To explore the taxonomic and predicted functional relationship between the urine microbiome and alterations of semen analysis (SA) parameters.
Cross-sectional study.
Academic medical center.
Men presenting for fertility evaluation or men presenting for vasectomy consultation with proven biological paternity were recruited and stratified based on alterations, or lack thereof, in SA parameters.
Changes in the functional and taxonomic urine microbiome profiles of participants with or without alterations in SA parameters.
Seventy-three participants were included in our study. Men with abnormal sperm motility (N=27) showed a nearly fifty-fold higher abundance of Dialister micraerophilus (p=0.032) compared to those with normal sperm motility (N=46). This relationship persisted on canonical correlational analysis (r=0.439, p=0.014). Men with abnormal sperm concentration (N=20) showed a lower abundance of Enterococcus faecalis (p=0.012) and Staphylococcus aureus (p=0.037), compared to those with normal sperm concentration (N=53). Urine of participants with impaired sperm motility demonstrated dramatic differences in predictive functional profiles in pathways involved in oxidation-reduction balance and cell longevity (all p<0.05).
Our findings underscore differences in the urinary microbiome and abnormalities in semen parameters, especially sperm motility. By incorporating predictive functional profiling, we also highlight possible mechanisms that may drive the observed differences in sperm parameters.
F&S science. 2024 Feb 07 [Epub ahead of print]
Vadim Osadchiy, Andre Belarmino, Reza Kianian, John T Sigalos, Thiago P Furtado, Jacob S Ancira, Trisha Kanie, Sarah F Mangum, Craig D Tipton, Tung-Chin M Hsieh, Jesse N Mills, Sriram V Eleswarapu
Division of Andrology, Department of Urology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles., RTL Genomics, MicroGen DX, Lubbock, TX, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA., Department of Urology, University of California, San Diego, CA., RTL Genomics, MicroGen DX, Lubbock, TX, USA., Division of Andrology, Department of Urology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles. Electronic address: .