Melatonin rescues impaired penetration ability of human spermatozoa induced by mitochondrial dysfunction

in Reproduction
Authors:
Xue-Ying Zhang The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics (Zhejiang University), Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

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Yi-Meng Xiong The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics (Zhejiang University), Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

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Ya-Jing Tan The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China

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Li Wang The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China

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Rong Li The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China

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Yong Zhang The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China

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Xin-Mei Liu The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China

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Xian-Hua Lin The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China

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Li Jin The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China

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Yu-Ting Hu The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China

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Zhen-Hua Tang The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China

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Zheng-Mu Wu The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China

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Feng-Hua Yin The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China

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Zheng-Quan Wang The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China

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Ye Xiao The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China

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Jian-Zhong Sheng The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics (Zhejiang University), Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

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He-Feng Huang The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics (Zhejiang University), Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Embryo Original Diseases, Shanghai, China

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Correspondence should be addressed to H-F Huang; Email: huanghefg@hotmail.com

*(X-Y Zhang and Y-M Xiong contributed equally to this work)

DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1530/REP-19-0231
Volume/Issue:
Volume 158: Issue 5
Page Range:
465–475
Article Type:
Research Article
Online Publication Date:
Nov 2019
Copyright:
© 2019 Society for Reproduction and Fertility 2019
Restricted access
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Fertilization failure often occurs during in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles despite apparently normal sperm and oocytes. Accumulating evidence suggests that mitochondria play crucial roles in the regulation of sperm function and male fertility. 3-Nitrophthalic acid (3-NPA) can induce oxidative stress in mitochondria, and melatonin, as an antioxidant, can improve mitochondrial function by reducing mitochondrial oxidative stress. The role of sperm mitochondrial dysfunction in fertilization failure during IVF is unclear. The present study revealed that spermatozoa with low, or poor, fertilization rates had swollen mitochondria, increased mitochondria-derived ROS, and attenuated mitochondrial respiratory capacity. 3-NPA treatment enhanced mitochondrial dysfunction in sperm. Spermatozoa with poor fertilization rates, and spermatozoa treated with 3-NPA, had reduced penetration ability. The concentration of melatonin was decreased in semen samples with low and poor fertilization rates. Melatonin, not only decreased excessive mitochondria-derived ROS, but also ‘rescued’ the reduced penetration capacity of spermatozoa treated with 3-NPA. Taken together, the study suggested that mitochondria-derived ROS and mitochondrial respiratory capacity are independent bio-markers for sperm dysfunction, and melatonin may be useful in improving sperm quality and overall male fertility.

Supplementary Materials

    • Supplementary Table 1. Parameter settings used with the Hamilton-Thorne CASA instrument (software version 12)

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Print ISSN:
1470-1626
Online ISSN:
1741-7899

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