ArticleJournal of assisted reproduction and genetics2024
The role of the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis in human ejaculated sperm damage under a state of scrotal heat stress.
Article in Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 10 citations in OpenAlex.
- Sperm DNA fragmentation and its influence on mammalian reproduction.Nature reviews. Urology · 2026Review
- A Follow-Up Study on Testicular Cellular and Transcriptomic Responses to Mild Scrotal Heat Stress in Wugu-Hu and Hu Rams.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2026Article
- Astaxanthin Alleviates the Decline of Sperm Quality Caused by Heat Stress in Mice via Reducing Oxidative Stress.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Decrease in Sperm Parameters in the 21st Century: Obesity, Lifestyle, or Environmental Factors? An Updated Narrative Review.Journal of personalized medicine · 2024Review
- Occupational Heat Exposure and Fertility Stress as Independent Factors of Low Semen Quality: A Multidimensional Analysis.American journal of men's healthArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
purposeThe study aimed to determine the associations among standard sperm characteristics and oxidative/apoptotic markers in ejaculated sperm of men exposed to prolonged scrotal hyperthermia of either environmental or clinical origin.
methodsThe original study design included four research groups: professional drivers (n = 54), infertile men with varicocele (n = 78), infertile men not exposed to prolonged genital heat stress (n = 37), and fertile individuals serving as the control group (n = 29). Standard semen analysis was performed according to the 5th WHO laboratory manual. The following oxidative and apoptotic parameters of sperm were investigated: mitochondrial superoxide anion generation (MitoSOX Red dye), phosphatidylserine externalization (Annexin V binding assay), mitochondrial membrane potential (JC-1 dye), DNA fragmentation (TUNEL/PI assay), and membrane fluidity (merocyanine 540 dye).
resultsAll the studied groups presented a strong deterioration in routine sperm parameters and a strongly apoptotic phenotype in sperm, characterized by both decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and enhanced DNA fragmentation, regardless of the thermal insult. Significant induction of mitochondrial superoxide anion generation was noted only in the groups exposed to genital heat stress. A positive correlation between the production of superoxide anion in the mitochondrial chain and the level of DNA fragmentation in drivers was also noted.
conclusionLong-term exposure to scrotal hyperthermia in real-life situations is sufficient to reduce sperm quality in humans. The thermal stress directly induces the oxidative stress cascade in ejaculated sperm, affecting the plasma membrane fluidity, mitochondrial homeostasis, and sperm DNA integrity.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.