Effect of oxidative and reductive stress in sperm on certain immunological properties of the ejaculate
Authors:
K. Petříková
; Z. Ulčová-Gallová
; K. Bibková; Z. Mičanová; P. Lošan
Authors‘ workplace:
Laboratoř reprodukční imunologie, Genetika Plzeň s. r. o.
Published in:
Ceska Gynekol 2026; 91(5): 363-369
Category:
Original Article
doi:
https://doi.org/10.48095/cccg2026363
Overview
Objective: We assessed the relationship between oxidative and reductive stress (ORS), the quality of intra-acrosomal enzymes (Hs8 and Hs14), sperm-agglutinating antibodies, and other semen analysis parameters in the semen of men from couples with reduced fertility.
Materials and methods: Semen samples from 112 men (aged 25–50 years, mean 35.5 years) were analyzed. Basic semen parameters were evaluated according to the manual of the World Health Organization. Presence of antisperm antibodies was assessed using the FertiPro direct mixed antiglobulin reaction test (MAR test IgA, IgG). Intra-acrosomal enzymes were evaluated by immunofluorescence using monoclonal antibodies labeled Hs8 and Hs14, and the redox potential of spermatozoa was measured using the MiOXYS analyzer.
Results: ORS was within the normal range in 58.9% of men, while oxidative stress was present in 24.1% and reductive stress in 17%. A highly significant association was demonstrated between ORS status and normal/pathological semen analysis. A very strong relationship was observed between oxidative stress and oligozoospermia. Oxidative stress was significantly correlated with reduced levels of intra-acrosomal enzymes – only 37% of patients with oxidative stress had normal values of both Hs8 and Hs14, compared with approximately 80% in those with normal stress levels. The most frequent abnormalities occurred in patients with oligozoospermia (O), in whom no patient exhibited normal levels of both enzymes. In contrast, in normozoospermia (N), normal values predominated – 41 patients for Hs8 and 39 patients for Hs14. No significant association was found between ORS status and MAR test results.
Conclusion: Oxidative and reductive stress, together with immunological factors in the semen, significantly affect sperm integrity and function. In our laboratory, ORS assessment is part of the diagnostic work-up of immunologically reduced male fertility, as antisperm antibodies may damage sperm directly through binding and indirectly via activation of inflammatory responses and increased production of reactive oxygen species. Therapy is individualized and combined with immunomodulatory, antioxidant, or redox-based approaches according to the identified pathology.
Keywords:
Sperm – reactive oxygen species – oxidative stress – antisperm antibodies – reductive stress – intra-acrosomal enzymes – immunological infertility in men
Sources
1. WHO laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen, sixth edition. Geneva: World Health Organization 2021.
2. Agarwal A, Virk G, Ong C et al. Effect of oxidative stress on male reproduction. World J Mens Health 2014; 32 (1): 1–17. doi: 10.5534/wjmh. 2014.32.1.1.
3. Hong Y, Boiti A, Vallone D et al. Reactive oxygen species signaling and oxidative stress: transcriptional regulation and evolution. Antioxidants (Basel) 2024; 13 (3): 312. doi: 10.3390/antiox13030312.
4. Barati E, Nikzad H, Karimian M. Oxidative stress and male infertility: current knowledge of pathophysiology and role of antioxidant therapy in disease management. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020; 77 (1): 93–113. doi: 10.1007/s00018-019-03253-8.
5. Napolitano L, Barone B, Morra S et al. Hypogonadism in patients with prader willi syndrome: a narrative review. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22 (4): 1993. doi: 10.3390/ijms22041993.
6. Majzoub A, Agarwal A. Systematic review of antioxidant types and doses in male infertility: benefits on semen parameters, advanced sperm function, assisted reproduction and live-birth rate. Arab J Urol 2018; 16 (1): 113–124. doi: 10.1016/j.aju.2017.11.013.
7. Henkel R, Sandhu IS, Agarwal A. The excessive use of antioxidant therapy: a possible cause of male infertility? Andrologia 2019; 51 (1): e13162. doi: 10.1111/and.13162.
