Impact of male reproductive tract infection on semen quality / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the association of male reproductive tract infection (RTI) with semen parameters and sperm DNA damage.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We classified 1 084 males attending the infertility clinic into an RTI group (n = 300) and a non-RTI control group (n = 784). According to the WHO standards, we obtained routine semen parameters, detected sperm morphology, and determined the sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) by sperm chromatin structure assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were statistically significant differences between the RTI and control groups in the semen volume ( [2.58 ± 1.20] vs [3.00 ± 2.10] ml), grade a + b sperm ([50.6 ± 17.2] vs [53.2 ± 15.8]%), grade d sperm ( [39. 8 ± 17.8] vs [36.5 ± 16.2]%), and total sperm count ([218.5 ± 185.0 ] vs [278.5 ± 375.5 ] x 10(6)/ejaculate) (all P < 0.05), but not in the males' age, sperm concentration or pH value (P > 0.05). The percentage of morphologically normal sperm was significantly lower ([3.46 ± 2.90] vs [4.61 ± 3.60%, P < 0.05) but the DFI was markedly higher in the RTI group than in the control ([19.4 ± 11.4] vs [15.2 ± 8.8]% , P < 0.01). The percentage of the cases with DFI > 30% was remarkably higher (13.0 vs 5.74% ) while that of the cases with DFI < 10% dramatically lower in the former than in the latter (16.0 vs 28.0%). The level of seminal plasma elastase was correlated negatively to sperm concentration, sperm count, and the percentage of morphologically normal sperm (P < 0.05) but positively to DFI and grade d sperm (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Male reproductive tract infection not only affects semen parameters and sperm morphology but also causes serious sperm DNA damage.</p>

Sperm DNA damage and sperm-nucleoprotein transition correlate to acrosin activity and seminal parameters / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the correlation of sperm DNA damage and sperm-nucleoprotein transition with acrosin activity and seminal parameters.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We collected 535 semen samples, assessed sperm DNA damage by sperm chromatin dispersion test, and analyzed the correlation of sperm DNA damage and sperm-nucleoprotein transition with acrosin activity and seminal parameters according to the WHO criteria.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Statistically significant differences were observed in sperm DNA damage among sperm-nucleoprotein transition, acrosin activity, sperm concentration and the percentage of grade a + b sperm (P < 0.01). Sperm DNA damage was positively correlated with age, sperm-nucleoprotein transition, sperm concentration and the percentage of grade d sperm (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), but negatively correlated with acrosin activity (P < 0.001). Stepwise linear regression analysis demonstrated that age, sperm concentration, the percentage of grade d sperm, sperm-nucleoprotein transition and acrosin activity were independent variables related to the DNA fragmentation index (DFI). The abnormality rates of sperm-nucleoprotein transition, acrosin activity, sperm concentration and graded a + b sperm were significantly higher in the sperm DNA damage group (DFI > or = 30%) than in the normal control (DFI < 30%) (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Sperm DNA damage is closely related with sperm-nucleoprotein transition, acrosin activity and seminal parameters, which may become another important independent parameter for the evaluation of sperm quality.</p>