title: Sperm cephalic vacuoles: new arguments for their non acrosomal origin in two cases of total globozoospermia.
abstract: To add new arguments concerning the origin of the sperm-head vacuoles observed under high magnification with interference contrast microscopy, we carried out in two patients with total globozoospermia confirmed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), a detailed sperm morphometric analysis with high magnification (×6000) under Nomarski contrast, an acrosomal status analysis (using fluorescent labelling with peanut agglutinin (PNA) lectins and anti-CD46 antibodies) and a nuclear status analysis (using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling assay TUNEL, sperm chromatin structure assay SCSA and aniline blue staining). Our two patients with globozoospermia had relative sperm vacuole areas of 6.3% and 5%, similar to those observed in a reference population of 12 fertile men (5.9%). TUNEL and SCSA assays gave normal results in both patients, although the percentage of immature nuclei using aniline blue staining was increased (27 and 46% for patient 1 and 2 respectively). Cytofluorescence and TEM analysis evidence differences between the two patients: although no acrosomal neither Golgi residue could be detected in patient 1, patient 2 had positive PNA lectin labelling for 9% of spermatozoa and Golgi residues were seen using electron microscopy. Unlike patient 1, a live birth could be obtained after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) for patient 2. This descriptive study of two patients with total globozoospermia confirmed using TEM argue in favour of a deep analysis of total globozoospermia before assisted reproductive technology and provides further information on the non-acrosomal origin of the sperm-head vacuoles observed under high magnification.
authors.affiliation: Centre d'Assistance Médicale à la Procréation, Hôpital Paule de Viguier, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gatimel
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Léandri
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Foliguet
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bujan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Parinaud
mesh_terms: D000177:Acrosome / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000328:Adult; D053713:Azoospermia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D048430:Cell Shape; D042002:Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D050498:Live Birth; D008297:Male; D051916:Membrane Cofactor Protein / Q000032:analysis; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D019887:Peanut Agglutinin; D011247:Pregnancy; D055101:Semen Analysis; D013077:Sperm Head / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C497857:CD46 protein, human; D051916:Membrane Cofactor Protein; D019887:Peanut Agglutinin