[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2026.1776207.].

Zinc-alpha2-glycoprotein (ZAG), a multifunctional glycoprotein abundant in seminal plasma, may influence sperm function through lipid metabolism regulation, cAMP signaling, and zinc-ion homeostasis. This study systematically evaluated the association between seminal plasma ZAG levels and semen parameters (sperm concentration and motility) and explored its clinical implications. A total of 337 participants (excluding zinc supplement users and individuals with reproductive disorders) were enrolled. Semen parameters were assessed via computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA), seminal plasma zinc levels were measured using chemiluminescence, and ZAG concentrations were quantified via ELISA. Stratified analyses were performed by age, BMI, semen parameters, and zinc levels, and correlations were evaluated using multivariable linear regression, restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis, and threshold-effect models. Results showed that, in stratified analyses, ZAG concentrations were significantly higher in men aged > 35 years, those who were overweight/obese (BMI ≥ 25kg/m²), and the high-zinc subgroup (all P < 0.05). The lowest ZAG level was observed in the oligozoospermia group (377.69 µg/mL), whereas the highest was found in the oligoasthenozoospermia group (833.82 µg/mL). In correlation analyses, seminal plasma ZAG was positively associated with sperm concentration (β = 0.01, 95

Objective:To evaluate the impact of day 4 double embryo transfer (DET) with a fully compacted morula (FCM) and a partially compacted morula (PCM) versus day 4 single embryo transfer (SET) with an FCM on clinical and neonatal outcomes in fresh cycles. Methods:This was a retrospective cohort study including 889 fresh day 4 embryo transfer cycles conducted between October 2018 and December 2024. Propensity score matching (PSM) was applied to control for potential confounders and compare the clinical outcomes between SET with FCM and DET with FCM and PCM. Results:After PSM, logistic regression analysis showed no significant differences in clinical pregnancy rate (CPR), miscarriage rate, live birth rate (LBR), cumulative live birth rate (CLBR), monozygotic twin rate, stillbirth rate, and cesarean section rate (CSR) (all P > 0.05). However, the DET with FCM and PCM group was associated with a significantly higher multiple pregnancy rate (MPR) (P < 0.001) and preterm delivery rate (PDR) (OR 4.02, 95% CI 1.75-9.22; P = 0.001) after matching. Among patients aged<35 years or undergoing IVF, the pregnancy and neonatal outcomes were consistent with the overall data presented above. Specifically, following logistic regression analysis, there were no significant differences in CPR, LBR, and CLBR between the two groups(all P > 0.05), but the MPR in the DET with FCM and PCM group was significantly higher(all P<0.001). Furthermore, after excluding early-stage blastocysts, the clinical and neonatal outcomes remained consistent with the main study findings. Conclusion:In fresh cycles, there were no significant differences in CPR, LBR and CLBR following day 4 DET with FCM and PCM compared with SET with FCM. However, the MPR was significantly higher in the DET group. SET with FCM may be a preferable strategy for balancing clinical and multiple pregnancy rates.

This study aimed to explore the protective effect of seminal plasma exosomes (SPEs) on human sperm structure and function during cryopreservation and its potential mechanism. The samples were divided into two groups: the control group was treated solely with sperm cryoprotectant before freezing, while the exosome group was supplemented with SPEs. After cryopreservation and thawing, sperm progressive motility, normal morphological rate, and survival rate were evaluated. Furthermore, PKH67 labeling experiments were performed, and oxidative stress markers as well as energy metabolism indicators in sperm were detected. Subsequent mechanism exploration was conducted via proteomic analysis and protein validation assays. This work reveals that adding SPEs at a concentration of 1 or 2 mg/ml effectively improves sperm progressive motility after cryopreservation. After supplementing with SPEs, sperm glucose levels are reduced and mitochondrial membrane potential is enhanced. Simultaneously, SPEs alleviate oxidative stress by decreasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and DNA fragment index (DFI) while increasing superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Functional annotation of proteomics reveals that 14 of the differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) are associated with sperm motility. Enriched metabolic pathways related to sperm motility and sperm protein validation experiments indicate that the expression of MAPK, p-MAPK, and p-JNK proteins in sperm is higher in the Exosome group than in the Control group. This study provides important theoretical support for the application of SPEs in mitigating cryopreservation damage to sperm by enhancing antioxidant capacity. The specific mechanism may be mediated by the MAPK/p-JNK pathway.

