Protamine 1 to protamine 2 ratio correlates with dynamic aspects of DNA fragmentation in human sperm.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between the protamine 1 to protamine 2 (P1/P2) ratio and the rate of sperm DNA fragmentation in sperm samples from human males with proven fertility and three different cohorts of male patients.


METHODS
P1/P2 ratio was analyzed using acid-urea polyacrylamide acid-urea gels electrophoresis (PAGE). Sperm DNA fragmentation using sperm chromatin dispersion methodology was analyzed after 0, 4, 8, and 24 hours of incubation at 37°C.


METHODS
University medical school and hospital.


METHODS
A total of 32 human males: six with proven fertility, seven carriers of chromosome reorganizations, nine clinical varicocele patients, and ten subclinical varicocele patients.


METHODS
None.


METHODS
P1/P2 ratio, sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) and the rate of sperm DNA fragmentation (rSDF).


RESULTS
P1/P2 ratio correlated with SDF and rSDF. Statistical differences were detected between fertile controls and patients for the three pathologies studied. rSDF yielded information that differed from baseline SDF. No differences were detected for P1/P2 ratio among patient groups, in reference to the three pathologies studied.


CONCLUSIONS
SDF and rSDF correlates with P1/P2 ratio in human sperm, and statistical differences were detected when fertile controls were compared with three different cohorts of patients.
García-Peiró
Agustín
A
Departament de Biologia Cellular, Fisiologia i Immunologia, Càtedra de Recerca Eugin-UAB, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain. agusti.garcia@uab.es
Martínez-Heredia
Juan
J
Oliver-Bonet
María
M
Abad
Carlos
C
Amengual
María José
MJ
Navarro
Joaquima
J
Jones
Celine
C
Coward
Kevin
K
Gosálvez
Jaime
J
Benet
Jordi
J
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011479:Protamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014646:Varicocele / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
D015415:Biomarkers; C082073:PRM1 protein, human; D011479:Protamines; C068621:protamine 2