Protective effect of lycopene on human spermatozoa during cryopreservation and its mechanism.
- Author:
Zuo-wen LIANG
;
Kai-min GUO
;
Xiao-fan DAI
;
Ling-yun LIU
;
Sheng-qi XU
;
Li-jing ZHAO
;
Fu-biao LI
;
Hong-liang WANG
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH: Apoptosis; Carotenoids; pharmacology; Cryopreservation; Cryoprotective Agents; pharmacology; Flow Cytometry; Humans; Male; Malondialdehyde; analysis; Oxidative Stress; Reactive Oxygen Species; Semen Analysis; Semen Preservation; adverse effects; methods; Sperm Motility; Spermatozoa; drug effects; physiology
- From: National Journal of Andrology 2015;21(6):521-526
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect of lycopene against cryopreservation injury of post-thawing human sperm and its mechanism.
METHODSSemen samples were collected from 25 volunteers, each sample equally divided into four parts to be cryopreserved with cryoprotectant only (Ly0 control) or cryoprotectant + lycopene at the concentrations of 2 (Ly2), 5 (Ly5), and 10 µmol/L (Ly10), respectively. Before and after thawing, the semen samples were subjected to computer-assisted semen analysis ( CASA) for sperm kinematics, flow cytometry for sperm apoptosis, thiobarbituric acid assay for malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, and JC-1 fluorescent staining for the sperm mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP).
RESULTSAfter cryopreservation, sperm motility was markedly decreased in all the groups (P < 0.01). The rate of sperm apoptosis was significantly lower in the Ly5 group than in the Ly0 control ([25.68 ± 4.36]% vs [33.26 ± 4.78]%, P < 0.05), while sperm MMP remarkably higher in the former than in the latter ([66.18 ± 14.23]% vs [55.24 ± 12.31]%, P < 0.05). The Ly2, Ly5 and Ly10 groups showed no statistically significance differences in the MDA level from the Ly0 control (P > 0.05).
CONCLUSIONAddition of lycopene at a proper concentration to cryoprotectant may reduce oxidative damage to sperm mitochondria in the freezing-thawing process, attenuate oxidative stress injury induced by reactive oxygen species to sperm plasma membrane, and improve the anti-apoptosis ability of sperm.