Quantitation by image analysis of global DNA methylation in human spermatozoa and its prognostic value in in vitro fertilization: a preliminary study
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Mehdi Benchaib1, Mounir Ajina, Jacqueline Lornage
1Laboratoire de Biologie de la Reproduction, Lyon, France. benchaib@rockefeller.univ-lyon1.fr
Objective:
To determine the relationship between sperm DNA methylation level and sperm characteristics and pregnancy rates.
Design:
Prospective study. Quantitation by image analysis of DNA methylation in sperm nucleus.
Setting:
Department of Reproduction Biology, Edouard Herriot Hospital, Lyon, France.
Patient(S):
Infertile couples undergoing IVF-ET.
Intervention(S):
The immunostaining of 5 methyl-cytosine was performed on the spare sperm suspension that was used for an assisted reproduction technology procedure.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
Sperm characteristics according to World Health Organization criteria, sperm motility parameters with computer-assisted semen analysis, sperm DNA methylation level, and heterogeneity index (HI).
Result(S):
Sperm DNA methylation level and HI are correlated with sperm DNA characteristics. HI is negatively correlated with fertilization rate; sperm DNA methylation level is correlated with pregnancy rate.
Conclusion(S):
The DNA methylation level in human spermatozoa could be a new approach to evaluating the ability of spermatozoa to fertilize and lead to normal embryo development.
