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Interleukin-1β, cyclooxygenase-2, and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α in asthenozoospermia

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Abstract

Impaired male fertility may have a variety of causes, among which asthenozoospermia. In its etiology, several bioactive substances, such as cytokines may be involved. In this context, our aim was to evaluate the expression of interleukin-1β, cyclooxygenase-2, and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α, in spermatozoa isolated from normospermic fertile donors and asthenozoospermic infertile patients. We evaluated twenty-eight infertile patients affected by idiopathic asthenozoospermia and twenty-three normospermic fertile donors, age-matched. Sperm parameters were evaluated; immunohistochemical analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were then performed in isolated spermatozoa. Spermatozoa from the asthenozoospermic group presented an increased expression of IL-1β, COX-2, and HIF-1α compared with the normospermic fertile subjects. Our results can lead us to speculate that the increased expression of these substances may influence sperm motility. Nevertheless, further studies are needed in order to assess whether these bioactive mediators have a potential relevance as targets in future therapeutic strategies for the treatment of male infertility.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by PRIN 2009 grant n. FW5SP3_002 from Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’ Università e della Ricerca, and by RSA grants from Università Politecnica delle Marche.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences-Histology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Tronto 10/A, 60126, Ancona, Italy

    Eleonora Salvolini, Guendalina Lucarini & Roberto Di Primio

  2. Andrology Unit, Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Umberto I Hospital, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Tronto 10/A, 60126, Ancona, Italy

    Eddi Buldreghini & Giancarlo Balercia

  3. Department of Clinical Specialistic and Odontostomatologic Sciences-Biochemistry, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Tronto 10/A, 60126, Ancona, Italy

    Arianna Vignini, Alessia Giulietti & Laura Mazzanti

  4. Andrology, Pathophysiology of Reproduction and Endocrine Diagnosis Unit, Umberto I Polyclinic, Università di Roma “La Sapienza”, 00161, Rome, Italy

    Andrea Lenzi

Authors
  1. Eleonora Salvolini
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  2. Eddi Buldreghini
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  3. Guendalina Lucarini
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  4. Arianna Vignini
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  5. Alessia Giulietti
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  6. Andrea Lenzi
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  7. Laura Mazzanti
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  8. Roberto Di Primio
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  9. Giancarlo Balercia
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Laura Mazzanti.

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Salvolini, E., Buldreghini, E., Lucarini, G. et al. Interleukin-1β, cyclooxygenase-2, and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α in asthenozoospermia. Histochem Cell Biol 142, 569–575 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-014-1232-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-014-1232-z

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