title: [Effects of males' age on sperm apoptosis and DNA integrity].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the correlation of males'age with sperm apoptosis, sperm DNA integrity and other seminal parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected 104 semen samples and divided them into three groups according to the males' age: <35 yr (n = 43), 35 -39 yr (n = 31), and > or = 40 yr (n = 30). Based on the WHO Laboratory Manual (4th ed), we detected the seminal parameters, calculated the percentage of apoptotic sperm by flow cytometry (FCM), determined sperm DNA integrity by Acridine orange staining, and compared the results among the three groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no statistically significant differences among the < 35 yr, 35 -39 yr and > or = 40 yr groups in semen volume ([2.87 +/- 0.89] ml vs [2.98 +/- 1.09] ml vs [2.65 +/- 0.95] ml), sperm concentration ([60.40 +/- 25.43] x 10(6)/ml vs [69.74 +/- 28.33] x 10(6)/ml vs [55.97 +/- 27.22] x 10(6)/ml) (P>0.05). The percentage of progressively motile sperm was significantly lower in the > or = 40 yr ([39.00 +/- 8.35 %) than in the <35 and 35 -39 yr groups ([48.73 +/- 9.89]% and [45.65 +/- 10.55]%) (P<.0.1), and so was the percentage of morphologically normal sperm in the > or = 40 yr than in the < 35 yr group ([11.11 +/- 8.26]% vs [16.43 +/- 8.75 ]%, P<0.01). The percentage of apoptotic sperm was markedly higher in the > or = 40 yr than in the <35 yr group ([11.82 +/- 5.77]% vs [7.04 +/- 3.50]%, P<0.01), while the sperm DNA integrity significantly reduced in the > or = 40 yr group ([75.52 +/- 10.60]%) as compared with the <35 yr ([86.55 +/- 5.60])% and 35 -39 yr group ( [81.39 +/- 8.94]%) (P<0.01). The males' age was correlated positively with the rate of sperm apoptosis (P<0.01), and negatively with sperm DNA integrity and the percentage of progressively motile sperm (P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The advance in males' age increases sperm apoptosis and reduces sperm progressive motility, normal morphology and DNA integrity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050011, China. niezhaoyan@163.com
authors.forename: Zhao-Yan
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.forename: Hai-Feng
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Li-Na
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Su-Ying
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Xiu-Li
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Zhen
authors.forename: Cui-Ting
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Lü
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics*; D004247:DNA; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D004247:DNA