title: Phosphatidylserine translocation in human spermatozoa from impaired spermatogenesis.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate phosphatidylserine translocation in specific patient groups and compare the rates of apoptosis between ejaculated and testicular spermatozoa. Fifty-six patients undergoing infertility treatments were included in the present study. Semen samples (n = 37) were obtained from cases with normozoospermia (n = 9) and abnormal semen parameters (n = 28). Testicular biopsy was performed in 19 patients, eight with obstructive and six with non-obstructive (hypospermatogenesis) azoospermia, and in five patients without azoospermia (anejaculation and oligozoospermia). Phosphatidylserine externalization was assessed using annexin-V binding and fluorescence microscopy, and propidium iodide exclusion tests were used to distinguish live from dead cells. In semen, oligoasthenoteratozoospermia showed significantly increased rates of sperm apoptosis (60.3 +/- 12.9) than normozoospermia (47.5 +/- 10.2). In testis, hypospermatogenesis (63.3 +/- 10.3) and obstructive azoospermia (63.6 +/- 15.1) showed significantly increased rates of sperm apoptosis than non-azoospermic patients (49.6 +/- 25.5). Comparisons between semen and testis showed that oligozoospermia had significantly higher rates of sperm apoptosis in semen (57.9 +/- 11.9) than in testis (29.4 +/- 1.1). The results suggest the presence of a post-testicular apoptotic induction factor and the potential beneficial use of testicular spermatozoa in clinical treatments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal. carola@med.up.pt
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barros
mesh_terms: D017304:Annexin A5; D017209:Apoptosis; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000503:physiopathology; D010718:Phosphatidylserines / Q000378:metabolism*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D017304:Annexin A5; D010718:Phosphatidylserines