Arachidonic Acid Pathways and Male Fertility: A Systematic Review

Arachidonic acid (AA) is a polyunsaturated fatty acid that is involved in male fertility. Human seminal fluid contains different prostaglandins: PGE (PGE(1) and PGE(2)), PGF(2α), and their specific 19-hydroxy derivatives, 18,19-dehydro derivatives of PGE(1) and PGE(2). The objective of this study is to synthesize the available literature of in vivo animal studies and human clinical trials on the association between the AA pathway and male fertility. PGE is significantly decreased in the semen of infertile men, suggesting the potential for exploitation of PGE agonists to improve male fertility. Indeed, ibuprofen can affect male fertility by promoting alterations in sperm function and standard semen parameters. The results showed that targeting the AA pathways could be an attractive strategy for the treatment of male fertility.