Hum. Reprod. Advance Access published online on February 15, 2007
Human Reproduction, doi:10.1093/humrep/dem016
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The relationship between human sperm apoptosis, morphology and the sperm deformity index
1 Reproduction Medicine Unit, Liverpool Women's Hospital, Liverpool, UK 2 Repromed Limited, Toronto, Canada 3 Department of Dermatology/Andrology Unit, University of Leipzig, Germany 4 Reproductive Research Center, Glickman Urological Institute and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
5 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Reproductive Research Center, Glickman Urological Institute and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Desk A19.1, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. Tel.: +1 216 444 9485; Fax: +1 216 445 6049; E-mail: agarwaa{at}ccf.org
BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the relationship between apoptosis in human ejaculated spermatozoa, sperm morphology and the novel sperm deformity index (SDI).
METHODS: Semen specimens from 50 healthy donors were prepared by density-gradient centrifugation followed by incubating the prepared sperm with paramagnetic annexin V-conjugated microbeads and subjecting this to magnetic cell sorting (MACS). The procedure delivers two sperm fractions: annexin-negative (non-apoptotic) and annexin-positive (apoptotic). Activated caspase-3 levels and the integrity of the sperm mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were assessed as markers of apoptosis in the annexin-negative and -positive aliquots following MACS. Sperm morphology and the SDI scores were assessed using the strict criteria.
RESULTS: Compared with the apoptotic sperm subpopulations, the non-apoptotic sperm subpopulations had an improved sperm morphology profile as demonstrated by significantly higher proportions of sperm with normal morphology and significantly lower SDI scores and percentages of sperm with acrosomal defects, midpiece defects, cytoplasmic droplet and tail defects. There was a significant correlation between sperm morphology attributes studied and the expressed apoptotic markers—caspase-3 activation and MMP integrity.
CONCLUSIONS: Non-apoptotic sperm fractions have morphologically superior quality sperm compared with apoptotic fractions as reflected by significantly lower SDI scores. The study results may support abortive apoptosis, where the apoptotic mechanism of sperm is already triggered prior to ejaculation.
Key words: apoptosis/human/morphology/sperm/sperm deformity index
resubmitted on December 16, 2006; accepted on January 9, 2007.
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