title: Sperm DNA fragmentation in cryopreserved samples from subjects with different cancers.
abstract: Sperm cryopreservation is widely used by cancer patients undergoing chemo- or radiotherapy. Evidence suggests that IVF outcome with cryopreserved spermatozoa from cancer patients is less successful. To determine whether sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) is involved in the lower fertilising ability of cryopreserved spermatozoa of cancer patients, SDF was evaluated in thawed spermatozoa from 78 men affected by different cancers and 53 men with non-cancer pathologies. SDF was assessed by the terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-digoxigenin nick end-labelling (TUNEL), propidium iodide (PI), flow cytometry procedure, which allows determination of two different cell populations (PIbrighterand PIdimmer) and thus to determine the percentage of DNA fragmented sperm in both. PIdimmerspermatozoa are totally unviable, whereas PIbrighterspermatozoa with SDF may be motile and morphologically normal, having higher biological relevance in the reproductive process. We found that the proportion of DNA fragmented PIbrightercells was significantly higher in thawed spermatozoa from cancer than non-cancer patients. Moreover, a positive correlation was found between the degree of DNA fragmentation and sperm motility in the PIbrighter population of spermatozoa from cancer patients that wasn't seen in non-cancer patients. The results of the present study suggest that higher SDF levels may contribute to the lower IVF success of cryopreserved spermatozoa from cancer patients and that evaluation of SDF could complement genetic counselling as part of the routine management of cancer patients who seek fertility preservation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences, Centre of Excellence DeNothe, University of Florence, Viale Pieraccini 6, I-50139 Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Lara
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tamburrino
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences, Centre of Excellence DeNothe, University of Florence, Viale Pieraccini 6, I-50139 Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cambi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences, Centre of Excellence DeNothe, University of Florence, Viale Pieraccini 6, I-50139 Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marchiani
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences, Centre of Excellence DeNothe, University of Florence, Viale Pieraccini 6, I-50139 Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Manigrasso
authors.affiliation: Azienda Ospedaliera-Universitaria Careggi, Florence, Viale Pieraccini 6, I-50139 Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Selene
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Degl'Innocenti
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences, Centre of Excellence DeNothe, University of Florence, Viale Pieraccini 6, I-50139 Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Forti
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences, Centre of Excellence DeNothe, University of Florence, Viale Pieraccini 6, I-50139 Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maggi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences, Centre of Excellence DeNothe, University of Florence, Viale Pieraccini 6, I-50139 Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baldi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences, Centre of Excellence DeNothe, University of Florence, Viale Pieraccini 6, I-50139 Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muratori
mesh_terms: D015925:Cryopreservation; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D055101:Semen Analysis; D012662:Semen Preservation; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*