The Association of Gut Microbiota and Spermatogenic Dysfunction

NCT ID: NCT05628987

Last Updated: 2024-07-24

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Total Enrollment

306 participants

Study Classification

OBSERVATIONAL

Study Start Date

2023-02-20

Study Completion Date

2025-06-30

Brief Summary

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This is a multicenter, case-control study that aims to investigate the relationship between microbiota and sperm quality via stool, blood, and urine microbiome, metabolomics, and collected clinical metadata. The results of the spermatogenic dysfunction, including aspermia, oligozoospermia, asthenozoospermia, and teratozoospermia, will be compared to normal basic semen analysis utilizing the World Health Organization (WHO) semen analysis procedure 5th edition.

Detailed Description

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Infertility is a global issue that affects as much as 10%-15% of couples. Approximately half of infertility can be attributed to men. Recently, a worldwide accelerated decline in sperm counts was reported. And the gut microbiome modulates many physiological functions and diseases, including host immunity, metabolic diseases, neuropsychiatric disorders, and so on. Recent publications demonstrate the links between intestinal microbiota and sperm production in fat animals and a few patients. And systemic clinical research would be necessary to explore the human microbiota and males with fertility disorders.

The primary objective of the study is to determine the links between the gut microbiome and sperm quality utilizing microbiome and metabolomics. Stool, blood, and urine will be collected when a patient completes basic semen analysis and informed consent is signed. Microbiome and metabolomics will be compared among aspermia, oligozoospermia, asthenozoospermia, teratozoospermia, and normal individuals.

Conditions

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Infertility, Male Azoospermia Oligozoospermia Asthenozoospermia Teratozoospermia

Study Design

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Observational Model Type

CASE_CONTROL

Study Time Perspective

PROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

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Azoospermia

After an abstinence period of 2-7 days, two basic semen analysis, the absence of spermatozoa

no intervention

Intervention Type OTHER

Observational studies, no intervention

Oligozoospermia

After an abstinence period of 2-7 days, the total sperm number \<39\*10\^6 per ejaculate or the sperm concentration \< 15 \* 10\^6 per ml

no intervention

Intervention Type OTHER

Observational studies, no intervention

Asthenozoospermia

After an abstinence period of 2-7 days, the progressive motility (PR) \< 32%

no intervention

Intervention Type OTHER

Observational studies, no intervention

Teratozoospermia

After an abstinence period of 2-7 days, the percentage of morphologically normal spermatozoa \<4%

no intervention

Intervention Type OTHER

Observational studies, no intervention

Control

After an abstinence period of 2-7 days, the basic semen analysis is normal.

no intervention

Intervention Type OTHER

Observational studies, no intervention

Interventions

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no intervention

Observational studies, no intervention

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Aged 18 to 45 years, males
* Body Mass Index (BMI):18.5-29.9 kg/m\^2
* After an abstinence period of 2-7 days, two abnormal semen analysis, the absence of spermatozoa from both replicates will be included in the azoospermia group, the total sperm number (\<39\*10\^6 per ejaculate) or the sperm concentration ( \< 15 \* 10\^6 per ml) will be oligozoospermia group, the progressive motility (PR) (\< 32%) will be asthenozoospermia group; the percentage of morphologically normal spermatozoa (\<4%) will be teratozoospermia group
* Willing to provide feces, urine, blood samples, able to complete study questionnaires aimed at lifestyle factors (cigarette smoking, high temperature environment and others ) and other data collection instruments (e.g. physical activity, food frequency questionnaire, stress and others)

Exclusion Criteria

* Age \< 18 or \> 45 years
* History of Zocanidin, Vitamin E, antibiotics, clyster, gastrointestinal endoscope in the past 30 days, or other drugs known to interact with semen quality or gut microbiota, history of high alcohol consumption (liquor over 200 ml, beer over 1000 ml) in the past 7 days or drinking every week in the past month
* A known genetic cause of male factor spermatogenesis dysfunction, including chromosomal or gene disorders (e.g. Y chromosome deletions, CFTR mutation)
* History of male reproductive system (e.g. testis, epididymis, seminiferous duct and others) damage, surgery, tumor or infection
* History of Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, acute gastrointestinal disease, renal failure, liver cirrhosis, hypoplasia, X-rays exposure and other diseases related to spermatogenic dysfunction, history of intestinal gastrointestinal surgery (exclude appendix surgery)
* History of psychoses or other mental conditions that would result in cognitive impairment and inability to participate in any part of this study including the informed consent process
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

45 Years

Eligible Sex

MALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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National Natural Science Foundation of China

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role collaborator

Zhujiang Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Hongwei Zhou

Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Hongwei Zhou

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

Southern Medical University, China

Locations

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Guangdong Provincial Fertility Hospital

Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

Site Status NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital

Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

Site Status NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University

Guanzhou, Guangdong, China

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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China

Central Contacts

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Shuo Wang

Role: CONTACT

13265068619 ext. +86

Facility Contacts

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Xinzong Zhang

Role: primary

Tao Jing

Role: primary

13570464923 ext. +86

Shuo Wang

Role: primary

13265068619 ext. +86

References

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He Y, Wu W, Zheng HM, Li P, McDonald D, Sheng HF, Chen MX, Chen ZH, Ji GY, Zheng ZD, Mujagond P, Chen XJ, Rong ZH, Chen P, Lyu LY, Wang X, Wu CB, Yu N, Xu YJ, Yin J, Raes J, Knight R, Ma WJ, Zhou HW. Regional variation limits applications of healthy gut microbiome reference ranges and disease models. Nat Med. 2018 Oct;24(10):1532-1535. doi: 10.1038/s41591-018-0164-x. Epub 2018 Aug 27.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30150716 (View on PubMed)

Yang H, Zhang J, Xue Z, Zhao C, Lei L, Wen Y, Dong Y, Yang J, Zhang L. Potential Pathogenic Bacteria in Seminal Microbiota of Patients with Different Types of Dysspermatism. Sci Rep. 2020 Apr 23;10(1):6876. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-63787-x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 32327694 (View on PubMed)

Ding N, Zhang X, Zhang XD, Jing J, Liu SS, Mu YP, Peng LL, Yan YJ, Xiao GM, Bi XY, Chen H, Li FH, Yao B, Zhao AZ. Impairment of spermatogenesis and sperm motility by the high-fat diet-induced dysbiosis of gut microbes. Gut. 2020 Sep;69(9):1608-1619. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2019-319127. Epub 2020 Jan 2.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 31900292 (View on PubMed)

Martinot E, Thirouard L, Holota H, Monrose M, Garcia M, Beaudoin C, Volle DH. Intestinal microbiota defines the GUT-TESTIS axis. Gut. 2022 Apr;71(4):844-845. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2021-324690. Epub 2021 May 13. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 33985968 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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Zhujiangjj-03

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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