(H-I) Fatty acid composition in the cultured supernatants was analyzed using gas chromatography. (B) Quantitative analysis of ACLY relative to α-tubulin obtained from Western blot. Differences between groups were assessed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). (J,K) The sperm, after 1 hour of incubation with or without 10 nM OA, were used for the IVF test and analyzed for the rate of oocytes reaching cleavage. (I) The percentage of ATP-Red positive sperm after 1 hour incubation with or without 10 nM OA, measured using BioTracker ATP-Red staining and flow cytometry. Each well was seeded with 180 μL of NaHCO3-Free HTF medium containing 3,000,000 sperm.
(A) Western blot images of ACLY and α/β-tubulin in three sets of seminal vesicle epithelial cells cultured with 100 ng/ml testosterone (Testo) or in vehicle (Ctrl) for 7 days. The addition of testosterone significantly increased the amount of ACLY protein in seminal vesicle epithelial cells (Figure 7A, B). (D) Western blot images of GLUT4 and α/β-tubulin in three sets of seminal vesicle epithelial cells cultured with 100 ng/ml testosterone (Testo) or in vehicle (Ctrl) for 7 days.
Oxidative stress is one of the leading causes of poor sperm quality, responsible for an estimated 30% to 80% of male infertility cases. Endocrine disruptors are synthetic chemicals that interfere with hormones including testosterone, estrogen, and thyroid hormones — all of which influence male fertility. Excessive alcohol consumption lowers testosterone, increases estrogen conversion, and damages testicular cells. Cigarette smoke decreases seminal antioxidant levels by approximately 30%, increases oxidative stress, and leads to sperm DNA damage. Prolonged stress raises cortisol levels, which in turn suppresses testosterone production and can slow or even halt sperm production entirely.
In this study, we first performed various bioassays to identify which accessory reproductive glands are essential for sperm fertility. Therefore, the intricate interplay between testosterone and seminal plasma synthesis in the accessory reproductive glands requires further investigation. AR-deficient mice have been found to be infertile (26), and long-term administration of androgen receptor antagonists, like flutamide, abolished male fertility (27, 28). Rosecrans et al. (18) found significant differences in the levels of most biochemical components in seminal plasma compared to blood, with specific factors like fructose being rarely detected in blood but abundant in seminal plasma. Vaginal plugs not only inhibit continuous mating but also play a role in maintaining sperm in the uterus and ensuring male fertility (13).
To investigate the cause of this multilayering of cells, we performed Ki67 staining, a marker of cell proliferation, and apoptosis detection by TUNEL staining (Fig.2B). Each replicate experiments with 3-6 wells containing pooled cells from 3-5 mice. The epithelial cells were culutured with or without testosterone for 8 days.
(C-H) Extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) kinetics and Oxygen consumption rate (OCR) kinetics of human seminal vesicle epithelial cells after 6 days of culture with or without 100 ng/mL testosterone using a flux analyzer. ACLY protein levels in scrambled shRNA or ACLY shRNA-transfected seminal vesicle epithelial cells cultured with or without 100 ng/mL testosterone were determined by Western blot. Furthermore, immunostaining analysis of the localization of GLUT4 in seminal vesicles revealed that GLUT4 was translocalized outside the nucleus of seminal vesicle epithelial cells under the presence of testosterone (Fig.6C). The expression of genes involved in glucose catabolism and anabolism in the in vitro culture system of seminal vesicle epithelial cells was analyzed by qPCR (Fig.5). RNA sequencing was performed using RNA extracted from the seminal vesicle epithelial cells cultured with or without 100 ng/mL testosterone. DEG (Differential Expressed Genes) analysis revealed that a total of 23,459 genes were identified, including 997 upregulated genes and 3463 downregulated genes in seminal vesicle epithelial cells by testosterone relative to control (Fig.3A). However, in mice treated with continuous administration of flutamide, seminal vesicle epithelial cells were multilayered, and the strong accumulation of androgen receptors in nucleus was not observed (Fig.2A).
The hormone helps Sertoli cells maintain a stable and supportive environment where sperm can mature effectively. They create a blood testis barrier, provide nutrients, and remove waste from developing sperm cells. Sertoli cells, often called the "nurse cells" of the testes, play a vital role in sperm development. Studies show that optimal testosterone levels are necessary not just for initiating spermatogenesis but also for maintaining the environment that allows it to continue. Spermatogenesis is the process through which immature germ cells in the testes mature into functional sperm. LH travels through the bloodstream to the testes, where it stimulates the Leydig cells to produce testosterone. Low testosterone, also known as male hypogonadism, can lead to a host of health issues, especially when it comes to fertility.
(H–I) Fatty acid composition in the cultured supernatants was analyzed using gas chromatography. (B) Quantitative analysis of ACLY relative to α-tubulin obtained from western blot. However, it is not known what effects occur when cell proliferation stops.

Gender: Female

Social links