Seminal plasma proteomics of asymptomatic COVID-19 patients reveals disruption of male reproductive function.

ABSTRACT:

Background

A considerable proportion of males suffer from asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, while the effect on reproductive function and underlying pathomechanisms remain unclear.

Results

The total sperm count decreased evidently after asymptomatic infection, yet all semen samples were tested to be SARS-CoV-2 RNA negative. Through label‑free quantitative proteomic profiling, a total of 733 proteins were further identified in seminal plasma from 11 COVID-19 patients and seven uninfected controls. Of the 37 differentially expressed proteins, 23 were upregulated and 14 were downregulated in the COVID-19 group compared with control. Functional annotations in Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Reactome showed that these proteins were highly

SUBMITTER: Huang J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11927139 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature