Effects of Date Palm Pollen Supplementations on The Expression of PRDX1 and PRDX6 Genes in Infertile Men: A Controlled Clinical Trial

Abstract

Background: Accumulating evidences suggest that date palm pollen (DPP) induces antioxidant activity and improvessemen parameters in male rats. However, there is a few scientific evidences in support of the DPP effects on humanmale fertility. Hence, the effect of oral consumption of DPP on sperm parameters and expression pattern of Peroxiredoxin-1 (PRDX1) and Peroxiredoxin-6 (PRDX6) genes was evaluated in men with infertility.Materials and Methods: The current controlled clinical trial included 40 men with infertility (DPP group) and 10 normospermicfertile men as controls. The DPP group received gelatinous capsules of DPP (400 mg/kg) for 74 days. Semensampling was done before and after treatment in the both groups. Semen analysis and 8-isoprostane concentration assessmentswere performed by computer-assisted sperm analysis and ELISA methods, respectively. Quantitative reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assays were employed to explore expression of PRDX1 and PRDX6 genes.Results: DPP consumption significantly improved semen volume (P=0.030), count (P<0.001) and morphology ofsperm (P=0.023). Concentration of 8-isoprostane was significantly decreased after intervention in the DPP group(P<0.001). DPP consumption led to a significant elevation in the expression of PRDX1 and PRDX6 genes (P<0.001).Elevated gene expression of PRDX6 and PRDX1 was positively correlated with improved parameters of sperm includingcount, volume, motility and morphology.Conclusion: Taken together, DPP seems to promote sperm quality through a decrease in reactive oxygen species(ROS) by increasing expression of antioxidant genes. Further large-scale studies are required to challenge this hypothesis(registration number: IRCT2015021221014N2)

Keywords

• 8-isoprostane
• male infertility
• prdx1
• prdx6