Cyclophosphamide (CPA) is a commonly used chemotherapeutic agent whose metabolites readily accumulate in male reproductive organs such as the testes and epididymis, exhibiting reproductive toxicity. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) possesses anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, but its protective mechanism against CPA-induced prostate injury remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of G-CSF against CPA-induced prostate injury in rats. Thirty SPF male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a control group (C group), a CPA model group (M group), and a CPA+G-CSF group (G-CSF group). The M and G-CSF groups received intraperitoneal injections of cyclophosphamide (30 mg/kg/d) for 5 consecutive days, while the C group received an equal volume of saline. Starting on the first day after the model was established, the G-CSF group began receiving G-CSF solution via subcutaneous injection at a dose of 50 μg/kg body weight, three times a week for 5 consecutive weeks. Groups C and M received equivalent volumes of saline via subcutaneous injection. Serum and dorsal prostate tissue were collected for analysis after the final dose. Results: Rats in Group M exhibited reduced body weight, prostate weight, citric acid (CA) content, and acid phosphatase (ACP) activity. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining revealed papillary hyperplasia with leukocyte infiltration. Elevated levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-18, and C-reactive protein (CRP) increased, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels rose, superoxide dismutase (SOD) decreased, ZnT9 expression declined, and NF-κB nuclear translocation increased. G-CSF significantly reversed these pathological alterations. G-CSF alleviates CPA-induced prostate injury by improving zinc homeostasis through ZnT9 upregulation and suppressing NF-κB-mediated inflammation and oxidative stress, offering a novel therapeutic strategy for its prevention and treatment.

Importance:Global reports suggest declining sperm quality, but data from Asian populations under standardized conditions are limited. Investigating trends in China is critical for understanding modifiable factors affecting male fertility. Objective:To assess decade-long trends in semen quality among healthy Chinese men and evaluate associations with environmental factors. Design, Setting, and Participants: Retrospective cohort analysis of 5,886 semen samples from healthy sperm donors (aged 20-45 years) recruited between 2011 and 2018 at the Beijing Human Sperm Bank. All procedures adhered strictly to WHO 5th Edition laboratory standards. Main Outcomes and Measures: Annual trends in semen volume, sperm concentration (SC), total sperm count (TSC), progressive motility (PR), total motility (PR + NP), and percentage of progressive motility (PPR). Associations between semen parameters and environmental pollutants (SO₂, NO₂, PM10, PM2.5, waterborne PI/AN) were evaluated using Spearman correlation. Results:From 2011 to 2018, significant improvements occurred across key parameters: SC increased by 12.3% (78-96.5 × 106/mL; p < 0.05 in 2013, 2018); TSC increased by 18.7% (200-283.5 × 106/ejaculate; p < 0.05 from 2014 to 2017); PR and PPR also significantly improved (p < 0.05 in multiple years). Negative correlations were observed between pollutants and semen quality: SO₂, NO₂, and PM10 inversely correlated with TSC (ρ = -0.719 to -0.929; p ≤ 0.045) and PPR (ρ = -0.826 to -0.922; p ≤ 0.011). Water pollutants (PI, AN) similarly correlated with reduced semen volume, TSC, and motility (ρ = -0.735 to -0.878; p ≤ 0.038). Conclusions and relevance:Contrary to global declines, semen quality significantly improved among healthy Beijing donors from 2011 to 2018. This improvement coincided with aggressive environmental policies (e.g., China's 2013-2017 Air Pollution Action Plan), suggesting pollution-related sperm damage may be reversible with targeted interventions.

