Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

A round-up of the ONWARDS phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the novel weekly insulin icodec in people with diabetes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics
Published in: Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics 11/2019

01-11-2019 | ICSI | Assisted Reproduction Technologies

Human sperm decondensation in vitro is related to cleavage rate and embryo quality in IVF

Authors: C. Galotto, M. Y. Cambiasso, V. L. Julianelli, G. J. Rey Valzacchi, R. N. Rolando, M. L. Rodriguez, L. Calvo, J. C. Calvo, Marina Romanato

Published in: Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics | Issue 11/2019

Login to get access

Abstract

Purpose

To investigate whether the ability of human spermatozoa to decondense in vitro in the presence of heparin (Hep) and glutathione (GSH) is related to assisted reproduction (ART) success.

Methods

Cross-sectional pilot study involving male partners of 129 infertile couples undergoing ICSI with (45) or without (84) donor oocytes at two infertility clinics in CABA, Argentina, between October 2012 and December 2013. In vitro decondensation kinetics with Hep and GSH and DNA fragmentation (TUNEL) were determined on the same sample used for ICSI. The possible relationship of decondensation parameters (maximum decondensation and decondensation velocity) and TUNEL values with ART success was evaluated.

Results

Embryo quality correlated positively with decondensation velocity (D60/D30) (Spearman’s correlation, p < 0.05). According to D60/D30 values, patients were classified as slow decondensers (SlowD) (n = 68) or fast decondensers (FastD) (n = 61). Embryo quality was better in FastD (unpaired t test, p < 0.05). FastD and SlowD were subdivided according to use of donor oocytes. Among SlowD, biochemical and clinical pregnancy rates per transfer were significantly higher in donor (n = 19) vs. in non-donor (n = 31) cycles (Fisher’s exact test, p < 0.05). TUNEL values were not related to embryo quality, but no clinical pregnancies or live births were achieved in TUNEL+ SlowD (n = 7).

