Impact of sperm DNA fragmentation on the efficiency of fertilization and the development of human embryos cultured in vitro

Mazilina M.A., Komarova E.M., Lesik E.A., Fedorova I.D., Gzgzyan A.M.

1Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg 199034, Universitetskaya Embankment, 7/9, Russia 2D.O. Ott Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductology, Saint Petersburg 199034, Mendeleevskaya line 3, Russia
Objective. To evaluate the impact of sperm DNA fragmentation on the efficiency of fertilization and the development of human embryos cultured in vitro.
Material and methods. The data of oocyte fertilization and embryo production protocols were analyzed. Semen analysis was performed according to the 2010 WHO recommendations. The proportion of sperm with fragmented DNA was analyzed by fluorescently labeling of DNA strand breaks (TUNEL). Statistical analysis was carried out using GraphPad InStat software.
Results. There was a negative correlation between the proportion of sperm with fragmented DNA and the efficiency of fertilization. No correlation was found between the proportion of sperm with fragmented DNA and that of high-quality embryos.
Conclusion. Sperm DNA fragmentation has been shown to negatively affect the efficiency of fertilization; however, it does not impair the early preimplantation development of embryos when cultured in vitro.

Keywords

human sperm
DNA fragmentation
fertilization
embryo development

Supplementary Materials

  1. Table 1. Sperm DNA fragmentation rates in two groups: with efficiency of fertilization ≤70% and >70%.
  2. Table 2. Sperm DNA fragmentation rates in two groups: with top quality embryos rates ≤50% and >50%.
  3. Table 3. The average age and sperm DNA fragmentation rates in pregnant and non pregnant groups
  4. Figure. The distribution of frequency of patients with varying sperm DNA fragmentation rate (x-axis – sperm DNA fragmentation rate, y-axis - frequency of patients).

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Received 28.07.2016

Accepted 02.09.2016

About the Authors

Mazilina Maria A., a graduate student, Saint Petersburg State University; embryologist of the ART department, D.O. Ott Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductology. 199034, Russia, St. Petersburg, Universitetskaya Embankment, 7/9. E-mail: mashamazilina@gmail.com
Komarova Evgenia M., PhD, junior researcher, embryologist of the ART department, D.O. Ott Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductology.
199034, Russia, St. Petersburg, Mendeleevskaya line 3. E-mail: evgmkomarova@gmail.com
Lesik Elena A., PhD, senior researcher, embryologist of the ART department, D.O. Ott Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductology.
199034, Russia, St. Petersburg, Mendeleevskaya line 3. E-mail: lesike@yandex.ru
Fedorova Irina D., PhD, senior researcher, a senior embryologist, D.O. Ott Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductology.
199034, Russia, St. Petersburg, Mendeleevskaya line 3. E-mail: irendf@mail.ru
Gzgzyan Alexander M., prof. of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saint Petersburg State University; Head of the Department of Obstetrics,
D.O. Ott Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductology. 199034, Russia, St. Petersburg, Universitetskaya Embankment, 7/9. E-mail: agzgzyan@mail.ru

For citations: Mazilina M.A., Komarova E.M., Lesik E.A.,
Fedorova I.D., Gzgzyan A.M. Impact of sperm DNA fragmentation on the efficiency
of fertilization and the development of human embryos cultured in vitro.
Akusherstvo i Ginekologiya/Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2017; (3): 69-74. (in Russian)
http://dx.doi.org/10.18565/aig.2017.3.69-74

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