https://doi.org/10.4081/aiua.2023.11462

Galectin-1 (Gal-1) and Galectin-3 (Gal-3) levels in seminal plasma and serum in azoospermic patients versus fertile men: A cross-sectional study

Vol. 95 No. 3 (2023)
Submitted: May 11, 2023
Accepted: June 20, 2023
Published: September 5, 2023
Gal-1, Gal-3, Azoospermia, Normal spermatogenesis
Abstract Views: 677
PDF: 399
Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Authors

Sameh Fayek GamalEl Din
samehfayek@kasralainy.edu.eg
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1918-5132
Department of Andrology, Sexology and STDs, Kasr AlAiny Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.
Olfat Gamil Shaker
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3031-3599
Department of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kasr AlAiny Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.
Ahmad Fawzy Megawer
https://orcid.org/0009-0006-4307-7579
Department of Andrology, Sexology and STDs, Kasr AlAiny Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.
Mohamed Ahmed Abdel Salam
Department of Andrology, Sexology and STDs, Kasr AlAiny Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.
Abdelhalim Nabil Abdelhalim
https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2480-8731
Department of Andrology, Sexology and STDs, Kasr AlAiny Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.
Ahmed Adel
Department of Andrology, Sexology and STDs, Kasr AlAiny Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.

Introduction: Galectin-1 (Gal-1) and galectin-3 (Gal-3) are expressed by many immune cells and receive considerable attention in the context of immunity. We aimed to compare between seminal plasma and serum levels of Gal-1 and Gal-3 in azoospermic patients and fertile men. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the andrology outpatient clinic from January (2022) to September (2022). A total of 90 participants were enrolled and divided into two equal groups: azoospermic and normal group. Semen analysis was done for all participants. Hormonal profile including FSH, LH, serum prolactin, total testosterone and estradiol was performed as well as assessment of serum and seminal levels of Gal-1 and Gal-3 by ELISA commercial kits. Finally, scrotal Duplex was done in standing and supine position. Results: Serum and seminal levels of Gal-1 and Gal-3 were statistically significant higher in azoospermic patients compared with normal individuals (p < 0.001 for all). In addition, in healthy individuals there were statistically significant positive correlations between serum levels of Gal-1 and age, FSH, LH levels (r = 0.296, p = 0.005; r = 0.333, p = < 0.001; r = 0.312, p = 0.003, respectively) and serum levels of Gal-2 and FSH and LH (r = 0.436, p < 0.001; r = 0.350, p < 0.001, respectively), whereas serum Gal-3 showed a borderline positive correlation with age (r = 0.2, p = 0.059). Additionally, statistically significant positive correlations between seminal levels of Gal-1 and Gal-3 and free testosterone in healthy individuals were reported (r = 0.205, p = 0.053; r = 0.219, p = 0.038, respectively). On the other hand, there were negative correlations between serum and seminal levels of Gal-1 and Gal-3, total and progressive sperm motility, sperm count and abnormal sperm forms in healthy individuals (r = -0.382, p < 0.001; r = -0.405, p < 0.001; r = -0.376, p < 0.001; r = -0.364, p < 0.001) (r = -0.394, p < 0.001; r = -0.467, p < 0.001; r = -0.413, p < 0.001; r = -0.433, p < 0.001); (r = -0.372, p < 0.001; r = -0.377, p < 0.001; r = -0.317, p = 0.002; r = -0.311, p = 0.003)(r = -0.445, p < 0.001; r = -0.498, p < 0.001; r = -0.453, p < 0.001; r = -0.463, p < 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, statistically significant positive correlations between serum levels of Gal-1 and Gal-3 and age in azoospermic patients were reported (r = 0.511, p < 0.001; r = 0.390, p = 0.008, respectively). On the other hand, there were negative correlations between seminal Gal-1 and estradiol (E2) and seminal Gal-3 and FSH and LH in azoospermic patients (r= -0.318, p = 0.033; r = -0.322, p = 0.031; r = -0.477, p < 0.001, respectively). Also, negative correlations between serum Gal-3 and total and free testosterone in azoospermic patients were detected (r = -0.396, p = 0.007; r = -0.375, p = 0.011, respectively). Conclusions: Elevated serum and seminal levels of Gal-1 and Gal-3 have detrimental effects on spermatogenesis. Furthermore, the current study demonstrated potential regulatory effects of reproductive hormones on Gal-1 and Gal-3. Thus, future studies are needed to confirm such findings.

