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Nicotine Effects and Receptor Expression on Human Spermatozoa: Possible Neuroendocrine Mechanism

Overview of attention for article published in Frontiers in Physiology, March 2017
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Title
Nicotine Effects and Receptor Expression on Human Spermatozoa: Possible Neuroendocrine Mechanism
Published in
Frontiers in Physiology, March 2017
DOI 10.3389/fphys.2017.00177
Pubmed ID
Authors

Rosita A. Condorelli, Sandro La Vignera, Filippo Giacone, Linda Iacoviello, Laura M. Mongioì, Giovanni Li Volti, Ignazio Barbagallo, Roberto Avola, Aldo E. Calogero

Abstract

The aim of this experimental study was to investigate the mechanism by which nicotine (NIC) alters spermatozoa and to evaluate the expression of nicotinic receptors (nAChR) subunits in human spermatozoa. We analyzed 30 healthy normozoospermic men. Spermatozoa were incubated with NIC 100 ng/ml and the nAChR antagonist, hexamethonium (HEX) (0, 100, 1,000, 10,000 ng/ml) for 3 and 24 h. The following sperm parameters evaluated: (a) progressive motility; (b) mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP); (c) chromatin compactness; (d) externalization of phosphatidylserine (PS); (e) late apoptosis; (f) viability; (g) DNA fragmentation; (h) degree of lipid peroxidation (LP) by flow cytometry; (i) nAChR subunits expression by quantitative Real Time PCR and (j) protein expression evaluation by Western blot analysis. HEX fully antagonized the effects of NIC both after 3 and 24 h of incubation with significant improvement (p < 0.05) of sperm progressive motility, MMP, abnormal chromatin compactness, PS externalization, late apoptosis and DNA fragmentation, already at the concentration of HEX 100 ng/ml. The degree of LP increased after incubation with NIC in raw semen but this effect was fully antagonized (p < 0.05) by HEX after 3 and 24 h of incubation. Finally, 8 nAChR subunits mRNA (α1, α3, α4, α6, α7, β2, β4, and δ) were found expressed in all samples examined, but only α7 subunit is translated, making an homomer receptor, in non-smokers subjects. The effects of NIC on sperm function are mediated by interaction with a specific nicotinic receptor. The presence of nAChR subunits suggests the presence of a neuroendocrine mechanism on human spermatozoa.

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Mendeley readers

Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 17 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Unknown 17 100%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Researcher 3 18%
Other 2 12%
Student > Ph. D. Student 2 12%
Student > Master 2 12%
Lecturer 1 6%
Other 3 18%
Unknown 4 24%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Medicine and Dentistry 5 29%
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology 3 18%
Linguistics 1 6%
Immunology and Microbiology 1 6%
Neuroscience 1 6%
Other 0 0%
Unknown 6 35%
Attention Score in Context

Attention Score in Context

This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 1. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 13 April 2017.
All research outputs
#18,539,663
of 22,961,203 outputs
Outputs from Frontiers in Physiology
#8,186
of 13,712 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#234,629
of 308,511 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Frontiers in Physiology
#141
of 215 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 22,961,203 research outputs across all sources so far. This one is in the 11th percentile – i.e., 11% of other outputs scored the same or lower than it.
So far Altmetric has tracked 13,712 research outputs from this source. They typically receive more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 7.6. This one is in the 31st percentile – i.e., 31% of its peers scored the same or lower than it.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 308,511 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one is in the 12th percentile – i.e., 12% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.
We're also able to compare this research output to 215 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one is in the 22nd percentile – i.e., 22% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.