Platelet Mitochondrial Function and Endogenous Coenzyme Q₁₀ Levels Could Be Used as Markers of Mitochondrial Health in Infertile Men: A Pilot Study

Fertility disorders are a worldwide problem affecting 8-12% of the population, with the male factor substantially contributing to about 40-50% of all infertility cases. Mitochondria, crucial organelles for cellular viability, play a pivotal role in the processes of spermatogenesis and significantly affect sperm quality and their fertilizing ability. Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) dysfunction, reduced energy supply for sperm, reduced endogenous coenzyme Q₁₀ (CoQ₁₀) levels, and oxidative stress are among the main factors that contribute to male infertility. There is great interest in the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in male infertility, and the diagnosis and assessment of mitochondrial health in infertile men present challenges. Platelets are a source of viable mitochondria that can be obtained non-invasively. Changes in platelet mitochondrial respiration were documented in various diseases, confirming platelet mitochondrial bioenergetics as a marker of systemic mitochondrial health. The aim of our study was to determine whether (a) platelet mitochondrial bioenergetics and CoQ₁₀ levels could be used as metabolic markers of mitochondrial health in infertile men and whether (b) the parameters of mitochondrial respiration in platelets correlate with sperm parameters. The high-resolution respirometry method was used for platelet bioenergetics, and the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was used for CoQ₁₀ level measurement. The static oxidation-reduction potential (sORP) of the ejaculate was evaluated by MiOXSYS^®System. We found a deficit in mitochondrial complex I-linked OXPHOS and electron transfer capacity and CoQ₁₀ and α-tocopherol levels in infertile men. The proportion of sperm, heads, and midpiece abnormalities correlated negatively with the complex I-linked parameters of platelet mitochondrial bioenergetics. We suppose that dysfunctional mitochondria contribute to increased oxidative stress, and these imbalances can be considered a cause of Male Oxidative Stress Infertility (MOSI). Our results suggest that platelet mitochondrial function and the endogenous levels of CoQ₁₀ in platelets could be used as metabolic markers for monitoring mitochondrial health and targeted therapy in infertile men. sORP could be a useful clinical biomarker of MOSI.