Investigation on the origin of sperm morphological defects: oxidative attacks, chromatin immaturity, and DNA fragmentation
Abstract
DNA fragmentation can be deleterious on spermatozoon morphology but the pathogenesis of teratozoospermia associated with DNA breaks is not fully understood, even if oxidative attacks and defects in chromatin maturation are hypothesized. Therefore, this study is one of the first to clarify on the underlying hypothesizes behind such observations. The objectives of our study were to assess the role of oxidative attacks in DNA damage pathogenesis in ejaculated spermatozoa from patients with isolated teratozoospermia. We aimed to assess the correlation of DNA breaks with morphologically abnormal spermatozoa, as well as ROS level and impairment chromatin condensation. A total of 90 patients were divided into two groups, men with isolated teratozoospermia (n = 60) and men with normal semen parameters (n = 30) as controls. DNA fragmentation was evaluated by TUNEL assay; chromatin immaturity was studied using acridine orange and toluidine blue staining. We evaluated the ability of spermatozoa to produce reactive oxygen species with nitro blue tetrazolium staining. Patient with teratozoospermia when compared to fertile men showed significantly higher rates of semen ROS production, sperm hypocondensated chromatin, denaturated DNA, and fragmented DNA. All these parameters were positively correlated with abnormal sperm morphology. The studied DNA integrity markers were also correlated with ROS production. Fragmented DNA is the main pathway leading to morphology defects in the sperm. In fa…
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Some studies have shown a correlation between sperm morphological defects and nuclear genetic defects, apoptotic alterations, and reactive oxidative stress, which may negatively impact fertility potential.
“Some studies have shown a correlation between sperm morphological defects and nuclear genetic defects, apoptotic alterations, and reactive oxidative stress, which may negatively impact fertility potential (13-15).”
From Isolated teratozoospermia: revisiting its relevance in male infertility: a narrative review (2024) · cites this paper as [13]
Abnormal sperm morphology in general has shown a correlation with changes in genetic materials, increased rate of apoptosis, overproduction of oxidative stress, and a decrease in antioxidant activities.
“While some morphological defects are associated with specific functional deficiencies, such as those with tail defects that result in abnormal motility, abnormal sperm morphology, in general, has shown a correlation with changes in genetic materials, increased rate of apoptosis, overproduction of oxidative stress as well as a decrease in antioxidant activities (13-15).”
From Isolated teratozoospermia: revisiting its relevance in male infertility: a narrative review (2024) · cites this paper as [13]
Oxidative stress results in lower protamination and disulfide bond formation, leading to DNA breaks and increased free radicals.
“Oxidative stress results in lower protamination and disulfide bond formation, leading to DNA breaks and increased free radicals (13).”
From Isolated teratozoospermia: revisiting its relevance in male infertility: a narrative review (2024) · cites this paper as [13]
Cites
EVENSON, D. P., LARSON, K. L., & JOST, L. K. (2002) · Journal of Andrology · doi:10.1002/j.1939-4640.2002.tb02599.x · Cited by 1,072 · cited 1× · see citing works
“…the final addition of protamines to transform spermatogonia to spermatozoa with highly organized chromatin structure (Marcon and Boissonneault 2004), which protects the integrity of the paternal genome during transportation of sperm in the male and female reproductive tracts (Evenson et al. 2002).”
BackgroundRelationship amongst teratozoospermia, seminal oxidative stress and male infertility
Agarwal, A., Tvrda, E., & Sharma, R. (2014) · Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology · doi:10.1186/1477-7827-12-45 · Cited by 176 · see citing works
Zidi-Jrah, I., Hajlaoui, A., Mougou-Zerelli, S., Kammoun, M., Meniaoui, I., Sallem, A., Brahem, S., Fekih, M., Bibi, M., Saad, A., et al. (2016) · Fertility and Sterility · doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2015.09.041 · Cited by 167 · see citing works
Self-citationGenetic aspects of monomorphic teratozoospermia: a review
De Braekeleer, M., Nguyen, M. H., Morel, F., & Perrin, A. (2015) · Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics · doi:10.1007/s10815-015-0433-2 · Cited by 135 · see citing works
Kihaile, P. E., Misumi, J., Hirotsuru, K., Kumasako, Y., Kisanga, R. E., & Utsunomiya, T. (2003) · International Journal of Andrology · doi:10.1046/j.1365-2605.2003.00391.x · Cited by 36 · see citing works
Isolated abnormal strict morphology is not a contraindication for intrauterine insemination
Lockwood, G. M., Deveneau, N. E., Shridharani, A. N., Strawn, E. Y., & Sandlow, J. I. (2015) · Andrology · doi:10.1111/andr.12098 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
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Candela, L., Boeri, L., Capogrosso, P., Cazzaniga, W., Pozzi, E., Belladelli, F., Baudo, A., Ravizzoli, A., Ventimiglia, E., Viganò, P., et al. (2021) · PLOS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0251608 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Isolated teratozoospermia: revisiting its relevance in male infertility: a narrative review
Atmoko, W., Savira, M., Shah, R., Chung, E., & Agarwal, A. (2024) · Translational Andrology and Urology · doi:10.21037/tau-23-397 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Garcia-Segura, S., Ribas-Maynou, J., Lara-Cerrillo, S., Garcia-Peiró, A., Castel, A. B., Benet, J., & Oliver-Bonet, M. (2020) · Biology · doi:10.3390/biology9090262 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
- Authors
- Oumaima, A., Tesnim, A., Zohra, H., Amira, S., Ines, Z., Sana, C., Intissar, G., Lobna, E., Ali, J., & Meriem, M.
- ORCID
- Oumaima, Ammar
- Venue
- Environmental Science and Pollution Research
- Published
- 2018-03-05
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 14
- Pages
- 13775-13786
- ISSN
- 0944-1344 (ISSN-L)
- 1614-7499
- OpenAlex
- W2791479635
- Cited by
- 69
- References
- 6
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 7.47
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Environmental Science and Pollution Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- This work was supported by funds allocated to the Research Unit of Histology and Genetic UR12ES10 by the Ministère Tunisien de l’Enseingement Supérieur et de la Recherché Scientifique.
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Sperm and Testicular Function
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Physiology › Reproductive biology and impacts on aquatic species
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Male Reproductive Health Studies
- Keywords
- teratozoospermia, sperm DNA fragmentation, sperm morphology, oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species, chromatin condensation, sperm DNA integrity, male infertility, disulfide bond formation
- MeSH terms
- Teratozoospermia, Adult, Chromatin, Humans, Male, Semen, Spermatozoa, Reactive Oxygen Species, Oxidative Stress, DNA Fragmentation
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