Conclusion

Decondensation kinetics of human spermatozoa in vitro with Hep and GSH could be related to embryo quality and ART success.
Literature
1.
Esterhuizen AD, Franken DR, Becker PJ, Lourens JGH, Muller II, Van Rooyen LH. Defective sperm decondensation: a cause for fertilization failure. Andrologia. 2002;34:1–7.CrossRef
2.
Razavi S, Nasr-Esfahani MH, Mardani M, Mafi A, Moghdam A. Effect of human sperm chromatin anomalies on fertilization outcome post-ICSI. Andrologia. 2003;35:238–43.CrossRef
3.
Hamamah S, Fignon A, Lansac J. The effect of male factors in repeated spontaneous abortion: lesson from in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Hum Reprod Update. 1997;3:393–400.CrossRef
4.
Saxena P, Misro MM, Chaki SP, Chopra K, Roy S, Nandan D. Is abnormal sperm function an indicator among couples with recurrent pregnancy loss? Fertil Steril. 2008;90:1854–8.CrossRef
5.
Steger K, Wilhelm J, Konrad L, Satlf T, Greb R, Diemer T, et al. Both protamine-1 to protamine-2 mRNA ratio and Bcl2 mRNA content in testicular spermatids and ejaculated spermatozoa discriminate between fertile and infertile men. Hum Reprod. 2008;23:11–6.CrossRef
6.
Boulet SL, Mehta A, Kissin D, Warner L, Kawwass JF, Jamieson DJ. Trends in use of and reproductive outcomes associated with intracytoplasmic sperm injection. JAMA. 2015;313:255–63.CrossRef
7.
Henkel R, Kierspel E, Hajimohammad M, Stalf T, Hoogendijk C, Mehnert C, et al. DNA fragmentation of spermatozoa and assisted reproduction technology. Reprod BioMed Online. 2003;7:477–84.CrossRef
8.
Muriel L, Garrido N, Fernández JL, Remohí J, Pellicer A, de los Santos MJ, et al. Value of the sperm deoxyribonucleic acid fragmentation level, as measured by the sperm chromatin dispersion test, in the outcome of in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Fertil Steril. 2006;85:371–83.CrossRef
9.
Lin MH, Lee RKK, Li SH, Lu CH, Sun FJ, Hwu YM. Sperm chromatin structure assay parameters are not related to fertilization rates, embryo quality, and pregnancy rates in in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection but might be related to spontaneous abortion rates. Fertil Steril. 2008;90:352–9.CrossRef
10.
Collins JA, Barnhart KT, Schlegel PN. Do sperm DNA integrity tests predict pregnancy with in vitro fertilization? Fertil Steril. 2008;89:823–31.CrossRef
11.
Tavalaee M, Razavi S, Nasr-Esfahani MH. Influence of sperm chromatin anomalies on assisted reproductive technology outcome. Fertil Steril. 2009;91:1119–26.CrossRef
12.
Tarozzi N, Nadalini M, Stronati A, Bizzaro D, Dal Prato L, Coticchio G, et al. Anomalies in sperm chromatin packaging: implications for assisted reproduction techniques. Reprod BioMed Online. 2009;18:486–95.CrossRef
13.
Palermo GD, Neri QV, Cozzubbo T, Rosenwaks Z. Perspectives on the assessment of human sperm chromatin integrity. Fertil Steril. 2014;102:1508–17.CrossRef
14.
Romanato M, Regueira E, Cameo MS, Baldini C, Calvo L, Calvo JC. Further evidence on the role of heparan sulfate as protamine acceptor during the decondensation of human spermatozoa. Hum Reprod. 2005;20:2784–9.CrossRef
15.
Romanato M, Julianelli V, Zappi M, Calvo L, Calvo JC. The presence of heparan sulfate in the mammalian oocyte provides a clue to human sperm nuclear decondensation in vivo. Hum Reprod. 2008;23:1145–50.CrossRef
16.
Julianelli VL, Farrando B, Alvarez Sedó C, Calvo L, Romanato M, Calvo JC. Heparin enhances protamine disulfide bond reduction during in vitro decondensation of human spermatozoa. Hum Reprod. 2012;27:1930–8.CrossRef
17.
Sanchez MC, Sedo CA, Julianelli VL, Romanato M, Calvo L, Calvo JC, et al. Dermatan sulfate synergizes with heparin in murine sperm chromatin decondensation. Syst Biol Reprod Med. 2013;59:82–90.CrossRef
18.
Perreault SD. Regulation of sperm nuclear reactivation during fertilization. In Bavister BD, Cummins J, Roldan ERS (eds). Fertilization in Mammals. Norwell: Serono Symposia USA; 1990. pp 285–296.
19.
Canel NG, Bevacqua RJ, Hiriart MI, Rabelo NC, de Almeida Camargo LS, Romanato M, et al. Sperm pretreatment with heparin and L-glutathione, sex-sorting, and double cryopreservation to improve intracytoplasmic sperm injection in bovine. Theriogenology. 2017;93:62–70.CrossRef
20.
Gaubeca-Klix E, Marin-Briggiler C, Cameo M and Calvo L. In vitro sperm nuclear decondensation in the presence of heparin/glutathione distinguishes two subgroups of infertile patients not identified by conventional semen analysis. In: Treatment of infertility: the new Frontiers (abstract book). Boca Raton, FL, 1998: Abstract PO-51.
21.
Bergere M, Selva J, Baud M, Volante M, Martin B, Hugues JN, et al. Chromosome 18 analysis by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in human blastomeres of abnormal embryos after in vitro fertilization (IVF) attempt. Prenat Diagn. 1995;15:835–41.CrossRef
22.
WHO laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen. 5th ed. Geneva: WHO Press, World Health Organization; 2010.
23.
Romanato M, Cameo MS, Bertolesi G, Baldini C, Calvo JC, Calvo L. Heparan sulphate: a putative decondensing agent for human spermatozoa in vivo. Hum Reprod. 2003;18:1868–73.CrossRef
24.
