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We have discovered, by immunocytochemistry and immunoelectronmicroscopy, that humanin (HN) is expressed in human ejaculated sperm and testis. In sperm, the HN immunolabeling pattern depends on sperm morphology; in particular, HN is mainly localized in the midpiece of sperm in semen samples with normal morphology and in cytoplasmic residues and entire tail in those with abnormal morphology. We also found HN in the cytoplasm and nucleus of spermatocytes and spermatids and in experimentally uncoiled chromatin of mature ejaculated sperm. Because it has been established that HN has antiapoptotic properties, it is reasonably hypothesized that HN may play an important role in preventing apoptosis in human sperm and testis. Thus, the examination of the HN localization in normal and abnormal sperm could be proposed as an auxiliary test to better define sperm quality., (Copyright © 2010 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This retrospective study was aimed at evaluating the effects of cigarette consumption on semen parameters in a group of men with idiopathic infertility. The semen quality of 2 groups of men with idiopathic infertility, smokers (n = 118) and nonsmokers (n = 153), were compared. Conventional semen analysis was performed and sperm morphology was assessed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TEM data were elaborated by means of a mathematical formula based on a Bayesian technique able to furnish a fertility index (FI), and the percentages of sperm apoptosis, necrosis, and immaturity. Values of normality recommended by World Health Organization guidelines were used as a control for conventional semen analysis, and values from sperm of 25 men of proven fertility were used for TEM indices. Infertile smoker and nonsmoker patients showed similar sperm parameters, although sperm motility and TEM analysis values in both groups were significantly impaired compared with controls. Smoker patients were then classified as mild (>or=1 and 10 and <20 cigarettes/day), or heavy smokers (>or=20 cigarettes/d). Sperm concentration and FI were significantly (P < .05) different among the 3 considered smoker classes. Comparing the pairs of smoker classes, sperm concentration and FI in heavy smokers were significantly lower (P < .05) than that observed in mild smoker and nonsmoker groups. Although semen quality in males with idiopathic infertility seems not to be dramatically affected by cigarette consumption, heavy smokers show significantly lower sperm concentration and FI: another strong reason to stop smoking.

We analysed ejaculated spermatozoa from five infertile men with different balanced reciprocal translocations to contribute to the study of meiotic segregation of chromosomes 18, X and Y and also to evaluate sperm morphology by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. Conventional lymphocyte karyotype analyses highlighted different reciprocal balanced translocations: t(12;13), t(4;9), t(X;8), t(8;10) and t(3;16). Semen analysis was performed by light and TEM. Fluorescence in situ hybridization was performed directly on sperm nuclei using centromeric probes for chromosomes 18, X and Y. The carriers of the balanced reciprocal translocations considered in the present study showed a very similar pattern of sperm pathologies: diffused presence of apoptosis and immaturity. All patients showed meiotic segregation derangements, highlighted by the presence of sperm diploidies and sex chromosome disomies particularly related to the failure of the first meiotic division. However, an increased incidence of chromosome 18 aneuploidy was detected in spermatozoa from t(X;8) and t(8;10) carriers. We have also reported values from sex chromosomes such as t(X;8), although the X chromosome was involved in translocation. Since patients with reciprocal translocations and spermatogenetic impairment are candidates for intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles, the study of sperm parameters, and particularly of the level of aneuploidy rates, would provide better information for couples at risk and would contribute to the data in the literature for a better understanding of the effects of chromosomal rearrangement on the whole meiotic process and, in particular, on chromosomes not involved in translocation.

Purpose: To verify the prevalence of semen bacterial contamination and whether the contamination could decrease sperm quality., Methods: Spermiogram, semen culture, and sperm transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis were performed. TEM data were elaborated using a mathematical formula that calculates a fertility index (FI)--able to define patients as fertile or infertile--and the percentage of sperm apoptosis, immaturity and necrosis. We aligned the amino acid sequence of beta-tubulin with protein of the most frequent species isolated from semen., Results: Patients were divided according to the contaminating species; in each group, we observed fertile individuals, in whom the semen quality was similar to that of controls and infertile men whose sperm quality was significantly decreased, in terms of motility, FI, apoptosis and necrosis. Partial homology between beta-tubulin and bacterial proteins was observed., Conclusion: Sperm bacterial contamination is quite frequent and could contribute to the deterioration of the sperm quality of infertile men.