[Measurement of sperm DNA integrity by sperm chromatin dispersion test and TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay].
OBJECTIVE
To compare the effects of sperm chromatin dispersion (SCD) test and TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay in assessing the DNA fragmentation in human sperm.


METHODS
Motile sperms were isolated from the semen samples obtained from 20 healthy fertile men and 32 clinically infertile patients by swim-up technique, and underwent SCD and TUNEL to analyze the DNA fragmentation.


RESULTS
The rate of sperm with DNA damage of the infertile patients was 12.8% +/- 5.8% tested by SCD, significantly higher than that of the healthy fertile men (7.6% +/- 3.3%, t = 3.576, P = 0.001), and the rate of sperm with DNA damage of the infertile patients was 11.1% +/- 5.1% tested by TUNEL assay, significantly higher than that of the healthy fertile men (6.8% +/- 2.8%, t = 3.467, P = 0.001). The proportion of sperm cell with abnormal DNA integrity measured by SCD test was correlated strongly with that determined by TUNEL for the infertile men (r = 0.841, P = 0.000) and for the fertile men too (r = 0.823, P = 0.000). The rate of sperm with DNA damage measured by SCD were not significantly different from those of TUNEL-positive sperm in fertile men (t = 1.996, P = 0.060). The rate of sperm with DNA damage measured by SCD was significantly higher than that measured by TUNEL among infertile patients (t = 3.023, P = 0.005).


CONCLUSIONS
The presence of sperm DNA damage may lead to male infertility. SCD is simpler, cheaper and more reliable than TUNEL in testing the sperm DNA damage.
Zhang
Li-hong
LH
Key Laboratory for Improving Birth Outcome Technique, Shandong Institute for Family Planning, Jinan 250002, China. lihong01118@126.com
Qiu
Yi
Y
Wang
Ke-hua
KH
Li
Juan
J
Zhang
Mei-xin
MX
Liu
Jing
J
Jia
Yi-fang
YF
Wu
Ai-hua
AH
Zhang
Ai-dong
AD
Wang
Lei-guang
LG
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics*; D004249:DNA Damage; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000737:chemistry*
D004247:DNA