BACKGROUND:It is quite common for patients diagnosed with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) to have abnormal sperm parameters. Studies have shown that zinc ameliorates male sperm parameters and ameliorates prostatitis. OBJECTIVE:This study aims to investigate the effect of zinc on ameliorating ventral prostatitis in a rat model with experimental autoimmune prostatitis (EAP) by inhibiting the IKKβ/IκBα/NF-κB pathway mediated by inflammatory factors. It also aims to demonstrate that zinc treatment can attenuate a range of abnormal sperm parameters induced by experimental autoimmune prostatitis. METHODS:Sixteen rats were used to obtain the prostate antigen, and three groups of eight were used as experimental groups. The control group (NC group), the model group (EAP group), and the model + zinc group (EAPZ group). Following the official start of the experiment, the EAP was induced by multipoint intradermal immunization using a mixture containing 30 mg/ml prostate antigen and complete freund's adjuvant (CFA) on days 0 and 28 in the EAP and EAPZ groups, respectively. In contrast, the rats in the NC group were immunized with an equal volume mixture of normal saline and CFA at the same site and at the same time. After the model matured on day 42, rats in the EAPZ group received zinc gavage treatment (10 mg/kg/day) for 4 weeks. Rats in both the NC and EAP groups were given the same amount of normal saline by gavage. All rats were killed at 22 weeks of age. Prostate, epididymis, and serum were extracted from rats for further experiments. RESULTS:The study revealed that rats in the EAP group exhibited elevated levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in the ventral prostate lobe and higher expression levels of acid phosphatase (ACP) in serum. The total sperm count, viability, motility, and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) decreased significantly. Furthermore, serum zinc levels and ventral prostate zinc levels were reduced. Free zinc was also reduced in the ventral prostate and sperm of rats. The ventral prostate lobe tissues from EAP rats showed decreased protein expression of ZNT4, ZNT9, ZIP1, ZIP8, and ZIP14, while protein expression levels of IKKβ, IκBα, p-IκBα, p-NF-κB were increased. The overall data demonstrated damage to ventral prostate tissue, imbalance of zinc homeostasis, activation of inflammatory pathways, and impairment of sperm parameters in EAP rats. In the EAPZ group, there was a reduction in the expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. Conversely, sperm parameters and mitochondrial membrane potential exhibited an increase, while serum zinc and ventral prostate zinc levels demonstrated a rise. Additionally, the expression levels of the aforementioned zinc transporter and pathway proteins were restored. CONCLUSION:The above phenomena indicating that zinc supplementation could restore the balance of zinc homeostasis in the EAP rats, thereby reducing inflammation and damage to sperm parameters.

Spermiogenesis is a unique process, in which round spermatids undergo morphological changes to form spermatozoa. Serine/Threonine Kinase 33 (STK33), a member of the serine/threonine protein kinase family, plays a pivotal role in spermiogenesis, manifested by the infertile phenotype of Stk33 knockout mice and patients carrying STK33 mutations. To date, the mechanism by which STK33 promotes spermiogenesis is not fully understood. Here we aimed to identify germ cell-specific proteins that interact with STK33. Using immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry, 13 proteins were identified that potentially interact with STK33 in testicular germ cells. By comparing the expression patterns of the candidate genes in testicular germ cells, we selected Y-Box Binding Protein 2 (YBX2) and Testis Specific Serine Kinase Substrate (TSKS) for validation. When co-expressed in cultured cells, TSKS was immunoprecipitated by STK33, and vice versa. Furthermore, STK33 was recruited to the TSKS foci, likely through interaction with TSKS. Although proximity ligation assay demonstrated that STK33 and YBX2 form the complex in germ cells, their interaction was not recapitulated in cultured cells. Phosphorylation assays showed that STK33 was unable to phosphorylate both YBX2 and TSKS in vitro. Overall, these results suggest that STK33 regulates spermiogenesis through TSKS and YBX2, which warrants further investigation in vivo.

Abnormal development of granulosa cells is widely recognized as a critical factor contributing to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However, the precise etiology and underlying mechanisms of this disorder remain largely elusive. Accumulating evidence suggests that dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of PCOS. In this study, we systematically investigated the functional impact of miR-30c-5p on the human cumulus cells (CCs). Our findings revealed that miR-30c-5p suppresses the proliferation and induces apoptosis in the human granulosa-like tumor cell line (KGN) via targeting SIRT1. Notably, the expression level of miR-30c-5p was significantly elevated in PCOS patients compared to healthy controls, whereas the expression of SIRT1 was markedly reduced. A negative correlation was observed between miR-30c-5p and SIRT1 expression. Mechanistically, upregulation of miR-30c-5p led to decreased expression of SIRT1 and Bcl-2 proteins, while simultaneously enhancing the expression of Bax proteins. Furthermore, our data confirmed that SIRT1 serves as a direct target of miR-30c-5p. Collectively, these results indicate that miR-30c-5p promotes apoptosis of GCs by directly targeting SIRT1, thereby representing a novel molecular target for improving GC dysfunction in PCOS patients.

