The problem
- Elevated ROS are a major contributor to idiopathic male infertility, and an antioxidant deficiency is strongly associated with male-factor infertility.
- High ROS levels cause DNA damage, membrane instability, reduced motility and overall impaired fertility.
The potential solution
Role of NAC
- Scavenges free radicals
- Supports spermatogonia survival
- Enhances sperm motility
- Protects cell structure by reducing lipid peroxidation
- Lowers ROS levels
- Improves chromatin density
- Reduces DNA fragmentation
- Attenuates endoplasmic reticulum stress in Sertoli cells
Role of Myo-inositol
- Regulates intracellular calcium
- Supports sperm motility
- Plays a role in sperm capacitation
- Maintains mitochondrial membrane potential
- Contributes to cytoskeletal integrity
- Impacts lipid composition
- Facilitates gene expression
- Regulates the acrosome reaction
- Plays an important role in sperm maturation and epididymal migration
Clinical evidence
Study method
- A controlled trial involving 63 men (22–58 years) with male-factor infertility
- Semen samples collected and incubated at 37°C for 20 minutes
- Participants were divided into control and treatment groups (NAC or Myo-inositol)
Study findings
- Sperm motility
Sperm motility increased significantly in both the NAC and Myo-inositol groups compared with the control group (P < 0.001).
- DNA integrity (TUNEL assay)
| It was evaluated using the TUNEL assay |
| The NAC group showed a significantly higher percentage of TUNEL-negative (intact DNA) cells than the control group (P < 0.01). |
The number of TUNEL-positive (damaged DNA) cells was significantly lower in the NAC group, indicating reduced DNA fragmentation. |
Conclusion
- The findings of this study indicate that NAC and Myo-inositol can enhance sperm motility and DNA integrity by reducing ROS.
Key takeaway
- NAC and Myo-inositol may improve sperm motility and DNA integrity, suggesting potential roles in the management of male infertility.
Abbreviations
DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid; NAC: N-acetyl-L-cysteine; ROS: Reactive oxygen species; TUNEL: Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end-labelling
Reference
Nemati M, Ansaripour S, Samadi N. Effect of Myo-inositol and N-acetyl-L-cysteine on processed human spermatozoa for use in modern methods of fertility treatment. J Shahrekord University Med Sci. 2020;22(2):53–60.
Available from: https://j.skums.ac.ir/Article/jskums-103
