•Semen quality parameters were collected at multiple time points across study period.•Within subject variability was high for total and progressive sperm motility.•Short and long sleep duration were ...associated with impaired semen quality parameters.•Poor sleep quality may adversely affect human semen quality parameters.
Short sleep duration and poor sleep quality are increasingly prevalent in modern society and may be associated with impaired semen quality, yet studies are inconclusive.
To investigate the reproducibility of semen quality parameters among 842 healthy men screened as potential sperm donors and explore the associations of sleep duration and quality with repeated measures of semen quality parameters.
We assessed sleep duration (night sleep and daytime napping) and sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) among 842 healthy men screen as potential sperm donors. We examined sleep characteristics in relation to repeated measurements (n = 5601) of semen parameters using linear mixed-effects models.
High degrees of within-individual variability were found for total and progressive sperm motility with intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.20 and 0.22, respectively; while fair-to-good reproducibilities were observed for sperm volume, concentration, and total count (ICC = 0.54, 0.62, and 0.50, respectively). Compared to men with total sleep duration of 8.0–8.5 h/day (h/d), men who slept less than 6.0 h/d and higher than 9.0 h/d had lower sperm volume of 12% 95% confidence interval (CI): −22%, −0.68% and 3.9% (95% CI: −7.3%, −0.44%), respectively. Compared to men with night sleep duration of 7.5–8.0 h/d, men who slept less than 6.0 h/d had lower total and progressive sperm motility of 4.4% (95 CI:−8.4%, −0.24%) and 5.0% (95% CI: −9.2%, −0.48%), respectively. Compared to men who reported good sleep quality (total PSQI score ≤5.0), those reporting poor sleep quality (total PSQI score >5.0) had lower total sperm count, total motility, and progressive motility of 8.0% (95% CI: −15%, −0.046%), 3.9% (95% CI: −6.2%, −1.5%), and 4.0% (95% CI: −6.5%, −1.4%), respectively.
Both long and short sleep duration and poor sleep quality were associated with impaired semen quality parameters. The high within-individual variability of total and progressive sperm motility suggests that a single measurement may result in a moderate degree of classification error.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Summary
Cultivated soybean has undergone many transformations during domestication. In this paper we report a comprehensive assessment of the evolution of gene co‐expression networks based on the ...analysis of 40 transcriptomes from developing soybean seeds in cultivated and wild soybean accessions. We identified 2680 genes that are differentially expressed during seed maturation and established two cultivar‐specific gene co‐expression networks. Through analysis of the two networks and integration with quantitative trait locus data we identified two potential key drivers for seed trait formation, GA20OX and NFYA. GA20OX encodes an enzyme in a rate‐limiting step of gibberellin biosynthesis, and NFYA encodes a transcription factor. Overexpression of GA20OX and NFYA enhanced seed size/weight and oil content, respectively, in seeds of transgenic plants. The two genes showed significantly higher expression in cultivated than in wild soybean, and the increases in expression were associated with genetic variations in the promoter region of each gene. Moreover, the expression of GA20OX and NFYA in seeds of soybean accessions correlated with seed weight and oil content, respectively. Our study reveals transcriptional adaptation during soybean domestication and may identify a mechanism of selection by expression for seed trait formation, providing strategies for future breeding practice.
Significance Statement
In this work we analyzed 40 transcriptomes from developing seeds of cultivated and wild soybean accessions and assessed gene co‐expression networks. We found that promoter variation accounted for the higher expression of a gibberellin biosynthesis gene and of a transcription factor in cultivated soybean, and positively correlated with seed weight and oil content. Such analyses will inform breeding strategies for soybean and/or other crops.
Full text
Available for:
BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
•Urine and semen samples were repeatedly collected among 1428 healthy men.•Urinary Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Se, Rb, Sr, and Mo showed high within-subject variations.•Higher urinary Zn and Mo levels were ...associated with greater sperm production.•The period of epididymal storage may be the critical window of susceptibility to Zn and Mo.