The study aims to explore the sperm parameters that affect early embryo development in in vitro fertilization (IVF) and to study their relationship with sperm zinc homeostasis and seminal plasma antioxidation. The semen samples were incubated at 37°C for 1, 2, 3, and 4 h, and the sperm progressive motility (PR) was analyzed. We found that the sperm PR significantly decreased after 3 h of incubation (p < 0.01) and further decreased after 4 h (p < 0.001). The correlation analysis showed that sperm PR was significant positively correlated with transferable embryo rate (r = 0.155, p = 0.026) and blastocyst formation rate (r = 0.140, p = 0.044) after incubation for 4 h, while its decline rate was significant negatively correlated with transferable embryo rate (r = −0.151, p = 0.030) and blastocyst formation rate (r = −0.220, p = 0.002). Additionally, the ELISA assay indicated that patients with PR > 32% and decline rate < 30% had significantly higher levels of total antioxidant capacity (T‐AOC) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the seminal plasma compared to patients with PR < 32% and decline rate > 30% (p < 0.05), while malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were significantly lower (p < 0.05). The results of the zinc fluorescence probe showed that the level of free zinc ion in sperm in the high motility and low decline rate group was significantly higher than that in the low motility and high decline rate group (p < 0.05). The quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) and immunofluorescence results showed that the group with high motility and low decline rate had significantly higher relative expression levels of G protein‐coupled receptor 39 (GPR39), anoctamin 1 (ANO1), and zinc transporter protein 13 (ZIP13) mRNA (p < 0.05). In conclusion, patients with low PR and high PR decline rate after 4 h of incubation had poor early embryo development results in IVF. This may be through the reduction of zinc homeostasis‐associated protein expression to accelerate the oxidative stress process, thereby reducing sperm quality and ultimately affecting embryonic development.

BACKGROUND:The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to evaluate the effect of day 3 embryo cell number on the clinical pregnancy and neonatal outcomes of single blastocyst transfer in frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles. METHODS:The study included 1220 single blastocyst transfer from FET cycles conducted between January 2017 and April 2024. Patients were categorized into four groups based on day 3 embryo cell number : 110 cycles in the < 7-cell group, 743 cycles in the 7-9-cell group, 282 cycles in the 10-13-cell group, and 84 cycles in the > 13-cell group. The study compared the clinical pregnancy outcomes and neonatal outcomes among the four groups. RESULTS:When the maternal age was < 35 years or high-quality blastocysts were transferred, the clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) of the < 7-cell group was significantly lower than those of other three groups (all P < 0.008). Similarly, when high-quality blastocysts were transferred, the live birth rates (LBRs) of the 7-9-cell group and > 13-cell group were significantly higher than those of the < 7-cell group (all P < 0.008). In women aged < 35 years with high-quality blastocyst transfers, after adjusting for confounders, 7-9 and 10-13 groups were with significantly higher CPR (aOR 2.66, 95% CI 1.44-4.91; aOR 2.15, 95%CI 1.10-4.18 and LBR (aOR 2.50, 95%CI 1.32-4.73, aOR 1.74, 95% CI 0.88-3.46). CONCLUSION:In FET cycles, a low day 3 cell number (< 7-cell) on day 3 was related to decreased CPR and LBR after blastocyst transfer, whereas a number > 9 was comparable to that of 7-9 cells.

