Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38680889›Full record

ArticlePeerJ2024

Exosomes from uterine fluid promote capacitation of human sperm.

Renbin Deng, Zhao Wu, Chaoyong He, Chuncheng Lu, Danpeng He, Xi Li, Zhenling Duan, Hui Zhao

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PeerJ, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. New Insight Into Male Infertility: Deviation From Basic Tenets of Life.Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity · 2026
    Review
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Therapeutic Repair of Sperm Quality Decline Caused by Polytetrafluoroethylene.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2025
    Article
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Renbin Deng *Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Zhao Wu *Department of Genetics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Chaoyong HeDepartment of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Chuncheng LuDepartment of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Danpeng HeDepartment of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Xi LiDepartment of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Zhenling DuanDepartment of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Hui ZhaoDepartment of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of ChinaYunnan Province Clinical Research Center for Chronic Kidney DiseaseYunnan Provincial Department of Science and Technology-Kunming Medical University Joint Special Fund for Applied Foundations Key ProjectYunnan Provincial Department of Science and Technology-Kunming Medical University Joint Special Fund for Applied Foundations Project
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound vesicles containing various proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. EVs are found in many body fluids, such as blood and urine. The release of EVs can facilitate intercellular communication through fusion with the plasma membrane or endocytosis into the recipient cell or through internalization of the contents. Recent studies have reported that EVs isolated from human endometrial epithelial cells (EECs) promote sperm fertilization ability. EVs from uterine flushing fluid more closely resemble the physiological condition of the uterus. However, it is unclear whether EVs derived directly from uterine flushing fluid have the same effect on sperm. This study aimed to research the effect of EVs from uterine flushing fluid on sperm. Methods: EVs were isolated from the uterine flushing fluid. The presence of EVs was confirmed by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), Western blot, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). EVs were incubated with human sperm for 2 h and 4 h. The effects of EVs on sperm were evaluated by analyzing acrosome reaction, sperm motility, and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Results: The EVs fractions isolated from the uterine fluid were observed in cup-shaped vesicles of different sizes by TEM. All isolated vesicles contained similar numbers of vesicles in the expected size range (30-200 nm) by NTA. CD9 and CD63 were detected in EVs by western blot. Comparing the motility of the two groups incubated sperm motility significantly differed at 4 h. The acrosome reactions were promoted by incubating with EVs significantly. ROS were increased in sperm incubated with EVs. Conclusion: Our results showed EVs present in the uterine fluid. Acrosome reactions and ROS levels increased in human sperm incubated with EVs. EVs from uterine fluid can promote the capacitation of human sperm. The increased capacitation after sperm interaction with EVs suggests a possible physiological effect during the transit of the uterus.

Indexed as

ExosomesReactive Oxygen SpeciesSpermatozoaSperm CapacitationUterusAcrosome ReactionBody FluidsFemaleHumansMaleMicroscopy, Electron, TransmissionSperm MotilityReactive Oxygen SpeciesCapacitationExtracellular vesiclesHumanSpermUterine environment

Identifiers

PMID38680889
PMCPMC11056104

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

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.