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Hum. Reprod. Advance Access originally published online on August 26, 2005
Human Reproduction 2006 21(1):134-137; doi:10.1093/humrep/dei269
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© The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oupjournals.org

Experimental Chlamydia trachomatis infection causes apoptosis in human sperm

Annalisa Satta1, Aldo Stivala2, Adriana Garozzo2, Angela Morello2, Anna Perdichizzi1, Enzo Vicari1, Mario Salmeri2 and Aldo E. Calogero1,3

1 Section of Endocrinology, Andrology and Internal Medicine and Master in Andrological and Human Reproduction Sciences and 2 Deparment of Microbiological and Gynaecological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy

3 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Sezione di Endocrinologia, Andrologia e Medicina Interna, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Università di Catania, Ospedale Garibaldi, Piazza S. Maria di Gesù, 95123 Catania, Italy. E-mail: acaloger{at}unict.it

BACKGROUND: Chlamydia trachomatis is responsible for a widespread sexually transmitted infection. In men, it is associated with a wide clinical spectrum causing infertility. Furthermore, C. trachomatis serovar E infection decreases motility and increases the number of non-viable sperm. No other effects of C. trachomatis have been reported on sperm despite the crucial role of DNA integrity for sperm function. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of C. trachomatis on sperm apoptosis. METHODS: Sperm from eight normozoospermic men were incubated with increasing concentrations of C. trachomatis serovar E elementary bodies (EB) for 6 and 24 h. Sperm were then collected to evaluate phosphatidylserine (PS) membrane translocation and DNA fragmentation by Annexin V–propidium iodide staining, TUNEL assay and flow cytometry. RESULTS: After 6 h of incubation, C. trachomatis had no effect on the percentage of sperm showing PS externalization. However, a significant effect on this parameter was observed after 24 h. C. trachomatis also significantly increased the number of sperm with DNA fragmentation both after 6 and 24 h of incubation. CONCLUSIONS: C. trachomatis causes sperm PS externalization and DNA fragmentation. These effects may explain the negative direct impact of C. trachomatis infection on sperm fertilizing ability.

Key words: aproptesis/chlamydia trachomatis; DNA fragmentation/human sperm/phosphatidylserine membrane translocation


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