A novel approach for human sperm cryopreservation with AFPIII

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Biology
• Cryobiology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Sperm cryopreservation induces cellular damage, negatively impacting sperm quality.
• Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) show potential in mitigating cryopreservation stress, but their effect on human sperm is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of Antifreeze Protein III (AFP III) on human sperm parameters following cryopreservation.
• To determine the optimal concentration of AFP III for improving cryopreserved human sperm quality.

Main Methods:

• Human semen samples were treated with varying concentrations of AFP III (0-10 μg/ml) to assess effects on motility and viability.
• Cryopreservation was performed using glycerol-egg-yolk-citrate (GEYC) medium with or without the optimal AFP III dose.
• Post-thaw analysis included plasma membrane integrity (PMI), DNA fragmentation index (DFI), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC).

Main Results:

• AFP III concentrations of 0.01, 0.1, and 1 μg/ml significantly improved sperm motility and viability compared to controls.
• The optimal concentration of 1 μg/ml AFP III enhanced PMI, viability, and TAC.
• Treatment with 1 μg/ml AFP III led to a reduction in ROS and DFI in cryopreserved human sperm.

Conclusions:

• AFP III, particularly at 1 μg/ml, is effective in preserving human sperm quality during cryopreservation.
• AFP III supplementation in GEYC medium mitigates cryodamage, improving key sperm parameters and reducing oxidative stress and DNA fragmentation.