title: Relationship between abnormal sperm chromatin packing and IVF results.
abstract: This study was initiated to determine the relationship between the fertilizing potential of spermatozoa and abnormalities in the compact packing of their chromatin which occurs in the final stage of male germ cell differentiation. Chromatin packing involves disulphide bridge covalent cross-linking. The degree of packing was determined from the accessibility of DNA to a fluorescent dye, ethidium bromide, following detergent treatment of the spermatozoa. The amount of dye bound was determined by flow cytometry in the presence or absence of heparin, a polyanion which removes only non-disulphide bridge-linked proteins. The results of a number of different sperm samples were compared with their results following in-vitro fertilization, and a relationship between disordered sperm chromatin packing and rates of embryo cleavage was observed. This study suggests that abnormal chromatin packing in spermatozoa may contribute to male fertility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Radiobiology and Biophysics, St Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute Rassian AS, 188350, Gatchina, Russia.
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Filatov
authors.forename: E V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Semenova
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Vorob'eva
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Leont'eva
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Drobchenko
mesh_terms: D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000502:physiology; D004996:Ethidium / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000379:methods; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009845:Oligospermia; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D012016:Reference Values; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D004247:DNA; D004996:Ethidium