Sperm nuclear apoptotic DNA fragmentation in men with spinal cord injury

Abstract

ObjectiveSince men with spinal cord injury (SCI) usually present anejaculation, semen collection through penile vibratory stimulation (PVS) or electroejaculation (EEJ), along with assisted reproduction (ART) is necessary for achieving fatherhood. One sperm alteration that highly impacts negatively on ART is sperm nuclear apoptotic DNA fragmentation. Thus, this study set out to assess sperm DNA fragmentation in men with SCI who had collected semen through PVS, through EEJ, and fertile men.DesignProspective controlled study.Materials and methodsThis study included 21 men with SCI and 30 men who had achieved fatherhood (<1 year). Semen was collected through PVS (10 patients), and if this method did not work, EEJ (11 patients). For the control, semen was collected after 3–5 days of ejaculatory abstinence and analyzed by WHO guidelines. Sperm apoptotic DNA fragmentation was analyzed using a commercially available TUNEL technique. Data are presented as mean; standard deviation. Groups were compared using ANOVA followed by Tukey's HSD.ResultsConclusionsIn this study, we have shown that SCI indeed leads to a decrease in progressive sperm motility in EEJ patients and a decrease in sperm morphology in PVS patients, but that both groups present an important increase in sperm nuclear DNA fragmentation, when compared to fertile men. ObjectiveSince men with spinal cord injury (SCI) usually present anejaculation, semen collection through penile vibratory stimulation (PVS) or electroejaculation (EEJ), along with assisted reproduction (ART) is necessary for achieving fatherhood. One sperm alteration that highly impacts negatively on ART is sperm nuclear apoptotic DNA fragmentation. Thus, this study set out to assess sperm DNA fragmentation in men with SCI who had collected semen through PVS, through EEJ, and fertile men. Since men with spinal cord injury (SCI) usually present anejaculation, semen collection through penile vibratory stimulation (PVS) or electroejaculation (EEJ), along with assisted reproduction (ART) is necessary for achieving fatherhood. One sperm alteration that highly impacts negatively on ART is sperm nuclear apoptotic DNA fragmentation. Thus, this study set out to assess sperm DNA fragmentation in men with SCI who had collected semen through PVS, through EEJ, and fertile men. DesignProspective controlled study. Prospective controlled study. Materials and methodsThis study included 21 men with SCI and 30 men who had achieved fatherhood (<1 year). Semen was collected through PVS (10 patients), and if this method did not work, EEJ (11 patients). For the control, semen was collected after 3–5 days of ejaculatory abstinence and analyzed by WHO guidelines. Sperm apoptotic DNA fragmentation was analyzed using a commercially available TUNEL technique. Data are presented as mean; standard deviation. Groups were compared using ANOVA followed by Tukey's HSD. This study included 21 men with SCI and 30 men who had achieved fatherhood (<1 year). Semen was collected through PVS (10 patients), and if this method did not work, EEJ (11 patients). For the control, semen was collected after 3–5 days of ejaculatory abstinence and analyzed by WHO guidelines. Sperm apoptotic DNA fragmentation was analyzed using a commercially available TUNEL technique. Data are presented as mean; standard deviation. Groups were compared using ANOVA followed by Tukey's HSD. Results ConclusionsIn this study, we have shown that SCI indeed leads to a decrease in progressive sperm motility in EEJ patients and a decrease in sperm morphology in PVS patients, but that both groups present an important increase in sperm nuclear DNA fragmentation, when compared to fertile men. In this study, we have shown that SCI indeed leads to a decrease in progressive sperm motility in EEJ patients and a decrease in sperm morphology in PVS patients, but that both groups present an important increase in sperm nuclear DNA fragmentation, when compared to fertile men.