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Mouse Sperm Cryopreservation and Recovery using the I·Cryo Kit
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Effect of insulin on functional parameters of human cryopreserved sperms

Saeed Shokri1, Seyyed Meisam Ebrahimi2, Sanaz Ziaeipour3

  • 1Department of Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.

Cryobiology
|February 15, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Insulin protects human sperm during cryopreservation by reducing oxidative stress and DNA damage. This study suggests insulin as a potential therapeutic additive for improving sperm cryopreservation outcomes in clinical applications.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Biology
  • Biochemistry
  • Cryobiology

Background:

  • Sperm cryopreservation is a vital technique in assisted reproduction.
  • Cryopreservation induces oxidative stress and DNA damage in spermatozoa.
  • Prosurvival factors are needed to mitigate cryopreservation-induced sperm damage.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate insulin's efficacy as a prosurvival factor for human spermatozoa during cryopreservation.
  • To assess insulin's impact on sperm motility, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and DNA fragmentation.
  • To determine optimal insulin concentrations for protecting sperm function post-cryopreservation.

Main Methods:

  • Semen samples from normozoospermic men were cryopreserved with varying insulin concentrations (10-1000 ng/ml) or distilled water (control).
  • Post-thaw analysis included sperm motility, cytosolic and mitochondrial ROS levels, and DNA fragmentation.
  • Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA.

Main Results:

  • Insulin significantly reduced cytosolic ROS, particularly at 10 ng/ml.
  • A trend towards decreased mitochondrial ROS was observed with insulin treatment.
  • Insulin at 1000 ng/ml significantly reduced sperm DNA fragmentation.
  • Sperm motility showed a non-significant increase across all insulin treatment groups.

Conclusions:

  • Insulin demonstrates protective effects against cryopreservation-induced damage in human spermatozoa.
  • Insulin supplementation may enhance sperm quality and function after cryopreservation.
  • Insulin holds promise for future clinical applications in sperm banking and assisted reproduction.
Keywords:
CryopreservationInsulinSpermatozoa

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