Seminal cell-free nucleic acids as possible biomarker in male infertility: a mini-review article

Abstract

Background: Male infertility is a major problem for many couples in the world. Many factors could cause male infertility such as environmental and genetic factors, life style, aging, inflammation, endocrinological etiologies, and antisperm antibodies. Main body: Circulating cell-free nucleic acids (cfNAs) may play a key role in male infertility. cfNAs are obtained from different body fluids such as blood plasma, cerebrospinal fluid, amniotic fluid, urine, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and seminal plasma. The different types of cfNAs present in human semen include cell-free DNAs, cell free RNAs and cell-free mitochondrial DNAs and they are differentially higher than those in other body fluids. Few evidence have been done regarding the direct relationship between cfNAs and male infertility in serum and seminal plasma of infertile men compared to the fertile men. Conclusions: This document aimed to compile data about the main causes influencing male infertility focusing on seminal cfNA/cfDNA and its possible role as differential biomarker to diagnosis the main source of spermatogenesis abnormalities and male infertility.