Sperm morphology and DNA fragmentation after zona pellucida selection

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Biology
• Spermatozoa Analysis
• Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)

Background:

• Sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) and morphological defects negatively impact ART outcomes.
• Current semen processing techniques may not adequately address sperm DNA integrity and morphology.
• There is a need for advanced semen processing methods to select sperm with optimal quality for ART.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a zona pellucida adhesion-based sperm selection technique.
• To compare sperm DNA integrity and morphology after zona selection versus routine methods.
• To determine if zona adhesion improves sperm quality for ART.

Main Methods:

• Semen samples from 78 normozoospermic men were analyzed.
• Sperm were processed using swim-up and a novel zona pellucida adhesion technique.
• Sperm DNA fragmentation and morphology were assessed in native semen, swim-up samples, and zona-adhered sperm.

Main Results:

• Zona-selected sperm showed significantly lower DNA fragmentation (3.5%) compared to swim-up (15.3%) and native semen (24.9%).
• Significantly higher normal sperm morphology was observed after zona selection (11.4%) versus swim-up (8.9%) and native semen (5.3%).
• 94% of samples exhibited improved normal sperm morphology after additional zona selection.

Conclusions:

• Sperm selection via zona pellucida adhesion significantly enhances sperm morphology and DNA integrity.
• This technique offers a superior method for selecting high-quality sperm compared to traditional swim-up.
• The zona adhesion technique holds promise for improving ART success rates by yielding sperm with higher fertilization potential.