Human Reproduction, Vol 13, 372-375, Copyright © 1998 by Oxford University Press
P Jannes, C Spiessens, I Van der Auwera, T D'Hooghe, G Verhoeven and D Vanderschueren
The aim of this experiment was to design a suitable mouse model for male
subfertility in which to study the effect of decreased sperm quality on
embryo quality in vivo and in vitro. To achieve male subfertility, testes
of adult male mice were immersed in water at either 42 degrees C (heated)
or 33 degrees C (controls) during 20 min. Twenty-eight days after
treatment, all heat stressed males showed a significant decrease in
relative testis weight [384.7 mg in controls (286.7-460.6) versus 323 mg in
stress heated groups (117.9-405.6); P < 0.001], sperm concentration
[3.75 x 10(6)/ml (2.75-7.25) versus 1.00 x 10(6)/ml (0-4.00); P < 0.001]
and progressive sperm motility [57.5% (48.0-79.0) versus 42.5% (14.0-66.0);
P < 0.001]. Moreover, after mating to heat exposed males, not only the
number of pregnant females (20/22 versus 18/30) but also the weight of
their embryos [275.4 mg (78.7-339.4) versus 261.8 mg (68.1-339.0); P <
0.001] was significantly lower at 14.5 days post coitum when compared to
controls. Neither the number of resorption sites nor the number of viable
embryos per pregnant female was significantly different between groups.
Also, the in-vitro fertilization rate of oocytes, fertilized by spermatozoa
collected from heat stressed males, was significantly lower (44.9%; P <
0.0001) when compared to controls (65.1%; P < 0.0001). In conclusion,
the results of this study suggest that male subfertility induced by acute
scrotal heating may result in impaired sperm quality, reduced embryo weight
in vivo and decreased fertilization rate in vitro.
ARTICLES
Male subfertility induced by acute scrotal heating affects embryo quality in normal female mice
Leuven University Fertility Centre, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Belgium.
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