Bisphenol A (BPA), a common environmental endocrine disruptor, has been shown to adversely affect male reproductive function. However, the mechanisms of reproductive impairment in both BPA-exposed males (F0) and their unexposed offspring (F1) remain unclear. Furthermore, there are currently no reports on that paternal Zinc (Zn) and/or Selenium (Se) supplementation ameliorate BPA-induced and transgenerational reproductive damage in F0 and F1, respectively. This study aimed to address these scientific issues by integrating transcriptomics and metabolomics. Our results revealed that BPA induced reproductive damage of F0 by altering the transport and homeostasis of Zn and Se, disrupting the synthesis and transformation balances of testosterone (T) and estradiol (E2), and increasing the oxidative stress and apoptosis levels. Furthermore, most of the changes of F0 was transmitted to F1 generation, causing reproductive damage to the male offspring. In contrast, supplementing with Zn and/or Se for F0 could alleviate these impacts of BPA on F0 and F1. Notably, the combination of Zn and Se was generally more effective compared to individual supplementation. The transcriptomics and metabolomics analyses revealed the overall mechanisms of Zn and/or Se alleviating BPA-induced testicular damage in F0 and F1 male mice. The reason why Zn and Se combined is superior to Zn or Se alone is related to their unique or additive regulatory roles on the oxidative phosphorylation pathway and antioxidant functions, which exhibits the characteristic of intergenerational transmission in male mice.

Male infertility is a common complication of diabetes. Diabetes leads to the decrease of zinc (Zn) content, which is a necessary trace element to maintain the normal structure and function of reproductive organs and spermatogenesis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of metformin combined with zinc on testis and sperm in diabetic mice. 10 of 50 male mice were randomly divided into control group (group C), and the remaining 40 mice were randomly divided into untreated diabetes group (group D), diabetes + zinc group (group Z, 10 mg/(kg • d)), diabetes + metformin group (group M, 200 mg/(kg • d)), and diabetes + zinc + metformin group (group ZM, Z 10 mg/(kg • d) + M 200 mg/(kg • d)), with 10 mice in each group. Mice fasted overnight were killed, and testes and sperm were collected for further experiments. In group D, the structure of testis was disordered, and the structure of sperm tail was destroyed and the deformity rate increased. In group D, total zinc, free zinc ions, metallothionein (MT), and metal transcription factor (MTF1) in testis were significantly decreased, while the expressions of zinc transporters ZNT7, ZIP13, and ZIP14 were significantly increased. In group D, the fluorescence intensity of free zinc in sperm tail, the expression of MT2, and MTF1 mRNA decreased significantly, while the expression of ZNT7, ZIP13, and ZIP14 mRNA increased significantly. Estrogen (E2) levels, steroid synthesis-related proteins (including CYP19A1, 3β-HSD, LHR, and STAR), and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway-related proteins (PI3K, p-AKT/AKT, p-mTOR/mTOR) expression were significantly decreased in group D. In addition, zinc combined with metformin activates PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, corrects zinc homeostasis imbalance in testis and sperm, and improves testosterone synthesis and semen quality in male type 2 diabetic mice.

