Introduction: Infertility is a disorder that affects about ۱۲–۱۵% of couples. Among the factors affectinginfertility, male factors account for almost half of the causes of infertility. Today, in addition to treatinginfertility, assisted reproductive technology (ART) is widely used to preserve fertility. Freezing leads tomitochondrial dysfunction and unfavorable changes in sperm membrane lipid composition, leading to DNAfailure and reduced sperm movement, survival, and fertilization capacity. Many studies have focused on findingways to reduce freezing-related injuries, including the use of antioxidants. This study examined the effects ofpre-treatment with
Astaxanthin on sperm survival, mobility, production of active oxygen species, apoptosis, andthe expression of apoptotic genes during the thawing-freezing process.Methods: In this study, ۲۰ sperm samples were collected from people with normozoospermia based on thecriteria of the World Health Organization by masturbation method.
Sperm samples were divided into five equalvolumes: fresh sperm group, ۰ μM (control group), ۱μM, ۱۰ μM, and ۵۰ μM
Astaxanthin were added to eachgroup, respectively. All the groups were preserved in a cryogenic container filled with liquid nitrogen, exceptthe first group. After a period of two weeks, the sperm samples were extracted from the liquid nitrogen andsubjected to the process of thawing. Consequently, morphology, DNA breakdown, reactive oxygen species(ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential, and sperm viability were studied, and the groups were compared.Results: Adding ۵۰ μM
Astaxanthin to the freezing medium of human sperm significantly increases spermmotility (p<۰.۰۰۱), decreases reactive oxygen species (p<۰.۰۱), and decreases DNA breakage (p<۰.۰۱).Theaddition of ۱۰ μM
Astaxanthin to the sperm freezing medium had less positive effects compared to the additionof ۵۰ μM
Astaxanthin and caused a significant decrease in reactive oxygen species (P<۰.۰۵), a decrease in DNAbreakage (P<۰.۰۱), and a slight increase in sperm motility (P<۰.۰۵) compared to the freezing group, whichlacked antioxidants.
Astaxanthin with a concentration of ۱ μM caused a significant decrease in reactive oxygenspecies (ROS) compared to the freezing group without antioxidants, but it had no effect on the movement andreduction of DNA breakage of sperm.Conclusion: It has been observed that
Astaxanthin improves sperm motility and reduces ROS during spermcryopreservation. Therefore, it can be used as a protective agent to enhance the success rates of assistedreproductive techniques.