Evaluation of sperm nuclear DNA normality by acridine orange staining technique.

ABSTRACT

To determine the relationship between sperm deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) normality and fertilizing potential, 93 semen samples from 48 fertile donors and 45 male partners of infertile couples whose major abnormalities in the female partner had been ruled out were studied. Semen samples were assessed for conventional parameters (volume, percentage of normal morphology, percentage of progressive motility, sperm concentration, and round cell concentration) according to World Health Organization (WHO) guideline and acridine orange staining. The mean sperm concentration, percentages of progressive motility, and percentage of green fluorescing sperm in semen were significantly higher in samples from fertile donors (p < 0.005). When the parameters of semen quality were considered normal according to the standard WHO criteria, the mean percentages of green-fluorescing sperm were significantly higher in fertile donors than infertile patients (65.6% vs 53.3%; p < 0.05). Therefore, the acridine orange staining technique for evaluation of the sperm DNA normality appears to give more information in infertile patients with normal semen analysis. It may be a useful addition to the conventional semen analysis.