanance of viablity and motile velocity, but detriment in high concentration of $10{\mu}M$ or 1mM of nitroprusside.