New insights about the evaluation of human sperm quality: the aromatase example.

Male contribution to the couple's infertility is at first evaluated by the routine examination of semen parameters upon optical microscopy providing valuable information for a rational initial diagnosis and for a clinical management of infertility. But the different forms of infertility defined according to the WHO criteria especially teratozoospermia are not always related to the chromatin structure or to the fertilization capacity. New investigations at the molecular level (transcript and protein) could be developed in order to understand the nature of sperm malformation responsible of human infertility and thus to evaluate the sperm quality. The profile analysis of spermatozoal transcripts could be considered as a fingerprint of the past spermatogenic events. The selection of representative transcripts of normal spermatozoa remains complex because a differential expression (increased, decreased or not modified levels) of specific transcripts has been revealed between immotile and motile sperm fractions issued from normozoospermic donors. Microarrays tests or real-time quantitative PCR could be helpful for the identification of factors involved in the male infertility. Differences in the expression of specific transcripts have been reported between normal and abnormal semen samples. With the aromatase example, we have noted a negative strong correlation between the amount of transcript and the percentage of abnormal forms especially in presence of head defects. Immunocytochemical procedures using fluorescent probes associated with either confocal microscopy or flow cytometry can be also helpful to proceed with further investigations about the localization of proteins in the compartmentalized spermatozoa or the acrosome reaction. The dual location of aromatase both in the equatorial segment, the mid-piece and the tail could explain the double role of this enzyme in acrosome reaction and motility

L'embryon préimplantatoire

National audienc

Testicular aromatase

National audienc

Relationship between semen quality and seminal plasma components: alpha-glucosidase, fructose and citrate in infertile men compared with a normospermic population of Tunisian men

International audienceThe aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the secretory function of the male accessory glands and sperm parameters in normospermic controls and infertile patients. One hundred and fifty-nine men were investigated: they were composed of two groups: normospermic (n = 37) and infertile (n = 122) men with altered sperm characteristics. These infertile men were divided into the following groups: asthenozoospermia (n = 38), teratozoospermia (n = 40) and asthenoteratozoospermia (n = 44). The patients underwent semen analysis and measurements of fructose, neutral alpha-glucosidase and citric acid. The level of fructose was significantly decreased in asthenozoospermic and increased in asthenoteratozoospermic men. It was significantly correlated with semen volume, sperm count, motility and morphology. The seminal alpha-glucosidase levels were significantly correlated with semen volume and pH and citric acid was significantly correlated with pH. Thus, alpha-glucosidase and citric acid levels were associated with semen pH. The significant correlation between semen parameters, accessory glands and epididymal functions highlights the relationship between semen and normal genital tract function

Human immature germ cells and ejaculated spermatozoa contain aromatase and oestrogen receptors

International audienc

Expression of aromatase in human ejaculated spermatozoa : a putative marker of motility

International audienc

Aromatase in testis: expression and role in male reproduction

International audienc

Analysis and significance of mRNA in human ejaculated sperm from normozoospermic donors : relationship to sperm motility and capacitation

International audienc