Fertility and Sterility
Volume 91, Issue 4 , Pages 1110-1118, April 2009

Association of sperm apoptosis and DNA ploidy with sperm chromatin quality in human spermatozoa

  • Reda Z. Mahfouz, M.D.

      Affiliations

    • Reproductive Research Center, Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
    • ,
  • Rakesh K. Sharma, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Reproductive Research Center, Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
    • ,
  • Tamer M. Said, M.D.

      Affiliations

    • Toronto Institute for Reproductive Medicine, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    • ,
  • Juris Erenpreiss, M.D.

      Affiliations

    • Andrology Laboratory, Riga Stradins University, Riga, Latvia
    • ,
  • Ashok Agarwal, Ph.D., H.C.L.D.

      Affiliations

    • Reproductive Research Center, Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests: Ashok Agarwal, Ph.D., H.C.L.D., Professor and Director, Reproductive Research Center, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Desk A19.1, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland OH 44195 (FAX: 216-445-6049).

Received 14 November 2007; received in revised form 11 January 2008; accepted 11 January 2008. published online 07 May 2008.

Objective

To examine the relationship among sperm apoptosis, sperm chromatin status, and DNA ploidy in different sperm fractions.

Design

Prospective study.

Setting

Reproductive research center in a tertiary care hospital.

Intervention(s)

Sperm prepared by density gradient were evaluated for sperm count, motility, apoptosis, and sperm chromatin assessment.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

Sperm count, sperm motility, toluidine blue (TB) results, DNA fragmentation index (%DFI), high DNA stainability, DNA cytometry, and early and late apoptosis.

Result(s)

Sperm motility was related to late apoptotic and subhaploid apoptotic sperm (r = −0.56 and −0.53, respectively). The sperm %DFI showed significant correlation with late apoptotic and subhaploid sperm (r = 0.62 and 0.68). TB-stained sperm were significantly correlated with late apoptotic sperm (r = 0.51). Significantly higher proportions of haploid sperm and light blue TB-stained sperm were seen in mature compared with immature fractions.

Conclusion(s)

Even in semen samples with low %DFI, semen processing results in a lower incidence of nuclear immaturity and subhaploidy, but the incidence of late apoptotic sperm remains unchanged. Therefore, simultaneous evaluation of apoptosis and sperm chromatin status is important for processing sperm in assisted reproductive procedures.

Key Words: Sperm DNA integrity, sperm apoptosis, sperm fractions, sperm DNA cytometry

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 R.Z.M. has nothing to disclose. R.K.S. has nothing to disclose. T.M.S. has nothing to disclose. J.E. has nothing to disclose. A.A. has nothing to disclose.

PII: S0015-0282(08)00142-8

doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2008.01.047

Fertility and Sterility
Volume 91, Issue 4 , Pages 1110-1118, April 2009

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