Essential elements such as iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), rubidium (Rb), strontium (Sr), and molybdenum (Mo) are necessary for reproductive health. However, their associations with human semen quality remain inconclusive.
To investigate the associations of urinary Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Se, Rb, Sr, and Mo concentrations with semen quality in healthy men screened as potential sperm donors and identify critical windows of susceptibility.
1428 healthy men provided 3766 urine and 6527 semen samples, which were measured for urinary essential element concentrations and sperm quality parameters, respectively. Linear mixed models and cubic spline curves were used to evaluate associations between urinary essential elements and semen quality. Multiple informant models were used to identify potential critical windows of susceptibility.
Linear mixed models and cubic spline curves showed positive dose–response relationships between urinary Zn and sperm concentration and total count and between urinary Mo and total sperm count all False Discovery Rate (FDR) adjusted p-value for trend < 0.05. In the multiple-element linear mixed models, the men in the highest versus lowest quartiles of urinary Zn and Mo had a higher sperm concentration of 17.5% (95% CI: 2.8%, 34.2%; p-value for trend = 0.006) and total sperm count of 18.3% (95% CI: 1.4%, 38.0%; p-value for trend = 0.027), respectively. Urinary Zn was also positively associated with total sperm count in a dose-dependent manner (p-value for trend = 0.036), though the percentile difference in total sperm count between men in the highest and lowest quartile was not statistically significant (16.4%, 95% CI: −1.7%, 37.9%). These associations appeared to be stronger when urinary Zn and Mo were measured at 0–9 days before the date of semen examination (i.e., corresponding to epididymal storage).
Higher urinary Zn and Mo, particularly during the period of epididymal storage, were associated with greater sperm production.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
•We collected 5213 semen samples from 1199 healthy potential sperm donors.•Exposure biomarkers of four THMs in whole blood were determined.•Blood TCM, DBCM, Br-THMs and TTHMs were inversely ...associated with sperm count.•DBCM, Br-THMs and TTHMs were inversely associated sperm count and concentration.
Trihalomethanes (THMs) have demonstrated adverse effects on male reproductive systems in experimental animals, but human evidence has been inconsistent. Prior researches have been limited by small sample sizes and inadequate exposure assessment.
To investigate the association between blood THMs and repeated measurements of semen quality parameters among 1199 healthy men screened as potential sperm donors.
We recruited healthy men presenting to the Hubei Province Human Sperm Bank from April to December 2017. At study entry, each participant provided a spot blood sample which was used to quantify blood concentrations of four THMs: chloroform (TCM), bromodichloromethane (BDCM), dibromochloromethane (DBCM) and bromoform (TBM). The summary measures of exposure for brominated THMs (Br-THMs; molar sum of BDCM, DBCM and TBM) and total THMs (TTHMs; molar sum of TCM and Br-THMs) were also calculated. We used multivariable linear regression models to estimate the cross-sectional associations of tertiles of blood THM concentrations with semen quality parameters measured at study entry, and mixed-effect models to estimate the longitudinal associations accounting for repeated measures of semen quality, adjusting for relevant confounding factors.
In the cross-sectional analysis, several inverse dose-response relationships were observed across tertiles of blood TCM concentrations and sperm count, total motility and progressive motility, and between blood DBCM, and Br-THMs, and TTHMs and sperm count and concentration. The inverse associations of blood TCM, DBCM, Br-THMs and TTHMs with sperm count were confirmed in the longitudinal, repeated measure analysis.
