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Morphological alterations in protamine-deficient spermatozoa.

H Utsuno1, T Miyamoto2, K Oka1

  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shinshu University, Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan.

Human Reproduction (Oxford, England)
|September 6, 2014
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Protamine deficiencies in sperm are linked to abnormal head morphology and increased DNA fragmentation in subfertile men. These findings offer insights into sperm selection for assisted reproduction.

Keywords:
TUNELmorphologyprotaminesspermatozoavacuoles

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Area of Science:

  • Reproductive biology andrology
  • Spermatozoa function and integrity
  • Male infertility research

Background:

  • Protamine deficiency in sperm is associated with abnormal morphology, but the precise relationship is unclear.
  • A significant proportion of protamine-deficient sperm exhibit normal head morphology, complicating direct correlations.
  • Understanding this link is crucial for interpreting sperm morphology assessments in fertility evaluations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between protamine deficiencies and sperm head morphology in subfertile men.
  • To explore the relationship between protamine status, sperm morphology, and DNA fragmentation.
  • To provide insights into the implications of morphological selection of spermatozoa for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study of 36 men with male factor infertility or in assisted reproduction programs.
  • Analysis of 2400 protamine-deficient and 2400 non-deficient spermatozoa for head morphology (shape, size, vacuoles) using elliptic Fourier analysis.
  • Chromomycin A3 (CMA3) staining for protamine status and TUNEL assay for DNA fragmentation.

Main Results:

  • Protamine-deficient spermatozoa showed significantly higher variations in head size and shape, including narrower, fan-shaped, and square forms.
  • Large nuclear vacuoles were more prevalent in protamine-deficient sperm (39.4%) compared to non-deficient sperm (32.0%).
  • Protamine deficiency was more common in morphologically abnormal sperm (38.0%) than normal sperm (25.4%), with higher DNA fragmentation in deficient sperm (11.3% vs 1.6%).

Conclusions:

  • Protamine deficiency is associated with increased morphological variations and large nuclear vacuoles in spermatozoa.
  • A significant correlation exists between protamine deficiency, abnormal sperm head morphology, and elevated DNA fragmentation.
  • Findings enhance understanding of how abnormal protamination impacts sperm quality and the utility of morphological selection for ICSI.