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Radicaux libres et spermatozoïdes humains: physiologie et physiopathologie

Free radicals and human spermatozoa: Physiology and physiopathology

Andrologie volume 5, pages 369–381 (1995)Cite this article

Resume

Le mise en évidence de la toxicité de l’oxygène et de ses dérivés sur certaines fonctions du spermatozoïde humain apporte un éclairage nouveau dans le champ des explorations de la fertilité masculine. Des dérivés oxygénés sont détectés dans 40% des spermes provenant d’hommes inféconds. Du fait de la teneur importante de leurs membranes en acides gras polyinsaturés, les spermatozoïdes humains sont particulièrment sensibles à la peroxydation lipidique. Il existe deux sources majeures de dérivés oxygénés dans l’éjaculat, les spermatozoïdes eux mêmes et les leucocytes infiltrés dans le plasma séminal. Leur production dans l’éjaculat est corrélée de manière négative avec le potentiel de fécondation des spermatozoïdes aussi bien in vitro qu’in vivo. Si l’anion superoxyde apparaît comme le produit primaire du système générateur de dérivés oxygénés dans le sperme, le peroxyde d’hydrogène semble être le principal responsable des effets cytotoxiques engendrés par leur production excessive dans l’éjaculat. Cependant, à côté des effets potentiellement néfastes des dérivés oxygénés, il pourrait exister une production physiologique, contrôlée et bénéfique d’espèces radicalaires dans le sperme. A la fois l’anion superoxyde et le peroxyde d’hydrogène pourraint être nécessaires au processus de capacitation et/ ou de réaction acrosomique.

Abstract

The role of reactive oxygen species in the physiopathology of human sperm function has been emphasized in recent years. Their production in semen has been associated with loss of motility, decreased capacity for spermoocyte fusion and loss of fertility. In semen preparations, there are two major sources of reactive oxygen species: leucocytes and spermatozoa themselve. It has been proposed that reactive oxygen species production by human spermatozoa was dependent upon a membrane-bound NADPH oxidase or a mitochondrial diaphorase. Hydrogen peroxide produced by the dismutation of superoxide anion has been recognized as the most toxic oxidizing species for human spermatozoa. Owing to their high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, it has been proposed that lipid peroxidation of the sperm plasma membrane is largely responsible for defective sperm function. Reactive oxygen species also affect the sperm axoneme as a result of ATP depletion, inhibit mitochondrial functions, and synthesis of DNA, RNA and proteins, produce cytoskeletal modifications and inhibit sperm-oocyte fusion. Human spermatozoa possess enzymatic defence systems such as superoxide dismutase, glutathion peroxidas/reductase and catalase to counteract the toxic effects induced by reactive oxygen species. Correlations have been reported between their effectiveness and the duration of sperm motility. If the excessive production of reactive oxygen species is detrimental for human spermatozoa, they could also participate in the physiological function of the spermatozoa when present at low concentrations. Indeed, reactive oxygen species have been shown to be involved in the activation of several enzymes. Furthermore, sperm capacitation, acrosome reaction and sperm-zona interaction would be enhanced by reactive oxygen species.

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    J. F. Griveau & D. Le Lannou

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Griveau, J.F., Le Lannou, D. Radicaux libres et spermatozoïdes humains: physiologie et physiopathologie. Androl. 5, 369–381 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03034342

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Basic and Clinical Andrology

ISSN: 2051-4190