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Sperm chromatin condensation defects, but neither DNA fragmentation nor aneuploidy, are an independent predictor of clinical pregnancy after intracytoplasmic sperm injection

  • Gamete Biology
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Abstract

Purpose

The impact of sperm DNA damage on intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes remains controversial. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the prognostic value of several types of sperm nuclear damage on ICSI clinical pregnancy.

Methods

Our retrospective study included a total of 132 couples who consulted for male or mixed-factor infertility that benefited from ICSI cycles from January 2006 to December 2015. All infertile males presented at least one conventional semen parameter alteration. Sperm nuclear damage was assessed using the Motile Sperm Organelle Morphological Examination for sperm head relative vacuolar area (RVA), aniline blue staining for chromatin condensation, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling for DNA fragmentation, and fluorescence in situ hybridization for aneuploidy.

Results

Infertile males who achieved pregnancy after ICSI had fewer chromatin condensation defects than did males who did not achieve any pregnancy (15.8 ± 12.0% vs. 11.4 ± 7.9%, respectively, P = 0.0242), which remained significant in multivariate regression analysis (RR = 0.40 [0.18 to 0.86], P = 0.02). RVA, DNA fragmentation, and aneuploidy were not predictive factors of ICSI outcomes. The pregnancy rate was significantly decreased by number of progressive motile spermatozoa with normal morphology after migration (P = 0.04). In female partners, 17β estradiol of less than 2000 pg/mL on the day of ovulation induction significantly reduced the occurrence of clinical pregnancy (P = 0.04).

Conclusion

Sperm chromatin condensation defects were more frequently observed in couples with ICSI failure and should be considered a negative predictive factor for the occurrence of clinical pregnancy.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Normandy Rouen University Hospital.

Funding

No specific funding was sought for the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biology of Reproduction, CECOS Laboratory, Normandie Univ., UNIROUEN, EA 4308 “Gametogenesis and Gamete Quality”, Rouen University Hospital, F 76000, Rouen, France

    C. Bichara, B. Berby, A. Rives, F. Jumeau, V. Setif, C. Rondanino & Nathalie Rives

  2. ART Center, Normandie Univ., UNIROUEN, Rouen University Hospital, F 76000, Rouen, France

    M. Letailleur

  3. Department of Urology—Andrology, Normandie Univ., UNIROUEN, EA 4308 “Gametogenesis and Gamete Quality”, Rouen University Hospital, F 76000, Rouen, France

    L. Sibert

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  1. C. Bichara
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  2. B. Berby
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  4. F. Jumeau
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  9. Nathalie Rives
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Contributions

Cynthia Bichara contributed in data collection, analysis, and interpretation, statistical analysis, and writing of the manuscript; Benoit Berby and Aurélie Rives contributed in collection of biological and clinical data; F. Jumeau contributed in data analysis and revision of the manuscript; Véronique Sétif contributed in execution of experiments; M. Letailleur contributed in female patient recruitment, clinical examination, and ART procedure; Louis Sibert contributed in male patient recruitment and clinical examination; Nathalie Rives contributed in design and supervision of the study, funding support, patient recruitment, clinical data, and writing of the manuscript. All the authors approved the final version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Nathalie Rives.

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Bichara, C., Berby, B., Rives, A. et al. Sperm chromatin condensation defects, but neither DNA fragmentation nor aneuploidy, are an independent predictor of clinical pregnancy after intracytoplasmic sperm injection. J Assist Reprod Genet 36, 1387–1399 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-019-01471-4

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