The effects of age on DNA fragmentation, chromatin packaging and conventional semen parameters in spermatozoa of oligoasthenoteratozoospermic patients.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of male ageing on DNA fragmentation and chromatin packaging in the spermatozoa of oligoasthenoteratozoospermic (OAT) patients.


METHODS
Sixty-one OAT patients and 49 men with proven fertility (controls) were included in the present study. DNA fragmentation was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-nick end labelling (TUNEL) assay, while chromatin packaging was assessed by chromomycin A3 (CMA3) staining.


RESULTS
In the patient group, semen volume, percentage of normally shaped spermatozoa and sperm motility decreased significantly (P<0.05) with age, while sperm concentration and the percentage of TUNEL and CMA3 positive spermatozoa showed a statistically significant increase with age (P<0.05). In the control group, conventional semen parameters as well as DNA fragmentation and chromatin packaging did not show a statistically significant change with age (P>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Increased age in OAT patients is associated with an increase in sperm concentration, DNA fragmentation and poor chromatin packaging, as well as a decline in semen volume, sperm morphology and motility.
Plastira
Konstantina
K
Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical School, University of Athens, and Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, Elena Venizelou Maternity Hospital, M.Asias 75, Goudi, Athens 115-27, Greece. n_plastira@yahoo.co.uk
Msaouel
Pavlos
P
Angelopoulou
Roxani
R
Zanioti
Kyriaki
K
Plastiras
Aris
A
Pothos
Alexios
A
Bolaris
Stamatis
S
Paparisteidis
Nikolaos
N
Mantas
Dimitris
D
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D053627:Asthenozoospermia / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002843:Chromatin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014128:Chromomycin A3 / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D042003:DNA Packaging; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*
D002843:Chromatin; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D014128:Chromomycin A3