Comparison of sperm carnitine profiles of normospermic, oligospermic and azospermic individuals

E. Arslan, I. Koyuncu, E. Temız, M. Arı, S. Akmese, M. Ramat

Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Usak University, Usak, Turkey. drurology.erkan@gmail.com

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• Urology

OBJECTIVE: The World Health Organization recognizes infertility as a public health issue. An estimated 48.5 million couples worldwide grapple with infertility. Infertility and spermatogenesis dysfunction arise from diverse genetic factors, including single-gene mutations and chromosomal abnormalities. Current research continues to explore other potential causes of infertility, leveraging both proteomic and metabolomic analyses. The primary aim of this study is to underscore the significance of investigating male infertility from a metabolomic perspective.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study aimed to identify new markers for diagnosing and treating male infertility by examining the carnitine profiles in seminal fluids of individuals diagnosed with the normospermic group, oligospermic group, and azospermic group, employing the LC/MS-MS method.

RESULTS: The first three L-carnitines C2 (Acetylcarnitine), C8:1 (Octenoylcarnitine), and C16:1 (Palmitoleylcarnitine), emerged as potential novel markers for diagnosis and treatment.

CONCLUSIONS: Based on these findings, we posit that the results obtained in this study will aid in diagnosing, treating, and monitoring systemic diseases, and provide a foundation for more comprehensive future molecular studies aimed at enhancing prevention and treatment strategies for infertility.

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