Variability in Sperm DNA Fragmentation in Men with Mild/Unexplained Subfertility in a Prospective Longitudinal Intrauterine Insemination Trial

Overview

Journal Life (Basel)

Specialty Biology

Date 2022 Nov 11

PMID 36362981

Authors

Usha Punjabi

Ella Roelant

Kris Peeters

Ilse Goovaerts

Helga Van Mulders

Diane De Neubourg

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The biological variability of semen and sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) parameters in a longitudinal intrauterine insemination (IUI) trial over multiple IUI cycles was investigated. A TUNEL assay was used for SDF testing, both before and after density gradient centrifugation. A significant age effect was observed: while semen parameters deteriorated with advancing age, on average, higher SDF values were observed for older males. There was quite some variability observed for both semen and SDF variables. Using fertile threshold values, three patient categories were distinguished: those with a high SDF in all samples, those with low SDF in all samples and those who fluctuated between high and low during the whole IUI trial. Density gradient centrifugation increases SDF. However, the three patient categories react differently after semen processing. A large percentage of those with high SDF retain their high SDF even after gradient centrifugation. The SDF fluctuaters react with a high SDF after gradient centrifugation. The low SDF category, on the contrary, distributes itself evenly between the three categories after gradient centrifugation. SDF testing after semen processing might be indispensable for therapeutic purposes, probably influencing medical decision-making. In order to isolate fluctuaters, a second SDF testing might be advocated in certain cases. SDF after semen processing is indispensable for therapeutic management.

Citing Articles

Sperm DNA Fragmentation after Cryopreservation and Sperm Selection Has No Implications for Clinical Pregnancies and Live Births after Intrauterine Insemination with Donor Sperm.

Sugihara A, Punjabi U, Chimienti T, Goovaerts I, Peeters K, Bouziotis J J Pers Med. 2023; 13(12).

PMID: 38138895 PMC: 10745103. DOI: 10.3390/jpm13121668.

Intra-individual changes in sperm DNA fragmentation levels over short and long time periods.

Karavani G, Kattan M, Lau S, Lo K, Grober E, Akroof B J Assist Reprod Genet. 2023; 40(9):2267-2274.

PMID: 37495897 PMC: 10440318. DOI: 10.1007/s10815-023-02891-z.

Is There a Relationship between Sperm DNA Fragmentation and Intra-Uterine Insemination Outcome in Couples with Unexplained or Mild Male Infertility? Results from the ID-Trial.

Sugihara A, Punjabi U, Roelant E, De Neubourg D Life (Basel). 2023; 13(1).

PMID: 36675960 PMC: 9863271. DOI: 10.3390/life13010011.

References

Erenpreiss J, Bungum M, Spano M, Elzanaty S, Orbidans J, Giwercman A . Intra-individual variation in sperm chromatin structure assay parameters in men from infertile couples: clinical implications. Hum Reprod. 2006; 21(8):2061-4. DOI: 10.1093/humrep/del134. View

Punjabi U, Van Mulders H, Goovaerts I, Peeters K, Roelant E, De Neubourg D . DNA fragmentation in concert with the simultaneous assessment of cell viability in a subfertile population: establishing thresholds of normality both before and after density gradient centrifugation. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2019; 36(7):1413-1421. PMC: 6642232. DOI: 10.1007/s10815-019-01476-z. View

Bjorndahl L, Barratt C, Fraser L, Kvist U, Mortimer D . ESHRE basic semen analysis courses 1995-1999: immediate beneficial effects of standardized training. Hum Reprod. 2002; 17(5):1299-305. DOI: 10.1093/humrep/17.5.1299. View

Esteves S, Zini A, Coward R, Evenson D, Gosalvez J, Lewis S . Sperm DNA fragmentation testing: Summary evidence and clinical practice recommendations. Andrologia. 2020; 53(2):e13874. PMC: 7988559. DOI: 10.1111/and.13874. View

Bjorndahl L, Barratt C, Mortimer D, Jouannet P . 'How to count sperm properly': checklist for acceptability of studies based on human semen analysis. Hum Reprod. 2015; 31(2):227-32. DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dev305. View

