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Effect of Oral Zinc Supplementation on the Thiol Oxido-Reductive Index and Thiol-Related Enzymes in Seminal Plasma and Spermatozoa of Iraqi Asthenospermic Patients

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Abstract

A thiol group plays an essential role in sperm metabolism and the antioxidative defense state. Zinc is the second most abundant element in the human body, following iron. The present study was conducted to study the effect of zinc supplementation on the characteristics of semen along with thiol and thiol-related enzymes in semen of asthenospermic patients. Semen samples were obtained from 60 fertile and 60 asthenospermic men, from couples who had consulted the infertility clinic of Babil Hospital (Hillah city, Iraq). The subfertile group was treated with zinc; every participant took two 220 mg capsules of zinc sulfate per day for 3 months. Semen samples were obtained (before and after zinc supplementation). The levels of reduced thiol, oxidized thiol, thiol oxido-reductive index, and thiol-related enzymes activities were determined in spermatozoa and seminal plasma of patients and healthy groups. Oxidized thiol levels were significantly higher in the infertile patients compared to that in the fertile group. Conversely, reduced thiol level, sulfhydryl oxidase activity, and glutathione peroxidase activity significantly decreased in the infertile patients compared to that in the fertile group. Oxidized thiol levels, reduced thiol levels, and thiol-related enzymes activities of the infertile patients were restored to normal values after treatment with zinc. However, reduced and oxidized thiol levels in spermatozoa did not change significantly in the group treated with zinc. The quantitative values for RSH/RSSR and thiol-related enzymes may provide useful means to qualitatively express the oxidant/antioxidant balance in clinical and epidemiologic studies. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02985905

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Abbreviations

GSSG:

Oxidized glutathione

C.I.:

Confidence interval for mean

GSH:

Reduced glutathione

MTs:

Metallothioneins

Se-GPx:

Selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase

SHO:

sulfhydryl oxidase

RSSR:

Oxidized thiol

RSH:

Reduced thiol

RSH/RSSR:

Thiol oxido-reductive index

GPx:

Glutathione peroxidase

non-Se-GPx:

non-selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

WHO:

World Health Organization

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Acknowledgements

We want to thank all researchers of the Chemistry Department (College of Science, University of Babylon, Hilla, Iraq) for their help and assistance during chemical analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Surgery Department, College of Medicine, University of Babylon, Hillah, Iraq

    Abdul Razzaq S. Alsalman

  2. Chemistry Department, College of Science, University of Babylon, Hillah, Iraq

    Lamia A. Almashhedy & Mahmoud Hussein Hadwan

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  1. Abdul Razzaq S. Alsalman
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  2. Lamia A. Almashhedy
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  3. Mahmoud Hussein Hadwan
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Correspondence to Mahmoud Hussein Hadwan.

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Iraq: Ethics Committee (University of Babylon/College of Science), Reference number of approval: 545; Date: 22/6/2011.

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Alsalman, A.R.S., Almashhedy, L.A. & Hadwan, M.H. Effect of Oral Zinc Supplementation on the Thiol Oxido-Reductive Index and Thiol-Related Enzymes in Seminal Plasma and Spermatozoa of Iraqi Asthenospermic Patients. Biol Trace Elem Res 184, 340–349 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-017-1215-8

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