Correlation of oxidative stress with sperm DNA integrity and semen parameters in infertile men with varicocele.

Hao FU; Wen-ke Song; Xiao-hui Ling; Cai-feng Gao; Zhi-yun Chen; Jun Zhang; Fu-neng Jiang

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Correlation of oxidative stress with sperm DNA integrity and semen parameters in infertile men with varicocele.

Author: Hao FU ¹ ; Wen-Ke SONG ² ; Xiao-Hui LING ³ ; Cai-Feng GAO ³ ; Zhi-Yun CHEN ³ ; Jun ZHANG ³ ; Fu-Neng JIANG ⁴
Author Information

1. Department of Urology, Nanhua Hospital Affiliated to Nanhua University, Hengyang, Hunan 421002, China.
2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nanhua Hospital Affiliated to Nanhua University, Hengyang, Hunan 421002, China.
3. Center of Reproductive Medicine, Huizhou Central Hospital, Huizhou, Guangdong 516001, China.
4. Department of Urology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Clinical Molecular Medicine and Diagnostics, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510180, China.
Publication Type:Journal Article
Keywords: DNA fragmentation index; DNA integrity; male infertility; oxidative stress; reactive oxygen species; semen parameter; varicocele
MeSH: DNA Fragmentation; Humans; Infertility, Male; complications; Male; Oxidative Stress; Prospective Studies; Reactive Oxygen Species; metabolism; Semen; Sperm Motility; Spermatozoa; pathology; Varicocele; complications
From: National Journal of Andrology 2016;22(6):530-533
CountryChina
Language:Chinese
Abstract:
ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship of oxidative stress with DNA integrity and semen parameters in infertile men with varicocele (VC).
METHODSThis prospective study included 98 infertile males with VC. According to the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the semen, we divided the patients into a high ROS group (n=44) and a low ROS group (n=54), determined the sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI), motility and morphology, and analyzed their correlation with ROS in the two groups of patients.
RESULTSCompared with the patients of the low ROS group, those of the high ROS group showed a significantly higher DFI (27.38±8.10 vs 34.49±6.05, P=0.039) and a higher concentration of seminal leukocytes (［0.65±0.15］×10⁶/ml vs ［0.86±0.41］×10⁶/ml, P=0.022), but lower sperm motility (［36.16±22.83］% vs ［18.22±25.21］%, P=0.017), percentage of progressively motile sperm (［23.34±11.53］% vs ［16.34±9.22］%, P=0.041), sperm curvilinear velocity (［27.03±6.21］ vs ［20.62±4.38］ μm/s, P=0.013), and sperm linearity (［29.75±8.24］% vs ［18.30±7.93］%, P=0.024). Spearman correlation analysis indicated that the ROS level was correlated positively with the concentration of seminal leukocytes (r=0.41, P<0.01) and DFI (r=0.21, P=0.006), but negatively with sperm curvilinear velocity (r=－0.24, P=0.017), linearity (r=－0.24, P=0.021), motility (r=－0.31, P=0.002), and the percentage of progressively motile sperm (r=－0.41, P=0.012). Additionally, the sperm DFI manifested a significant negative correlation with sperm motility (r=－0.29, P<0.01) and the percentage of progressively motile sperm (r=－0.34, P<0.01).
CONCLUSIONSThe level of seminal ROS is positively correlated with the sperm DFI in infertile men with varicocele, and both the ROS level and DNA integrity are associated with semen parameters.