Our results suggest that exposure to THMs from drinking water may be related to decreased semen quality in young healthy men.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Although animal studies have shown the reproductive toxicity of vanadium, less is known about its effects on semen quality in humans. Among 1135 healthy men who were screened as potential semen ...donors, we investigated the relationships of semen quality with urinary and seminal plasma vanadium levels via inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Spearman rank correlation tests and linear regression models were used to assess the correlations between average urinary and within-individual pooled seminal plasma vanadium concentrations (n = 1135). We utilized linear mixed-effects models to evaluate the associations of urinary and seminal plasma vanadium levels (n = 1135) with repeated sperm quality parameters (n = 5576). Seminal plasma vanadium concentrations were not significantly correlated with urinary vanadium concentrations (r = 0.03). After adjusting for possible confounders, we observed inverse relationships of within-individual pooled seminal plasma vanadium levels with total count, semen volume, and sperm concentration (all P values for trend < 0.05). Specifically, subjects in the highest (vs. lowest) tertile of seminal plasma vanadium concentrations had − 11.3% (−16.4%, −5.9%), − 11.1% (−19.1%, −2.4%), and − 20.9% (−29.0%, −11.8%) lower sperm volume, concentration, and total count, respectively; moreover, urinary vanadium levels appeared to be negatively associated with sperm motility. These relationships showed monotonically decreasing dose-response patterns in the restricted cubic spline analyses. Our results demonstrated a poor correlation between urinary and seminal plasma levels of vanadium, and elevated vanadium concentrations in urine and seminal plasma may be adversely related to male semen quality.
Display omitted
•Semen samples were repeatedly collected from 1135 healthy men.•Seminal plasma vanadium concentrations showed fair to good reproducibility.•Poor correlation was observed between urinary and seminal plasma levels of vanadium.•Urinary and seminal plasma vanadium may be adversely related to male semen quality.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
In animal and human studies, exposure to trihalomethanes (THMs) has been associated with reduced semen quality. However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood.
To investigate the ...associations of blood THM concentrations with sperm mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) and telomere length (TL) among healthy men.
We recruited 958 men who volunteered as potential sperm donors. A single blood sample was collected from each participant at recruitment and measured for chloroform (TCM), bromodichloromethane (BDCM), dibromochloromethane (DBCM), and bromoform (TBM) concentrations. Within a 90-day follow-up, the last semen sample provided by each participant was quantified for sperm mtDNAcn and TL. We used multivariable linear regression models to assess the associations between blood THM concentrations and sperm mtDNAcn and TL. We also performed stratified analyses according to the time intervals between baseline blood THM determinations and semen collection (i.e., 0–9, 10–14, 15–69, or >69 days) to explore potential windows of susceptibility.
After adjusting for potential confounders, we found inverse associations between quartiles (or categories) of blood TBM, brominated THM (Br-THM, the sum of BDCM, DBCM, and TBM), and total THM (TTHM, the sum of all four THMs) concentrations and sperm mtDNAcn (all P for trend≤0.03). Besides, we found inverse associations between quartiles of blood TCM, Br-THM, chlorinated THM (Cl-THM, the sum of TCM, BDCM, and DBCM), and TTHM concentrations and sperm TL (all P for trend<0.10). Stratified analyses showed stronger associations between Br-THM concentrations and sperm mtDNAcn determined 15–69 days since baseline exposure determinations, and between blood TCM and TTHM concentrations and sperm TL determined >69 days since baseline exposure determinations.
Exposure to THMs may be associated with sperm mitochondrial and telomeric dysfunction.
Display omitted
•Blood THMs and sperm mtDNAcn and TL were determined among 958 healthy men.•Blood TBM, Br-THMs, and TTHM were inversely associated with sperm mtDNAcn.•Blood TCM, Br-THMs, Cl-THMs, and TTHMs were inversely associated with sperm TL.•Part of these associations differed across the duration of spermatogenesis.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Selenium (Se) is essential for successful male reproduction. However, the association of Se status with human semen quality remains controversial and the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. ...We measured seminal plasma Se concentrations, sperm mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn), and sperm quality parameters among healthy Chinese men screened as potential sperm donors. Linear mixed-effects models were used to investigate the associations of within-subject pooled seminal plasma Se concentrations (n = 1159) with repeated sperm quality parameters (n = 5617); mediation analyses were applied to evaluate the mediating role of sperm mtDNAcn (n = 989). Seminal plasma Se concentrations were positively associated with sperm concentration and total count (both P for trend < 0.001). In adjusted models, men in the top vs. bottom quartiles of seminal plasma Se concentrations had 70.1 % (95 % CI: 53.3 %, 88.9 %) and 59.1 % (95 % CI: 40.5 %, 80.2 %) higher sperm concentration and total count, respectively. Meanwhile, we observed inverse associations between seminal plasma Se concentrations and sperm mtDNAcn, and between sperm mtDNAcn and sperm motility, concentration, and total count (all P for trend < 0.05). Mediation analyses suggested that sperm mtDNAcn mediated 19.7 % (95 % CI: 15.9 %, 25.3 %) and 23.1 % (95 % CI: 17.4 %, 33.4 %) of the associations between seminal plasma Se concentrations and sperm concentration and total count, respectively. Our findings suggest that Se is essential for male spermatogenesis, potentially by affecting sperm mtDNAcn.
