The presence of bacteria and/or leukocytes can alter semen quality resulting in low sperm quality and infertility. Inflammation or infection increases the numbers of PMN or macrophages/monocytes in male genital tract. Release of extracellular traps (ETs) by leukocytes has been recognized as a novel mechanism of early host innate immunity, in response to invasive pathogens. This is the first work that evaluated the mechanism of triggered ETs in monocytes co-incubated with spermatozoa or bacteria and the effect on sperm function. Selected spermatozoa and human monocytes isolated from peripheral blood were obtained by healthy donors. Two experimental models were developed, one aseptic (non-infectious) incubating spermatozoa and monocytes, and septic models (infectious) incubating spermatozoa with monocytes and uropathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli). ETs of monocytes (METs) (DNA, global histone and citrullinated histones) were visualized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and immunofluorescence analyses. Progressive motility was performed at 0, 10, 30, 60, and 180 min after co-incubation with CASA system. SEM- and immunofluorescence-analyses revealed human spermatozoa alone or in the presence of E. coli as strong inducers METs. In aseptic model, the motility decreased to 65.2 ± 3.5% at 10 min of incubation and 29.3 ± 3.3% at 30 min (p < 0.001). In septic model, motility decreased to 44.5 ± 5.9% (10 min) and 12.7 ± 2.2% (30 min) (p < 0.001). MET-derived small spermatozoa aggregations were observed in both models. METs might physically block spermatozoa and decrease motility after a brief contact. This may impair male fertility, especially in patients with genital tract infections or chronic inflammation.

Abbreviations: PMN: polymorphonuclear; ETs: extracellular traps; E. coli: Escherichia coli; METs: ETs of monocytes; SEM: scanning electron microscopy; NE: neutrophil elastase; MPO: myeloperoxidase; MAGI: male accessory gland infection; PBMC: peripheral blood mononuclear cells; RT: room temperature; CFU: colony forming units; CASA: computer-aided sperm analysis; H4Cit3: histone H4 citrullinated 3

细菌和/或白细胞的存在会改变精液质量，导致精子质量低下和不育。炎症或感染会增加男性生殖道中PMN或巨噬细胞/单核细胞的数量。白细胞释放细胞外陷阱（ETs）已被认为是对宿主病原体应答的早期宿主先天免疫的新机制。这是评估与精子或细菌共孵育的单核细胞中触发的ETs机理及其对精子功能影响的第一项工作。健康献血者从外周血中分离出了选定的精子和人类单核细胞。开发了两种实验模型，一种是无菌的（非感染性）温育精子和单核细胞，另一种是无菌的（感染性）温育精子与单核细胞和尿毒症大肠杆菌（E. coli）。通过扫描电子显微镜（SEM）和免疫荧光分析可以观察到单核细胞（METs）的ET（DNA，整体组蛋白和瓜氨酸化组蛋白）。与CASA系统共孵育后，在0、10、30、60和180分钟进行渐进运动。扫描电镜和免疫荧光分析揭示了单独或在大肠杆菌存在下人的精子作为强诱导剂METs。在无菌模型中，在孵育10分钟时的运动性降低至65.2±3.5％，在孵育30分钟时的运动性降低至29.3±3.3％（p <0.001）。在败血病模型中，运动性降低至44.5±5.9％（10分钟）和12.7±2.2％（30分钟）（p <0.001）。在两个模型中均观察到MET衍生的小精子聚集体。短暂接触后，MET可能会物理阻断精子并降低运动能力。这可能会损害男性的生育能力，尤其是在生殖道感染或慢性炎症患者中。

缩写：PMN：多形核；ETs：细胞外陷阱；大肠杆菌：大肠杆菌；METs：单核细胞的ETs；SEM：扫描电子显微镜；NE：中性粒细胞弹性蛋白酶；MPO：髓过氧化物酶；MAGI：男性副腺感染；PBMC：外周血单个核细胞；RT：室温；CFU：菌落形成单位；CASA：计算机辅助的精子分析；H4Cit3：组蛋白H4瓜氨酸化3