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Microgravity effects on frozen human sperm samples

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

Abstract

Purpose

Microgravity has severe effects on cellular and molecular structures as well as on metabolic interactions. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of microgravity (μg) exposure on human frozen sperm samples.

Methods

Sibling samples from 15 normozoospermic healthy donors were frozen using glycerol as cryoprotectant and analyzed under microgravity and ground conditions. Microgravity was obtained by parabolic flights using a CAP10B plane. The plane executed 20 parabolic maneuvers with a mean of 8.5 s of microgravity for each parabola.

Results

Frozen sperm samples preserved in cryostraws and stored in a secure and specific nitrogen vapor cryoshipper do not suffer significant alterations after μg exposure. Comparing the study group (μg) and the control group (1 g), similar results were obtained in the main parameters studied: sperm motility (M/ml) 13.72 ± 12.57 vs 13.03 ± 12.13 (− 0.69 95% CI [− 2.9; 1.52]), progressive a + b sperm motility (%) 21.83 ± 11.69 vs 22.54 ± 12.83 (0.03 95% CI [− 0.08; 0.15]), sperm vitality (%) 46.42 ± 10.81 vs 44.62 ± 9.34 (− 0.04 95% CI [− 0.13; 0.05]), morphologically normal spermatozoa (%) 7.03 ± 2.61 vs 8.09 ± 3.61 (0.12 95% CI [0.01; 0.24]), DNA sperm fragmentation by SCD (%) 13.33 ± 5.12 vs 13.88 ± 6.14 (0.03 95% CI [− 0.09; 0.16]), and apoptotic spermatozoa by MACS (%) 15.47 ± 15.04 vs 23.80 ± 23.63 (− 0.20 95% CI [− 0.66; 1.05]).

Conclusion

The lack of differences obtained between frozen samples exposed to μg and those maintained in ground conditions provides the possibility of considering the safe transport of human male gametes to space. Nevertheless, further research is needed to validate the results and to consider the possibility of creating a human sperm bank outside the Earth.

Trial registration number

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03760783

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Ignacio Rodriguez for his support in the statistical analysis.

Code availability

Not applicable.

Funding

This work was performed under the auspices of Càtedra d’Investigació en Obstetrícia y Ginecologia of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproduction, Dexeus Women’s Health and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. The study was supported by a research grant from “Fundación Dexeus Mujer 2019” in the area of Basic Science (Reproductive Medicine).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Women’s Health Dexeus, Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproduction, Hospital Universitari Dexeus, Avinguda Carles III 71-75, 08028, Barcelona, Spain

    M. Boada, M. Ballester, S. García-Monclús, P. N. Barri & A. Veiga

  2. Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, UPC BarcelonaTech, EEBE Campus Diagonal-Besòs, C. E. Maristany 16, 08019, Barcelona, Spain

    A. Perez-Poch

  3. Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell, Sabadell Airport, Carretera de Bellaterra s/n, 08205 Sabadell, Barcelona, Spain

    D. V. González

  4. Women’s Health Dexeus, Unit of Biostatistics, Avinguda Carles III 71-75, 08028, Barcelona, Spain

    S. García

  5. Barcelona Stem Cell Bank, Centre of Regenerative Medicine in Barcelona, Hospital Duran i Reynals, Gran Via de l’Hospitalet 199, 08908 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain

    A. Veiga

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  1. M. Boada
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Contributions

M. Boada and A. Perez-Poch conceived the study; D.V. González conducted the parabolic flights; M. Ballester and S. García-Monclús performed the seminal tests; S. García performed statistical analysis, M. Boada, A. Perez-Poch, M. Ballester, S. García-Monclús, and A.Veiga analyzed the data and wrote the paper. All authors read, reviewed, and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Boada.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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This work was approved by the Ethics Committee and Review Board of the Center.

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Boada, M., Perez-Poch, A., Ballester, M. et al. Microgravity effects on frozen human sperm samples. J Assist Reprod Genet 37, 2249–2257 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-020-01877-5

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