8. Wang Y, Fu X, Li H. Mechanisms of oxidative stress-induced sperm dysfunction. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2025; 16 : 1520835. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2025.1520835.
9. Shcherbitskaia AD, Komarova EM, Milyutina YP et al. Oxidative stress markers and sperm DNA fragmentation in men recovered from COVID-19. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23 (17): 10060. doi: 10.3390/ijms231710060.
10. Lira Neto FT, Campos LR, Roque M et al. From pathophysiology to practice: addressing oxidative stress and sperm DNA fragmentation in Varicocele-affected subfertile men. Int Braz J Urol 2024; 50 (5): 530–560. doi: 10.1590/s1677-5538.ibju.2024.9917.
11. Buffone MG, Calamera JC, Brugo-Olmedo S et al. Superoxide dismutase content in sperm correlates with motility recovery after thawing of cryopreserved human spermatozoa. Fertil Steril 2012; 97 (2): 293–298. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2011.11.012.
12. Sakamoto T, Imai H. Hydrogen peroxide produced by superoxide dismutase SOD-2 activates sperm in Caenorhabditis elegans. J Biol Chem 2017; 292 (36): 14804–14813. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M117.788901.
13. Netherton JK, Hetherington L, Ogle RA et al. Mass spectrometry reveals new insights into the production of superoxide anions and 4-hydroxynonenal adducted proteins in human sperm. Proteomics 2020; 20 (2): e1900205. doi: 10.1002/pmic.201900205.
14. Walters JL, De Iuliis GN, Nixon B et al. Oxidative stress in the male germline: a review of novel strategies to reduce 4-hydroxynonenal production. Antioxidants (Basel) 2018; 7 (10): 132. doi: 10.3390/antiox7100132.
15. Pavuluri H, Bakhtiary Z, Panner Selvam MK et al. Oxidative stress-associated male infertility: current diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Medicina (Kaunas) 2024; 60 (6): 1008. doi: 10.3390/medicina60061008.
16. Leslie SW, Soon-Sutton TL, Khan MA. Male infertility. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing 2025.
17. Sadeghi N, Boissonneault G, Tavalaee M et al. Oxidative versus reductive stress: a delicate balance for sperm integrity. Syst Biol Rep Med 2022; 69 (1): 20–31. doi: 10.1080/19396368.2022.2119181.
18. Caroppo E, Dattilo M. Sperm redox biology challenges the role of antioxidants as a treatment for male factor infertility. Sperm Redox Biol 2020; 29 : 100846. doi: 10.1016/j.sperredox.2020.100846.
19. Moustakli E, Christopoulos P, Potiris A et al. Reductive stress and the role of antioxidants in male infertility: a narrative review. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2025; 312 (5): 1503–1514. doi: 10.1007/s00404-025-08184-3.
20. Margaryan H, Dorosh A, Capkova J et al. Characterization and possible function of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase-spermatogenic protein GAPDHS in mammalian sperm. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2015; 13 : 15. doi: 10.1186/s12958-015-0008-1.
21. Miki K, Qu W, Goulding EH et al. Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase-S, a sperm-specific glycolytic enzyme, is required for sperm motility and male fertility. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2004; 101 (47): 16501–16506. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0407708101.
22. Capkova J, Margaryan H, Kubatova A et al. Target antigens for Hs-14 monoclonal antibody and their various expression in normozoospermic and asthenozoospermic men. Basic Clin Androl 2015; 25 : 11. doi: 10.1186/s12610-015-0025-0.
23. Ulčová-Gallová Z, Madar J, Drahošová M et al. Imunologie a imunopatologie lidské reprodukce. 2. přepracované vydání. Praha: Maxdorf Jessenius 2020.
Labels
Paediatric gynaecology Gynaecology and obstetrics Reproduction medicineArticle was published in
Czech Gynaecology
2026 Issue 5
Most read in this issue
- Female ejaculation and squirting – definition, classification and differential diagnosis
- Methylation test versus dual staining in the triage of HR-HPV positive women – pilot data from cervical cancer screening
- Effect of oxidative and reductive stress in sperm on certain immunological properties of the ejaculate
- Transverse B-Lynch suture – specific modality of a uterine compression suture