Reyes R, Rosado A, Hernández O, Delgado NM. Heparin and glutathione: physiological decondensing agents of human sperm nuclei. Gamete Res. 1989;23:39–47.CrossRef
25.
Bedford JM, Bent MJ, Calvin H. Variations in the structural character and stability of the nuclear chromatin in morphologically normal human spermatozoa. J Reprod Fertil. 1973;33:19–29.CrossRef
26.
Palermo G, Joris H, Devroey P, Van Steirteghem AC. Pregnancies after intracytoplasmic injection of single spermatozoon into an oocyte. Lancet. 1992;340:17–8.CrossRef
27.
Brown DB, Merryman DC, Rivnay B, Houserman VL, Long CA, Honea KL. Evaluating a novel panel of sperm function tests for utility in predicting intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcome. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2013;30:461–77.CrossRef
28.
Kavitha P, Malini SS. Positive association of sperm dysfunction in the pathogenesis of recurrent pregnancy loss. J Clin Diagn Res. 2014;8:OC07–10.
29.
Barratt CLR, De Jonge CJ, Sharpe R. Man up’: the importance and strategy for placing male reproductive health Centre stage in the political and research agenda. Hum Reprod. 2018;33(4):541–5.CrossRef
30.
D'Occhio MJ, Hengstberger KJ, Johnston SD. Biology of sperm chromatin structure and relationship to male fertility and embryonic survival. Anim Reprod Sci. 2007;101:1–7.CrossRef
31.
Erenpreiss J, Spano M, Erenpreisa J, Bungum M, Giwercman A. Sperm chromatin structure and male fertility: biological and clinical aspects. Asian J Androl. 2006;8:11–29.CrossRef
32.
Evgeni E, Charalabopoulos K, Asimakopoulos B. Human sperm DNA fragmentation and its correlation with conventional semen parameters. J Reprod Infertil. 2014;15:2–14.PubMedPubMedCentral
33.
Menezo Y, Clement P, Amar E. Evaluation of sperm DNA structure, fragmentation and decondensation: an essential tool in the assessment of male infertility. Transl Androl Urol. 2017;6:S553–6.CrossRef
34.
Cebesoy FB, Aydos K, Unlu C. Effect of sperm chromatin damage on fertilization ratio and embryo quality post-ICSI. Arch Androl. 2006;52:397–402.CrossRef
35.
Depa-Martynow M, Kempistry B, Lianeri M, Jagodizinski PP, Jedrzejczak P. Association between fertilin B, protamines 1 and 2 and sperm specific linker histone H-1 like protein mRNA levels, fertilization ability of human spermatozoa and the quality of preimplantation embryos. Folia Histochem Cytobiol. 2007;45:79–85.
36.
Kazerooni T, Asadi N, Jadid L, Kazerooni M, Ghanadi A, Ghaffarpasand F, et al. Evaluation of sperm’s chromatin quality with acridine orange test, chromomycin A3 and aniline blue staining in couples with unexplained recurrent abortion. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2009;26:591–6.CrossRef
37.
Irez T, Sahmay S, Ocal P, Goymen A, Senol H, Erol N, et al. Investigation of the association between the outcomes of sperm chromatin condensation and decondensation tests, and assisted reproduction techniques. Andrologia. 2015;47:438–47.CrossRef
38.
Meseguer M, Santiso R, Garrido N, García-Herrero S, Remohí J, Fernandez JL. Effect of sperm DNA fragmentation on pregnancy outcome depends on oocyte quality. Fertil Steril. 2011;95:124–8.CrossRef
39.
Jin J, Pan C, Fei Q, Ni W, Yang X, Zhang L, et al. Effect of sperm DNA fragmentation on the clinical outcomes for in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection in women with different ovarian reserves. Fertil Steril. 2015;103:910–6.CrossRef
40.
Karydis S, Asimakopoulos B, Papadopoulos N, Vakalopoulos I, Al-Hasani S, Nicolettos N. ICSI outcome is not associated with the incidence of spermatozoa with abnormal chromatin condensation. In Vivo. 2005;19:921–5.PubMed
41.
Simon L, Emery BR, Carrell DT. Review: diagnosis and impact of sperm DNA alterations in assisted reproduction. Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 2017;44:38–56.CrossRef
Metadata
Title
Human sperm decondensation in vitro is related to cleavage rate and embryo quality in IVF
Authors
C. Galotto
M. Y. Cambiasso
V. L. Julianelli
G. J. Rey Valzacchi
R. N. Rolando
M. L. Rodriguez
L. Calvo
J. C. Calvo
Marina Romanato
Publication date
01-11-2019
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics / Issue 11/2019
Print ISSN: 1058-0468
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7330
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-019-01590-y

Other articles of this Issue 11/2019

Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics 11/2019 Go to the issue

Commentary

A 2019 reproductive update from the Midwest Reproductive Symposium International

Correction

Correction to: Contribution of cryopreservation to the cumulative live birth rate: a large multicentric cycle-based data analysis from the Italian National Registry

Review

Embryo transfer strategy and therapeutic options in infertile patients with thin endometrium: a systematic review

Genetics

Association between miR-146a C > G, miR-149 T > C, miR-196a2 T > C, and miR-499 A > G polymorphisms and susceptibility to idiopathic recurrent pregnancy loss

Reproductive Physiology and Disease

Ghrelin alleviates endoplasmic reticulum stress and inflammation-mediated reproductive dysfunction induced by stress

Assisted Reproduction Technologies

Revisiting serum β-hCG cut-off levels and pregnancy outcomes using single embryo transfer