As an important micronutrient, selenium exerts antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects via selenoproteins. Key components of selenium transport include the glutathione peroxidase system, selenoprotein P, metal-regulated transcription factor 1, and zinc transporter protein 8. These proteins regulate selenium homeostasis and maintain appropriate selenium levels, which subsequently influences various organ functions. Selenium is closely linked to male reproduction, as it affects physiological processes, such as spermatogenesis, maturation, and motility by regulating oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. There is a significant correlation between semen selenium levels and quality, and moderate selenium supplementation can improve semen quality in men with infertility. This review describes the general biological and specific role of selenium in male reproduction, and transport mechanism of selenoproteins. Furthermore, it discusses the current research advancements in the capacity of selenium supplementation to mitigate reproductive toxicity and improve semen quality in clinical and experimental settings.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common complication of diabetes. Diabetes leads to the decrease of zinc (Zn) content, and zinc deficiency can cause sexual dysfunction, hypoplasia of sexual organs, and secondary sexual characteristics. The purpose of this study was to explore the protective effect of metformin combined with zinc on erectile function in diabetic mice induced by streptozotocin (STZ). Ten of 50 male mice were randomly selected as the control group (group C), and the remaining 40 mice were randomly divided into the diabetes treatment group (group D), diabetes + zinc group (group Z), diabetes + metformin group (group M), and diabetes + metformin + zinc group (group ZM), with 10 mice in each group. The diabetic mouse model was induced by high-fat diet (HFD) and STZ. Diabetic mice in group Z were given oral zinc (10 mg/kg) once a day for 4 weeks, group M diabetic mice were given metformin (200 mg/kg) once a day for 4 weeks, diabetic mice in group ZM were given metformin and zinc once a day for 4 weeks, and group C and group D were given the same amount of sterile water. The mice that fasted overnight were killed, and blood samples and penises were collected for further experiments. The combined treatment of zinc and metformin can reduce penis weight and improve the structural damage of the cavernous body caused by diabetes. The combined treatment of zinc and metformin can improve the serum zinc content and the fluorescence intensity of free zinc ions in penis and correct the unbalanced zinc homeostasis by changing the expressions of zinc transporter (ZnT3, ZnT8, ZIP10, and ZIP14) in penis tissue. The results showed that combined treatment with zinc and metformin can increase the expression of Bcl-2, decrease the expression of Bax and caspase-3, and decrease the apoptosis index of cavernous cells caused by diabetes. In addition, the combined treatment of zinc and metformin can increase the levels of SOD, NO, and cGMP in penis tissue; decrease MDA level; inhibit TGF-β1/Smad3 pathway-related proteins; increase the expression levels of eNOS, α-SMA, and CD31 proteins; and reduce collagen deposition in the penis. In a word, we found that zinc combined with metformin can inhibit the TGF-β1/Smad3 pathway; correct the imbalance of zinc homeostasis in the cavernous body; reduce the levels of oxidative stress, fibrosis, and apoptosis; and improve the structural damage of the cavernous body in male type 2 diabetic mice.

BACKGROUND:Obesity is an important risk factor for prostate damage. The importance of zinc in male reproductive spermatogenesis and the anti-inflammatory properties of zinc have been studied. However, the role of zinc in obesity-induced prostate proliferation and inflammatory injury and changes in zinc transporters are unknown and require extensive research and validation. MATERIALS AND METHODS:In this study, we modeled high-fat-fed obese rats. Then, the zinc supplementation group was given daily intragastric administration of zinc sulfate saline solution, while the control group and the high-fat group received the same amount of saline intragastric administration for 8 consecutive weeks. Sperm parameters were statistically analyzed, serum hormones were determined by chemiluminescence immunoanalyzer, and biochemical indexes were determined by automatic biochemical instrument. Inflammatory factors in prostate tissue were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), zinc content in prostate tissue was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and zinc transporters, inflammation and apoptosis indicators in prostate tissues were analyzed by Western Blot analysis (WB). RESULT:We found that obese rats had decreased sperm motility and sperm count and decreased androgens, leading to male reproductive disorders, whereas sperm motility and sperm count were increased in obese rats after zinc supplementation. The prostate epithelial cells of obese rats showed papillary proliferation with leukocyte infiltration, and the papillary proliferation of epithelial cells was alleviated after zinc supplementation. Meanwhile, pro-inflammatory cytokines and insulin growth factors IL-6, IL-1β, and IGF1 were significantly increased in prostate tissues of obese rats, whereas they were decreased after zinc supplementation. The expression of zinc transporters ZIP10 and ZIP6 was increased and the expression of ZnT3 was decreased in obese rats, while the expression of zinc transporters ZIP6 and ZIP10 was decreased and the expression of ZnT3 was increased after zinc supplementation. WB results showed that zinc supplementation reduced the expression of JAK1/STAT3, elevated the expression of caspase8, caspase3, and Bax, and decreased the expression of Bcl2. Bcl2 expression. This may be due to the fact that zinc supplementation can reduce the level of prostate inflammatory factors and insulin growth factor and promote apoptosis, thus improving prostate cell proliferation and inflammatory injury. CONCLUSION:Zinc ameliorates prostate proliferation and inflammatory injury in obese rats by regulating zinc homeostasis, inhibiting the JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway, and promoting apoptosis. These results provide new insights into the role of zinc as a regulator of prostate metabolism and further illustrate the potential application of zinc in male reproductive disorders.

