Paternal hypoxia exposure impairs fertilization process and preimplantation embryo development

Environmental hypoxia exposure causes fertility problems in human and animals. Compelling evidence suggests that chronic hypoxia impairs spermatogenesis and reduces sperm motility. However, it is unclear whether paternal hypoxic exposure affects fertilization and early embryo development. In the pre...

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Published inZygote (Cambridge) Vol. 30; no. 1; pp. 48 - 56
Main Authors Tao, Hai-Ping, Jia, Gong-Xue, Zhang, Xiao-Na, Wang, Yu-Jun, Li, Bin-Ye, Yang, Qi-En
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England Cambridge University Press 01.02.2022
Subjects
Altitude
Animals
Blastocyst
DNA methylation
Embryonic Development
Embryos
Epigenetics
Exposure
Female
Fertility
Fertilization
Fertilization in Vitro
Gene expression
High altitude
Hypoxia
In vitro fertilization
Laboratory animals
Male
Males
Mice
Military bases
Mitochondrial DNA
Motility
Pregnancy
Sea level
Sperm
Sperm Motility
Spermatogenesis
Spermatozoa
Beijing China
China
Japan
Hypoxia
Sperm quality
Fertilization
Zygote
Blastocyst
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Summary:Environmental hypoxia exposure causes fertility problems in human and animals. Compelling evidence suggests that chronic hypoxia impairs spermatogenesis and reduces sperm motility. However, it is unclear whether paternal hypoxic exposure affects fertilization and early embryo development. In the present study, we exposed male mice to high altitude (3200 m above sea level) for 7 or 60 days to evaluate the effects of hypoxia on sperm quality, zygotic DNA methylation and blastocyst formation. Compared with age-matched controls, hypoxia-treated males exhibited reduced fertility after mating with normoxic females as a result of defects in sperm motility and function. Results of in vitro fertilization (IVF) experiments revealed that 60 days' exposure significantly reduced cleavage and blastocyst rates by 30% and 70%, respectively. Immunohistochemical staining of pronuclear formation indicated that the pronuclear formation process was disturbed and expression of imprinted genes was reduced in early embryos after paternal hypoxia. Overall, the findings of this study suggested that exposing male mice to hypoxia impaired sperm function and affected key events during early embryo development in mammals.
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ISSN:0967-1994
1469-8730
DOI:10.1017/S0967199421000216