男性焦虑和压力对精子印记基因甲基化的影响

目的 近年来,心理健康问题发病率不断增高,有研究报道,母亲妊娠期间因承受压力通过改变胎儿发育的编程而影响下一代的发育,而父源性的负性心理健康因素对后代的影响则研究甚少。本课题通过对男性负性心理健康因素与精子质量以及印记基因甲基化改变的相关性研究,以探讨心理因素对精子质量和印记基因甲基化水平的影响,为促进生育健康和预防不良出生结局提供依据。方法 采用横断面方法调查山西省太原市2所医院620名男性门诊就诊者。包括相关问卷调查,焦虑自评量表和知觉压力量表,收集精液,并进行精子质量分析和印记基因H19、PEG3和MEG3的甲基化水平分析。结果 被研究人群有压力的占27.4%,焦虑的占7.08%。焦虑组精液量低于非焦虑组(P<0.05)。尽管压力组和非压力组在精子质量各项指标方面未发现差异,但压力组精子印记基因PEG3甲基化区的7个CpG位点的平均甲基化水平低于非压力组(P<0.05)。焦虑和压力量表得分与PEG3甲基化区的7个CpG位点的平均甲基化水平之间存在负相关关系,而H19和MEG3与焦虑和压力量表得分均未发现相关。结论 心理健康影响男性的精子质量,并与精子印记基因甲基化水平的改变相关。

Effects of male anxiety and stress on methylation of sperm imprinting genes

Objective In recent years, the incidence of mental health problems is increasing. It was reported that stress during mother pregnancy changes the programming of fetal development, which affected offspring’s development. However, little is known about the negative paternal psychological factors on the influence of the offspring. In the present investigation, the relationships between stress and anxiety and sperm quality and the methylation level of imprinted genes were investigated respectively. This will provide important insight for promoting reproductive health and preventing adverse birth outcomes. Methods A cross-sectional survey of 620 male visitors at two hospitals in Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province was carried out. The survey included questionnaires, and collection of semen. The analysis of sperm quality and methylation levels of imprinted genes H19, PEG3 and MEG3 were also performed. Results Among the studied population, 27.4% had stress and 7.08% had anxiety. The amount of semina in the anxiety group was lower than that in the non-anxiety group (P<0.05). Although there was no difference in sperm quality parameters between the stress and non-stress groups, the average methylation level of CpG sites in imprinted gene PEG3 of the stress group was more reduced than that of the non-stress group (P<0.05). There was a negative correlation between scores of anxiety and stress and the average methylation level at CpG sites in PEG3, while no such correlation was found between H19 and MEG3 and anxiety or stress. Conclusion Stress and anxiety affects the amount of semina and correlates with the changes of the methylation level of sperm imprinting genes.