Sperm head morphology is related to high deoxyribonucleic acid stainability assessed by sperm chromatin structure assay.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship between sperm strict morphology and sperm chromatin integrity.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
Infertility clinic.


METHODS
Eighty-seven consecutive semen samples from non-azoospermic men presenting for infertility evaluation and 6 samples from fertile donors.


METHODS
Assessment of standard semen parameters and sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) parameters (%DFI [DNA fragmentation index] and %HDS [high DNA stainability]). Evaluation of %HDS and %DFI after treatment with dithiothreitol (a thiol-reducing agent used to decondense sperm nuclei) was also undertaken.


METHODS
Relationship between sperm strict morphology defects and SCSA parameters (%DFI and %HDS).


RESULTS
We observed significant relationships between the percentage of normal sperm forms and both %HDS (r = -0.40) and sperm motility (r = 0.32). We also found significant relationships between sperm head defects and both %HDS (r = 0.40) and sperm concentration (r = -0.39). Sperm tail, midpiece, and neck defects were not significantly related to the SCSA parameters. Treatment of spermatozoa with dithiothreitol (to induce decondensation) resulted in a substantial increase in %HDS but no measurable change in %DFI.


CONCLUSIONS
The observed relationship between sperm head defects and %HDS suggests that sperm head abnormalities may, in part, be due to incomplete sperm chromatin condensation.
Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ziniarmand@yahoo.com
Armand
A
Zini
Simon
S
Phillips
Annick
A
Courchesne
Jason M
JM
Boman
Abdulaziz
A
Baazeem
Francois
F
Bissonnette
Isaac Jacques
IJ
Kadoch
Maria
M
San Gabriel
D053627:Asthenozoospermia / Q000473:pathology; D053713:Azoospermia / Q000473:pathology; D002843:Chromatin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D004249:DNA Damage; D004229:Dithiothreitol / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000473:pathology; D012016:Reference Values; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D013076:Sperm Count; D013077:Sperm Head / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology
D002843:Chromatin; D004247:DNA; D004229:Dithiothreitol