Fructose and nitric oxide's roles in the development of idiopathic male infertility

Abstract

The present research aimed to examine the involvement of fructose and nitric oxide in the development of idiopathic male infertility, while also exploring the potential correlation between their concentrations and sperm motility as well as pathological alterations. The research included the examination of sperm and blood samples from a total of 56 men diagnosed with asthenozoospermia and 30 men diagnosed with oligozoospermia. The control group consisted of a total of 20 essentially healthy individuals. The diagnosis is established by the morphological analysis of sperm. Nitric oxide and testosterone levels in the blood serum, as well as the fructose content in the semen of fertile and infertile men, were also measured. The content of fructose in sperm fluid has a significant association with the decline in both sperm count and motility, as shown by the observed values of 300.5±10.0 mg/dl in patients with asthenozoospermia and 388.6±10.0 mg/dl in patients with oligospermia. The study observed a significant rise in nitric oxide concentration by 25.0% (p<0.001) in individuals diagnosed with asthenozoospermia (135.1±12.5 nmol/l) compared to those diagnosed with oligozoospermia (108.1±3.9 nmol/l). This finding suggests that elevated levels of nitric oxide may contribute to a reduction in sperm motility. It is important to acknowledge that although there was no significant alteration in testosterone levels among those with oligozoospermia, there was a tendency for an increase in testosterone concentration among those with asthenozoospermia. The primary sign of a decline in the quantity and mobility of spermatozoa is an elevation in fructose content. An elevation in nitric oxide levels results in a rise in the quantity of morphologically modified pathogenic spermatozoa, subsequently resulting in a reduction in their functional capacity.