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Importance of sperm gluthatione treatment in ART

  • Gamete Biology
  • Published:
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to investigate whether treatment of sperm from infertile patients would gluthatione could reduce sperm premature chromosome condensation (PCC). To reach the goals of this study, the frequency of sperm PCC formation in sperm of normal and sub-fertile men with/without glutathione treatment were compared and analyzed.

Methods

Hamster oocytes were retrieved after super ovulation by PMSG and HCG injection. Following treatment with hyaluronidase, zonae was removed by trypsin digestion. Sperm were classified into 3 groups according to morphology, movement and counts, treated with glutathione(10 μg/ml) and then processed by swim up method. After capacitation, zona-free oocytes were incubated with sperm then transferred to fresh media containing colcemid. Cells were fixed and slides prepared using Tarkowskie’s standard air drying technique and after staining in 5% Giemsa, oocytes were analyzed at high magnification.

Results

Sperm penetration rate was higher and the rate of intact sperm head and PCC was lower in GSH treated samples compared to non treated groups. Sperm penetration rate was significantly higher in treated astheno sperm samples compared to non-treated ones (66.4% and 50. 97% respectively) (P < 0.001). We observed a significantly higher PCC frequency in infertile patients (P < 0.001). In addition, there was a significantly lower rate of intact sperm head in treated astheno sperm samples (17.49%) compared to non treated ones (26.79%) (P < 0.001). Finally, a significantly lower rate of PCC in treated astheno sperm samples comparing to non treated ones was seen (51.06% and 72.96% respectively) (P < 0. 001).

Conclusions

Our results show that sperm PCC formation could be one of the major causes of failed fertilization in individuals with sperm abnormalities. Also sperm PCC formation may be involved in the etiology of some cases of idiopathic infertility. Given that the susceptibility of sperm to oxidative stress is significantly greater in idiopathic infertile men, our results show that treatment with glutathione could significantly reduce these stress factors and increase ART outcome.

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Acknowledgment

We are grateful to Dr. Mehrdad Mohseni for the help during the submission of this article. This study was funded by grants provided from Royan Institute.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Genetics, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran

    A. Mohseni Meybodi & Sh. Zari Moradi

  2. Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

    H. Mozdarani

  3. Statistics Department, Mathematical Science and computer Faculty, Shahid Chamran University, Ahwaz, Iran

    M. R. Akhoond

Authors
  1. A. Mohseni Meybodi
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  2. H. Mozdarani
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  3. Sh. Zari Moradi
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  4. M. R. Akhoond
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. Mohseni Meybodi.

Additional information

Capsule A clinical need exists for establishment of approaches which can be utilized to increase the ART success rate by treatment of the infertile patient’s sperms with gluthatione.

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Meybodi, A.M., Mozdarani, H., Moradi, S.Z. et al. Importance of sperm gluthatione treatment in ART. J Assist Reprod Genet 29, 625–630 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-012-9755-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-012-9755-5

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