The impact of peritoneal fluid from healthy women and from women with endometriosis on sperm DNA and its relationship to the sperm deformity index
Received 31 March 2008; received in revised form 2 May 2008; accepted 15 May 2008. published online 30 April 2009.
Objective
To study the effect of peritoneal fluid (PF) from healthy women and from women with endometriosis on sperm DNA and its relationship to sperm morphology as assessed by the sperm deformity index (SDI).
Design
Experimental study.
Setting
Research laboratory at an academic hospital.
Patient(s)
Healthy women undergoing laparoscopic tubal ligation and women with endometriosis.
Intervention(s)
Aliquots of prepared sperm from 10 healthy donors were incubated with PF from healthy women undergoing laparoscopic tubal ligation (treatment 1, n = 10), with PF from patients with endometriosis (treatment 2, n = 10), and with human tubal fluid media with 10% bovine serum albumin (control, n = 10).
Main Outcome Measure(s)
Sperm DNA fragmentation was assessed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling assay and SDI.
Result(s)
There was a significant increase in sperm DNA damage at 24 hours compared with at 1.5 and 3 hours. The SDI scores significantly correlated with sperm DNA damage after 1.5 and 24 hours of incubation in all aliquots. Percentage normal morphology did not correlate with DNA damage.
Conclusion(s)
In vitro exposure of sperm to PF from patients with endometriosis is associated with significantly increased DNA damage. There is evidence of interdependence between the sperm morphology as assessed by SDI scores and DNA damage. The significant increase in sperm DNA damage observed after 24 hours of incubation may be clinically relevant.
aObstetrics and Gynecology and Women's Health Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
bLiverpool Women's Hospital, Liverpool, United Kingdom
cGlickman Urological and Kidney Institute, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
Reprint requests: Ashok Agarwal, Ph.D., H.C.L.D., Professor and Director, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Staff, Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute and Obstetrics/Gynecology and Women's Health Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Desk A19.1, Cleveland, Ohio 44195 (FAX: 216-636-3118).
G.M. has nothing to disclose. N.A. has nothing to disclose. R.S. has nothing to disclose. T.F. has nothing to disclose. J.G. has nothing to disclose. A.A. has nothing to disclose.
Presented at the 63rd Annual meeting of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, which was held in Washington, D.C., on October 13–17, 2007.
Research support provided by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Research Programs Committee (RPC 2006-1035), Cleveland Clinic.
ABSTRACT