Dimensions

Altmetric

PlumX Metrics

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Citations

Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC
Wu X, Lin D, Sun F, Cheng CY. Male Infertility in Humans: An Update on Non-obstructive Azoospermia (NOA) and Obstructive Azoospermia (OA). Adv Exp Med Biol. 2021; 1288:161-173.. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-77779-1_8
Gifford JA. The role of WNT signaling in adult ovarian folliculogenesis. Reproduction. 2015; 150:R137-R148. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1530/REP-14-0685
Kohn TP, Pastuszak AW. Non-obstructive azoospermia and shortened leukocyte telomere length: further evidence linking poor health and infertility. Fertil Steril. 2018; 110:629-630. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2018.06.013
Cummings RD, Liu FT. Galectins. In: Varki AC, Cummings RD, Esko JD, et al, editors. Essentials of glycobiology cold spring harbor. New York: Cold spring harbor laboratory press. 2009; Chapter 33.
Rabinovich GA, Toscano MA. Turning ‘sweet' on immunity: galectin-glycan interactions in immune tolerance and inflammation. Nat Rev Immunol. 2009; 9:338-352. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nri2536
Thiemann S, Baum LG. Galectins and immune responses-just how do they do those things they do?. Annu Rev Immunol. 2016; 34:243-264. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-immunol-041015-055402
Baum LG, Pang M, Perillo NL, et al. Human thymic epithelial cells express an endogenous lectin, galectin1, which binds to core 2 O-glycans on thymocytes and T lymphoblastoid cells. J Exp Med. 1995; 181:877-87. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.181.3.877
Ahmed H, Fink NE, Pohl J, Vasta GR. Galectin-1 from bovine spleen: biochemical characterization, carbohydrate specificity and tissue-specific isoform profiles. J Biochem. 1996; 120:1007-19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.jbchem.a021493
Moiseeva EP, Javed Q, Spring EL, de Bono DP. Galectin 1 is involved in vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation. Cardiovasc Res. 2000; 45:493- 502. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0008-6363(99)00276-X
Hittelet A, Legendre H, Nagy N, et al. Upregulation of galectins- 1 and -3 in human colon cancer and their role in regulating cell migration. Int J Cancer. 2003; 103:370-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.10843
Van den Brule F, Califice S, Garnier F, et al. Galectin-1 accumulation in the ovary carcinoma peritumoralstroma is induced by ovary carcinoma cells and affects both cancer cell proliferation and adhesion to laminin-1 and fibronectin. Lab Invest. 2003; 83:377-86. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/01.LAB.0000059949.01480.40
Akazawa C, Nakamura Y, Sango K, et al. Distribution of the galectin-1 mRNA in the rat nervous system: its transient up regulation in rat facial motor neurons after facial nerve axotomy. Neuroscience. 2004; 125:171-8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2004.01.034
Biron VA, Iglesias MM, Troncoso MF, et al. Galectin-1: biphasic growth regulation of Leydig tumor cells. Glycobiology. 2006; 16:810-21. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/glycob/cwl013
Dumic J, Dabelic S, Flögel M. Galectin-3: an open-ended story. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2006; 1760:616-35. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbagen.2005.12.020
Jones JL, Saraswati S, Block AS, et al. Galectin-3 is associated with prostasomes in human semen. Glycoconj J. 2010; 27:227-36. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10719-009-9262-9
Fukumori T, Takenaka Y, Yoshii T, et al. CD29 and CD7 mediate galectin-3-induced type II T-cell apoptosis. Cancer Res. 2003; 63:8302-8311.
Xue H, Liu L, Zhao Z, et al. The N-terminal tail coordinates with carbohydrate recognition domain to mediate galectin-3 induced apoptosis in T cells. Oncotarget. 2017; 8:49824. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.17760
Stowell SR, Arthur CM, Mehta P, et al. Galectin-1, -2, and -3 exhibit differential recognition of sialylated glycans and blood group antigens. J Biol Chem. 2008a; 283:10109-10123. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M709545200
Wollina U, Schreiber G, Görnig M, et al. Sertoli cell expression of galectin-1 and -3 and accessible binding sites in normal human testis and Sertoli cell only-syndrome. Histol Histopathol. 1999; 14:779-84.
Deschildre C, Ji JW, Chater S, et al. Expression of galectin-3 and its regulation in the testes. Int J Androl. 2007; 30:28-40. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2605.2006.00707.x
World medical association. World medical association declaration of Helsinki: ethical principles for medical research involving human subjects. JAMA. 2013; 310:2191-4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2013.281053
World Health Organization (WHO). WHO laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen. 5th ed. Geneva: WHO: 2010. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/aja.2008.57
GamalEl Din SF, Abougabal Kh, Saad HM, et al. Estimation of Serum and Seminal Plasma Levels of Glactin-1 in NonObstructive Azoospermia Cases and Their Correlations with the Rate of Sperm Retrieval: A Comparative Prospective Study. J Reprod Infertil. 2022; 23:257-263.
Mentesoglu P, Tangal S, Yigman M, et al. The Correlation Between Semen Parameters and Galectin-3 Levels of Infertile Men. TJRMS. 2021; 5:1-5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24074/tjrms.2020-80414
Timmons PM, Rigby PWJ, Poirier F. The murine seminiferous ephitelial cycle is pre-figured in the Sertoli cells of the embryonic testis. Development. 2002; 129:635-647. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.129.3.635
Martinez VG, Pellizzari EH, Díaz ES, et al. Galectin-1, a cell adhesion modulator, induces apoptosis of rat Leydig cells in vitro. Glycobiology. 2004; 14:127-37. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/glycob/cwh025
Perželová V, Sabol F, Vasilenko T, et al. Pharmacological activation of estrogen receptors-α and -b differentially modulates keratinocyte differentiation with functional impact on wound healing. Int J Mol Med. 2016; 37:21-8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.2015.2351
Hu Z, Zhang Y, Chen J, et al. Testosterone attenuates senile cavernous fibrosis by regulating TGFbR1 and galectin 1 signaling pathways through miR-22-3p. Mol Cell Biochem.c2023; 478:1791-1802. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11010-022-04641-8

How to Cite

GamalEl Din, S. F., Shaker, O. G., Fawzy Megawer, A., Abdel Salam, M. A., Abdelhalim, A. N., & Adel, A. (2023). Galectin-1 (Gal-1) and Galectin-3 (Gal-3) levels in seminal plasma and serum in azoospermic patients versus fertile men: A cross-sectional study. Archivio Italiano Di Urologia E Andrologia, 95(3). https://doi.org/10.4081/aiua.2023.11462
Copyright (c) 2023 the Author(s) Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

PAGEPress has chosen to apply the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0) to all manuscripts to be published.