Targeted validation of significantly altered semen proteins in COVID-19 patients

The current global outbreak of COVID-19 has significantly impacted several organ systems. Male reproductive organs are among the potential targets of SARS-CoV-2 infection owing to the presence of abundant viral receptors; ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in the testis. However, the questions pertaining to the long term effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on male fertility are still unanswered. For this study, we procured the semen samples from COVID-19 recovered patients and performed mass spectrometry based proteomic studies to understand the impact of the disease on the biological processes involved in reproductive health.