Epigenetic aging of semen is associated with inflammation.

Junxi Feng, Liudmilla Rubbi, Reza Kianian, Jesse Nelson Mills, Vadim Osadchiy, John Tucker Sigalos, Sriram Venkata Eleswarapu, Matteo Pellegrini

Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA ,USA.Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA ,USA. · pubmed

Paper

Abstract

Male infertility has been a primary cause of global infertility, affecting 8-12% of couples worldwide. Previous studies have shown that semen quality decreases with advanced aging with an increased presence of inflammatory cells. In this study, we examined changes in the epigenome across a diverse cohort that includes both fertile and infertile men. We also compare the age-associated changes in semen to those observed in buccal swabs in order to characterize differences in epigenetic aging across diverse tissues. We found that variations in the semen methylome associated with aging are linked to inflammatory genes. Many age-associated sites are demethylated with advanced aging and are associated with the activation of inflammatory pathways. By contrast, we do not observe age-associated changes in inflammatory genes in buccal swab methylomes, which instead are characterized by changes to bivalent promoters. Our findings highlight the potential of epigenetic markers as indicators of male reproductive health.

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Research summary

The paper explores the epigenetic changes in semen associated with aging and inflammation, which could have implications for male reproductive health. While it addresses a relevant aspect of aging, it primarily focuses on male infertility rather than directly tackling the root causes of aging or lifespan extension. The findings contribute to understanding the relationship between epigenetics and reproductive health but do not present a significant breakthrough or transformative insights into the broader field of longevity research.

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