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Sperm telomere length in motile sperm selection techniques: A qFISH approach
R Lafuente1, E Bosch-Rue2, J Ribas-Maynou2
1Centro de Infertilidad y Reproducción Humana (CIRH), Barcelona, Spain.
Andrologia
|July 13, 2017
Summary
Telomere length (TL) in sperm is not significantly altered by common selection methods. However, shorter telomeres correlate with reduced sperm motility and concentration, and oxidative stress may cause this shortening, impacting fertility.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive biology
- Cellular aging
- Spermatozoa analysis
Background:
- Telomere shortening is linked to reproductive dysfunction.
- Investigating telomere length (TL) in sperm is crucial for understanding male fertility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine telomere length (TL) in spermatozoa selected by density-gradient centrifugation (DGC) or swim-up.
- To explore the relationship between TL, sperm parameters, and oxidative stress.
- To assess the preliminary clinical relevance of TL in couples with varying pregnancy outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative fluorescent in situ hybridization (qFISH) with PNA probes was used for TL analysis.
- Sperm were selected using DGC and swim-up techniques.
- Sperm were exposed to hydrogen peroxide to assess oxidative stress impact on TL.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in TL were observed between selected and non-selected sperm (p > .05).
- Negative correlations were found between TL and sperm motility (r = -.308; p = .049) and concentration (r = -.353; p = .028).
- Exposure to hydrogen peroxide reduced sperm TL, suggesting oxidative stress involvement.
Conclusions:
- Oxidative stress is a potential factor in sperm telomere length reduction.
- Shorter sperm TL may be associated with reduced fertility, but further clinical studies are needed to confirm its utility as a biomarker.
