Assessment of Sperm Parameters and Protamine Deficiency in Fertile and Infertile Men Candidate for ICSI

Background: Sperm nuclear and chromatin abnormalities arecommon amongst infertile men and are known to influence naturalreproduction. Protamines cause sperm chromatin to compact.protamine deficiency in sperm is associated with DNAdamage, low quality of sperm parameters and failed fertilizationand pregnancy in infertile men candidate for assisted reproductivetechniques, such as intra-cytoplasmic sperm insemination(ICSI). There for the aim of this study was to evaluatethe semen parameters and global protamine deficiency betweenfertile and infertile men.Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study thatcohort including total of ۳۴۷ human semen samples were collectedin the period from January ۲۰۱۶ to march ۲۰۱۸. menwere divided to fertile (n=۱۴۱) and infertile (n=۲۰۶) (diagnosedwith male factor infertility or participating in an assisted reproductionprogram) sperm parameters and protamine deficiencywere assessed according to WHO (۲۰۱۰) protocol and ChromomycinA۳ (CMA۳) staining respectively. CMA۳ staining isone of the staining methods for detecting protamine deficiencyin sperm nucleus.Results: Sperm concentration, motility, volume, and normalmorphology in infertile men were significantly decreased comparedwith fertile (P<۰.۰۵). The rate of CMA۳-reacted spermatozoa(CMA۳+) in infertile men was higher than fertile group(۴۲.۰۲ ± ۱۸.۲۹ vs. ۲۵.۰۰ ± ۸.۱۷, respectively, P<۰.۰۰۰۱). Thecorrelation between CMA۳ positive spermatozoa and spermparameters except sperm morphology shows significant associationin infertile group (P<۰.۰۵), while in fertile group thecorrelation between CMA۳ positive spermatozoa and spermparameters except sperm morphology did not shows significantassociation (P>۰.۰۵).Conclusion: It is concluded that the protamine content in spermcan be correlated to qualify of sperm parameters.

کلیدواژه ها:

Sperm Morphology ، Sperm Concentration ، Sperm Motility ، Protamine Deficiency