The prostate gland is the largest accessory sex gland in the male reproductive system, and is recognized for its elevated zinc concentration. Recently, the incidence of prostate diseases has increased, posing a significant threat to the health of men. Increasing evidence suggests that maintaining normal prostate function requires proper zinc homeostasis. Prostate disease can cause changes in the regulation of zinc levels in the prostate. Studies have indicated that patients with prostatitis, prostate enlargement, or prostate cancer experience an imbalance in zinc homeostasis, resulting in changes in zinc levels in the body and altered distribution of zinc in tissues. Zinc prevents the malignant transformation of normal prostate tissue by blocking citric acid oxidation, inducing apoptosis, and exhibiting antioxidant activity. Therefore, studying changes in zinc homeostasis in prostate diseases is of great clinical value for diagnosing and treating these diseases. This article reviews the distribution and content of zinc in the prostate, the mechanism underlying zinc homeostasis regulation, the role of zinc homeostasis in prostate diseases, and the clinical applications of zinc.

Zinc is essential for testicular development, spermatogenesis, sperm protection, and male fertility maintenance. However, existing research on the relationship between zinc and sperm quality parameters shows inconsistent results. This study aimed to evaluate seminal plasma zinc levels and analyze their correlation with sperm parameters. We collected 791 male semen samples, measuring seminal plasma zinc levels via spectrophotometry and assessing the linear relationship between zinc levels and sperm parameters using RCS curves and threshold effect analysis. The results demonstrated an inverted U-shaped association between seminal plasma zinc concentration and both sperm concentration and total sperm count (p for nonlinear < 0.001). When the concentration of zinc in seminal plasma is < 156.54 mg/L, sperm concentration increases with the increase of zinc concentration in seminal plasma (β = 0.19, 95

This study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of using refrigerated versus pre-warmed media for preparing time-lapse dishes in in vitro fertilization (IVF). Patients undergoing their first IVF/ICSI cycle were divided into two groups. The control group used pre-warmed culture media, while the experimental group used refrigerated culture media. The osmotic pressure of the culture droplets in both groups was tested. No statistical differences were found between the two groups' basic data. The proportion of air microbubbles affecting imaging significantly decreased (4.55% vs. 37.97%, P < 0.001) when using pre-warmed media. However, the blastocyst formation rate (56.62% vs. 49.70%, P = 0.046) and total high-quality embryo rate (22.26% vs. 17.06%, P = 0.047) were significantly higher in the refrigerated media group compared to the pre-warmed media group. The higher rate of high-quality embryos in the refrigerated media group might result in a higher single embryo transfer rate (45.10% vs. 18.52%, P = 0.020) and implantation rate (58.23% vs. 34.69%, P = 0.010). From day -1 to day 1, osmolality increased, with the P-3.5 group showing a significant elevation compared to the other three groups. After 5 days of incubation, the osmotic pressure of group R-4.0 was significantly lower than that of groups P-3.5, P-4.0 and P-3.5. In conclusion, refrigerated culture media dishes helped stabilize the osmotic pressure of the culture microenvironment and reduce water evaporation. The refrigerated group showed a higher rate of high-quality embryos and live births, although pre-warmed culture media effectively reduced the occurrence of air microbubbles that affect embryo imaging in the next day's dishes.

Abstract Purpose To explore a day 4 embryo evaluation system based on the potential for the embryo to develop into a transferable blastocyst. Methods We observed the outcome of blastocyst culture for 1235 embryos from 199 patients. We considered the developmental stage, fragmentation, whether it was in a stage-specific cleavage pattern, and normal fertilization to formulate scoring criteria, based on whether they developed into transferable blastocysts. The receiver operative characteristics(ROC) curve was used to compare the predictive abilities of four criteria for day 4 evaluation to develop into transferable blastocysts and high-quality blastocysts. Results The developmental stage, fragmentation, normal fertilization and stage-specific cleavage pattern had the greatest impact on the formation of transferable blastocysts. There were significant differences in the formation rates of transferable blastocysts and high-quality blastocysts among different embryo grades. The areas under ROC curves of the day 4 embryo evaluation criteria constructed in this study was the highest in predicting transferable blastocyst formation, relative to the other three evaluation criteria. Conclusion This study observed the presence of pseudo-compacted embryos similar to cleavage-stage embryos. The Day 4 embryo evaluation criteria constructed in this study can effectively predict the formation of transferable blastocysts.