The relationship between alterations in spermatozoal deoxyribonucleic acid, heparin binding sites, and semen quality.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the relationship between spermatozoal deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and fertilizing potential.


METHODS
Semen samples were examined from nine fertile donors and six donors without a confirmed pregnancy. All samples were in the normal range for count, morphology, and motility. Spermatozoa from these specimens were stained with acridine orange or Feulgen's reagent. The presence of heparin binding sites was determined by counting the number of spermatozoa that bound to heparin-coated agarose beads.


RESULTS
Acridine orange staining demonstrated that in the fertile group 42% +/- 2% of the spermatozoa fluoresced green indicating that the DNA was intact, whereas only 25% +/- 3% of the spermatozoa fluoresced green in the nonfertile group (P less than 0.05). Feulgen's staining revealed that more spermatozoa from infertile donors showed a heterogeneous DNA distribution (P less than 0.05). The DNA content of spermatozoa with heterogeneous distribution of DNA was reduced by 10% compared with those with homogeneous DNA (P less than 0.05). Normal spermatozoa as well as those with DNA anomalies possessed heparin binding sites.


CONCLUSIONS
These data demonstrated that in donor specimens with normal counts, morphology, and motility, a higher percentage of spermatozoa possess less and/or denatured DNA in the infertile group compared with the fertile donors. In contrast, the surface membranes of spermatozoa with altered DNA have heparin binding sites as do spermatozoa with intact DNA.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington 06030.
J J
JJ
Peluso
A A
AA
Luciano
J C
JC
Nulsen
D000165:Acridine Orange; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001665:Binding Sites; D004396:Coloring Agents; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D005298:Fertility; D006493:Heparin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; D012661:Semen / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D014019:Tissue Donors
D004396:Coloring Agents; C007722:Feulgen stain; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; D006493:Heparin; D004247:DNA; D000165:Acridine Orange