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. 2018 Jan-Mar;19(1):49-55.

Yeast and Fertility: Effects of In Vitro Activity of Candida spp. on Sperm Quality

Elizabeth Ximena Castrillón-Duque  1 , Jennifer Puerta Suárez  1 , Walter Dario Cardona Maya  1
Affiliations

Yeast and Fertility: Effects of In Vitro Activity of Candida spp. on Sperm Quality

Elizabeth Ximena Castrillón-Duque et al. J Reprod Infertil. 2018 Jan-Mar.

Abstract

Background: Candida spp. causes semen candidiasis, the most important sexually transmitted fungal infection; this microorganism affects male fertility potential and could alter oocyte fertilization. The in vitro effects of the yeasts Candida albicans and Candida glabrata and their soluble factors of fungal metabolism on semen quality were studied.

Methods: Candida strains (2, 0.5 and 0.05 McF) and their soluble factors were incubated for 3 hr with selected spermatozoa. Conventional (Viability and motility) and functional parameters (Mitochondrial membrane potential, membrane integrity, detection of reactive oxygen species and DNA fragmentation) were quantified in 35 semen samples. In addition, human spermatozoa were incubated under capacitating conditions with Candida spp. and soluble factors. Finally, spermatozoa were incubated with mannose before incubation with either yeast to block sperm and yeast interaction. Data was analyzed using Friedman test, and p<0.05 was considered significant.

Results: The conventional sperm parameters were statistically affected by the two yeast strains after 3 hr and their effect was maintained until the 24 hr incubation. However, the functional parameters were altered, this change was not statistically significant. Pretreatment of spermatozoa with mannose decreased the effect of Candida spp.

Conclusion: The presence of C. albicans or C. glabrata affects seminal parameters. The effect is related to incubation time and yeast concentration, it can be supposed that the yeast sperm interaction is mediated through the mannose sperm receptor.

Keywords: Candida albicans; Candida glabrata; Male infertility; Semen; Spermatozoa.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Effect of Candida spp. on sperm viability. C. albicans (a), C. glabrata (b) at three concentrations (0.05, 0.5 and 2.0 McF) and their SFFM on sperm viability at 0, 1, 2 and 3 hr of incubation. The data are presented as median and a range of seven (C. albicans) or three (C. glabrata) independent experiments with duplicate determinations. *: p<0,05; **: p<0,01; ***: p<0,001, ****: p<0,0001. SFFM: Soluble factors of fungal metabolism
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Effect of Candida spp. on sperm motility. C. albicans (a) and C. glabrata (b) at three different concentrations (0.05, 0.5 and 2.0 McF) and their SFFM on the motility of progressive sperm at 0, 1, 2 and 3 hr of incubation. The data are presented as median and a range of seven (C. albicans) or three (C. glabrata) independent experiments with duplicate determinations. *: p<0,05; **: p<0,01; ***: p< 0,001, ****: p<0,0001. SFFM: Soluble factors of fungal metabolism
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Effect of Candida spp. on sperm capacitation process. C. albicans (a) and C. glabrata (b) on progressive motility during sperm capacitation process. MC: Capacitating medium, MC-FS: Capacitating medium and 100 μl SFFM, MC-0.05 McF: Capacitating medium and Candida =0.05 McF, NC: Non-capacitating medium. Data are presented as median and a range of ten (C. albicans) or seven (C. glabrata) independent experiments with duplicate determinations. *: p<0,05; **: p<0,01; ***: p<0,001, ****: p<0,0001. SFFM: Soluble factors of fungal metabolism
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Mannose receptor mediates sperm cell interaction with Candida spp. Effect of C. albicans and C. glabrata on progressive motility after sperm pre-incubation with mannose for 0 or 3 hr. Data are presented as median and a range of three independent experiments with duplicate determinations. *: p<0,05
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