Evaluation of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase and S-adenosyl-methionine level in male infertility: A case-control study

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase enzyme (MTHFR) plays a key role in regulating folate balance, converting homocysteine to methionine, and producing s-adenosylmethionine (SAM) that plays a role in the methylation process.

This study aimed to determine MTHFR activity and SAM level in men with normozoospermia and oligozoospermia.

30 oligozoospermic and 30 normozoospermic men as controls were enrolled in this case-control study. Semen analysis was conducted according to the world health organization criteria. All semen samples were collected after 3-5 days of sexual abstinence. The sperms were evaluated by sperm test video software. All subjects SAM level was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit, and MTHFR were measured manually.

2 groups had a significant difference in sperm morphology (p = 0.02), concentration (p = 0.02) and motility (p = 0.03). The MTHFR activity in normozoospermic and oligozoospermic groups had significantly differences (p = 0.01). The level of SAM in the semen of oligozoospermic men was statistically lower than normozoospermic men (p = 0.03). Also, there was a positive association between MTHFR enzyme activity and SAM level in the normozoospermia group (p = 0.02, β = 0.67) and oligozoospermia group (p = 0.03, β = 0.54).

MTHFR activity and SAM concentration were statistically lower in oligozoospermia men. It seems they can affect sperm concentration, morphology, and motility.