Effects of L-carnitine and pentoxifylline on long-term preservation of the human sperms: An experimental study

Background: In infertility clinics, long-time preserving high-quality spermatozoa is a challenging problem. Objective: The present study aimed to prolong preserving of the human spermatozoa by adding pentoxifylline (PT) and L-carnitine (LC) without using high-cost freezing techniques. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, semen samples of ۲۶ normozoospermia men aged between ۲۸-۳۴ yr, were firstly prepared using the swim-up technique, and each sample was divided into the following ۳ aliquots: untreated control group, the LC, and PT-treated groups. The samples were stored for up to ۱۲ days at ۴-۶°C, and sperm motility was assessed. The percentages of the sperms with double-stranded DNA, apoptotic, and acrosomal interacted sperms were evaluated by sperm chromatin structure assay, AnnexinV-PI staining, and peanut agglutinin, respectively. Results: On day ۷, ۲۶.۸۳% ± ۴.۲۶ of sperms were motile in the PT group which was significantly more than LC (۶.۶۷% ± ۰.۶۱) and control (۰.۸۳ ± ۰.۱۷) groups (p < ۰.۰۰۱). At day ۱۲, while all sperms lost their motility in LC and control groups, adding PT led to ۳.۱۷% ± ۰.۴۷ sperms remaining motile (p < ۰.۰۰۱). Moreover, on day ۱۲, the percent of apoptotic sperms in the PT-treated group (۸% ± ۰.۲۰) was significantly lower than in LC-treated group (۵.۹% ± ۰.۲۸, p = ۰.۰۳). None of the additives positively affected the number of sperms with double-stranded DNA (p > ۰.۰۵). LC could also maintain acrosomal integrity over a storage time of up to ۱۲ days. Conclusion: Despite PT's improved sperm motility, LC was more efficient in preventing apoptosis and acrosomal reactions. However, DNA was resistant to denaturation regardless of the treatments.

کلیدواژه ها:

Apoptosis ، Sperm motility ، L-carnitine ، Pentoxifylline ، Semen preservation. ، آپوپتوز ، حرکت اسپرم ، ال-کارنیتین ، پنتوکسی فیلین ، نگهداری منی.