•We collected 5617 semen samples from 1159 healthy men.•Seminal plasma Se concentrations were inversely associated with sperm mtDNAcn.•Seminal plasma Se was positively related to sperm concentration and total count.•The association of Se with semen quality was partly mediated by sperm mtDNAcn.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Cultivated soybeans may lose some useful genetic loci during domestication. Introgression of genes from wild soybeans could broaden the genetic background and improve soybean agronomic traits. In ...this study, through whole-genome sequencing of a recombinant inbred line population derived from a cross between a wild soybean ZYD7 and a cultivated soybean HN44, and mapping of quantitative trait loci for seed weight, we discovered that a phosphatase 2C-1 (PP2C-1) allele from wild soybean ZYD7 contributes to the increase in seed weight/size. PP2C-1 may achieve this function by enhancing cell size of integument and activating a subset of seed trait-related genes. We found that PP2C-1 is associated with GmBZR1, a soybean ortholog of Arabidopsis BZR1, one of key transcription factors in brassinosteroid (BR) signaling, and facilitate accumulation of dephosphorylated GmBZR1. In contrast, the PP2C-2 allele with variations of a few amino acids at the N-terminus did not exhibit this function. Moreover, we showed that GmBZR1 could promote seed weight/size in transgenic plants. Through analysis of cultivated soybean accessions, we found that 40% of the examined accessions do not have the PP2C-1 allele, suggesting that these accessions can be improved by introduction of this allele. Taken together, our study identifies an elite allele PP2C-1, which can enhance seed weight and/or size in soybean, and pinpoints that manipulation of this allele by molecular-assisted breeding may increase production in soybean and other legumes/crops.
By quantitative trait loci mapping, our study identified an elite allele, PP2C-1, which was found to associate with a transcription factor GmBZR1 and facilitate accumulation of dephosphorylated GmBZR1. Furthermore, the interaction between PP2C-1 and GmBZR1 could enhance seed weight/size. Manipulation of the PP2C-1 allele by molecular-assisted breeding may increase production in soybean and other legumes/crops.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Comprehensive analyses showed that SARS-CoV-2 infection caused COVID-19 and induced strong immune responses and sometimes severe illnesses. However, cellular features of recovered patients and ...long-term health consequences remain largely unexplored. In this study, we collected peripheral blood samples from nine recovered COVID-19 patients (median age of 36 years old) from Hubei province, China, 3 months after discharge as well as 5 age- and gender-matched healthy controls; and carried out RNA-seq and whole-genome bisulfite sequencing to identify hallmarks of recovered COVID-19 patients. Our analyses showed significant changes both in transcript abundance and DNA methylation of genes and transposable elements (TEs) in recovered COVID-19 patients. We identified 425 upregulated genes, 214 downregulated genes, and 18,516 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in total. Aberrantly expressed genes and DMRs were found to be associated with immune responses and other related biological processes, implicating prolonged overreaction of the immune system in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Notably, a significant amount of TEs was aberrantly activated and their activation was positively correlated with COVID-19 severity. Moreover, differentially methylated TEs may regulate adjacent gene expression as regulatory elements. Those identified transcriptomic and epigenomic signatures define and drive the features of recovered COVID-19 patients, helping determine the risks of long COVID-19, and guiding clinical intervention.
PDF
