A Esmaeili Irani - Department of Animal Biotechnology, Reproductive BiomedicineResearch Center, Royan Ins titute for Biotechnology, ACECR,Royan Ins titute, Isfahan, Iran
M Tavalaee - Department of Animal Biotechnology, Reproductive BiomedicineResearch Center, Royan Ins titute for Biotechnology, ACECR,Royan Ins titute, Isfahan, Iran
MH Nasr-Esfahani - Department of Animal Biotechnology, Reproductive BiomedicineResearch Center, Royan Ins titute for Biotechnology, ACECR,Royan Ins titute, Isfahan, Iran.Isfahan Fertility and Infertility Center, Isfahan, Iran

Background: The sperm cryopreservation procedure can inducedamaging alterations in sperm function. This process isusually associated with reduced viability and motility, and increasedoxidative s tress and DNA damage in sperm. Althoughseveral mechanisms can be the cause of this damage, the increasein oxidative s tress during freeze-thaw is the mos t importantfactor impairing sperm function. Apigenin is a trihydroxyflavonethat has multiple physiological functions, such asantioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. In this s tudy, weaimed to assess the effect of Apigenin on human sperm qualityafter frozen-thawed procedure.Materials and Methods: Following the adminis tration of differentconcentrations of Apigenin during the freezing process(۰.۴, ۰.۲, ۰.۱, ۰.۰۵, ۰.۰ mM), sperm motility, viability, ROSproduction (DCF s taining), lipid peroxidation (Bodipy s taining),and DNA damage (Acridin orange s taining) were assessedon ۱۰ normozoospermic samples before and after the freezing/thawing process. One-Way ANOVA was used for comparisonof s tudy parameters between different concentrations of Apigenin.Results: The analysis of data demons trated that mean percentageof sperm motility and viability significantly were lower after frozen-thawed procedure than before this procedure, andnone of the Apigenin concentrations used in this s tudy couldimprove these two parameters after the freeze-thaw process. Inaddition, we did not observe significant improvement in spermfunction parameters including lipid peroxidation, ROS production,and DNA damage after the use of different concentrationsof Apigenin during freeze-thaw. Only a concentration of ۰.۲mM Apigenin improved sperm DNA damage compared to thecontrol group, which was almos t significant.Conclusion: In this s tudy, we could not observe the antioxidanteffect of Apigenin during the freeze-thaw process on spermfunction. Numerous s tudies using other concentrations of Apigeninon sperm function have been sugges ted to determine theantioxidant properties of Apigenin.

Apigenin, DNA Damage, Freeze-thaw Procedure,Human Sperm, Viability, Motility, Oxidative S tress