Evenson D, Kasperson K, Wixon R . Analysis of sperm DNA fragmentation using flow cytometry and other techniques. Soc Reprod Fertil Suppl. 2007; 65:93-113. View

Oshio S, Ashizawa Y, Yotsukura M, Tohyama Y, Iwabuchi M, Adachi Y . Individual variation in semen parameters of healthy young volunteers. Arch Androl. 2005; 50(6):417-25. DOI: 10.1080/01485010490485759. View

Aitken R, Bakos H . Should we be measuring DNA damage in human spermatozoa? New light on an old question. Hum Reprod. 2021; 36(5):1175-1185. DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deab004. View

Evgeni E, Charalabopoulos K, Asimakopoulos B . Human sperm DNA fragmentation and its correlation with conventional semen parameters. J Reprod Infertil. 2014; 15(1):2-14. PMC: 3955419. View

10.

Mitchell L, De Iuliis G, Aitken R . The TUNEL assay consistently underestimates DNA damage in human spermatozoa and is influenced by DNA compaction and cell vitality: development of an improved methodology. Int J Androl. 2010; 34(1):2-13. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2605.2009.01042.x. View

11.

Teixeira T, Oliveira Y, Bernardes F, Kallas E, Duarte-Neto A, Esteves S . Viral infections and implications for male reproductive health. Asian J Androl. 2021; 23(4):335-347. PMC: 8269834. DOI: 10.4103/aja.aja_82_20. View

12.

Jeng H, Pan C, Chao M, Chiu C, Zhou G, Chou C . Sperm quality and DNA integrity of coke oven workers exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2016; 29(6):915-926. DOI: 10.13075/ijomeh.1896.00598. View

13.

Punjabi U, Van Mulders H, Goovaerts I, Peeters K, Clasen K, Janssens P . Sperm DNA fragmentation in the total and vital fractions before and after density gradient centrifugation: Significance in male fertility diagnosis. Clin Biochem. 2018; 62:47-54. DOI: 10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2018.05.011. View

14.

Punjabi U, Gerris J, van Bijlen J, Delbeke L, GIELIS M, Buytaert P . Comparison between different pre-treatment techniques for sperm recovery prior to intrauterine insemination, GIFT or IVF. Hum Reprod. 1990; 5(1):75-83. DOI: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.humrep.a137046. View

15.

Punjabi U, Wyns C, Mahmoud A, Vernelen K, China B, Verheyen G . Fifteen years of Belgian experience with external quality assessment of semen analysis. Andrology. 2016; 4(6):1084-1093. DOI: 10.1111/andr.12230. View

16.

Barratt C, Aitken R, Bjorndahl L, Carrell D, de Boer P, Kvist U . Sperm DNA: organization, protection and vulnerability: from basic science to clinical applications--a position report. Hum Reprod. 2010; 25(4):824-38. DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dep465. View

17.

Alshahrani S, Agarwal A, Assidi M, Abuzenadah A, Durairajanayagam D, Ayaz A . Infertile men older than 40 years are at higher risk of sperm DNA damage. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2014; 12:103. PMC: 4258051. DOI: 10.1186/1477-7827-12-103. View

18.

Oleszczuk K, Augustinsson L, Bayat N, Giwercman A, Bungum M . Prevalence of high DNA fragmentation index in male partners of unexplained infertile couples. Andrology. 2013; 1(3):357-60. DOI: 10.1111/j.2047-2927.2012.00041.x. View

19.

Evenson D, Jost L, Baer R, Turner T, Schrader S . Individuality of DNA denaturation patterns in human sperm as measured by the sperm chromatin structure assay. Reprod Toxicol. 1991; 5(2):115-25. DOI: 10.1016/0890-6238(91)90039-i. View

20.

Print C, Loveland K . Germ cell suicide: new insights into apoptosis during spermatogenesis. Bioessays. 2000; 22(5):423-30. DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1521-1878(200005)22:5<423::AID-BIES4>3.0.CO;2-0. View