title: Seminal hyperviscosity is not associated with semenogelin degradation or sperm deoxyribonucleic acid damage: a prospective study of infertile couples.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association between seminal hyperviscosity, the extent of semenogelin degradation, and sperm DNA integrity (DNA fragmentation index [DFI] and high DNA stainability [HDS]) in semen from infertile couples.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University-affiliated fertility center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four consecutive infertile couples with moderate or high seminal viscosity (hyperviscosity group) and 25 consecutive infertile couples with normal semen viscosity (control group) undergoing standard IVF.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semen volume and seminal hyperviscosity, sperm concentration, motility, and morphology, level of semenogelin degradation (by immunoblotting), and sperm chromatin damage (by sperm chromatin structure assay and expressed as %DFI and %HDS) were evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sperm %DFI and %HDS in the hyperviscosity group and the control group and the relationship between the extent of semenogelin degradation and seminal viscosity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Semen volume in couples with moderate and high seminal viscosity was significantly lower as compared with the control group. In addition, total motility and normal morphology were significantly lower in the couples with high seminal viscosity as compared with the control group; however, there were no significant differences in sperm %DFI and %HDS between the hyperviscosity group and the control group. In addition, there was no relationship between the extent of semenogelin degradation and seminal viscosity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that seminal hyperviscosity (a posttesticular factor) is not an important cause of sperm DNA damage. Moreover, seminal hyperviscosity is not related to the degree of semenogelin degradation.
authors.affiliation: Toronto Centre for Advanced Reproductive Technology, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Navid
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Esfandiari
authors.affiliation: Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Eve
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de Lamirande
authors.affiliation: Toronto Centre for Advanced Reproductive Technology, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Asli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gukturk
authors.affiliation: Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Maria C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: San Gabriel
authors.affiliation: Toronto Centre for Advanced Reproductive Technology, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Zohreh
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Nazemian
authors.affiliation: Toronto Centre for Advanced Reproductive Technology, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Burjaq
authors.affiliation: Toronto Centre for Advanced Reproductive Technology, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Robert F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Casper
authors.affiliation: Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Electronic address: ziniarmand@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Armand
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D042002:Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D004249:DNA Damage; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012661:Semen / Q000737:chemistry*; D055101:Semen Analysis; D029607:Seminal Vesicle Secretory Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D014783:Viscosity
chemical_list: D029607:Seminal Vesicle Secretory Proteins; C424482:seminal vesicle-specific antigen; D004247:DNA
keywords: Semen hyperviscosity; infertile men; semenoglin; sperm DNA damage