Human Reproduction, Vol 13, 3108-3113, Copyright © 1998 by Oxford University Press
JF Griveau, G Grizard, D Boucher and D Le Lannou
Oxygen radical generation is known to be detrimental to sperm function. An
example of a reactive oxygen species-associated male pathology is
oligozoospermia in which fertilization and pregnancy rates are low in
in-vitro fertilization (IVF) programmes. As the extent of the modifications
induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) depends on several factors,
notably from oxygen tension in the incubation medium, the aim of this study
was to examine the influence of a low (5%) rather than atmospheric (20%)
oxygen tension in the incubator gas phase on the function of
Percoll-selected spermatozoa from ejaculates of oligozoospermic patients
and normozoospermic fertile donors. After incubation for several hours in a
gas phase of either 5% CO2/90% N2/5% O2 or 5% CO2/95% air (20% O2), none of
the parameters investigated, e.g. movement characteristics, potential of
spermatozoa to acquire hyperactivated motility, to undergo the acrosome
reaction when challenged with a calcium ionophore and to fuse with
zona-free hamster oocytes, was significantly different between the two
oxygen tensions in fertile donors. In contrast, among oligozoospermic
patients, the motility parameters, the percentage of hyperactivated
motility and of induced-acrosome reaction were significantly improved under
a gas phase of 5% O2 compared with those observed under an atmosphere of
20% O2 (P < 0.05). Exposure to 5% rather than 20% oxygen tension also
induced a significant increase in the percentage of penetration of
zona-free hamster eggs after capacitation for 17 h, but no difference was
found in the mean number of bound spermatozoa per oocyte. After incubation
for 24 h, a significantly higher survival rate was observed under 5%
compared with 20% oxygen tension. These results show that the use of a low
oxygen tension rather than air might improve spermatozoan competence of
oligozoospermic patients during IVF programmes.
ARTICLES
Influence of oxygen tension on function of isolated spermatozoa from ejaculates of oligozoospermic patients and normozoospermic fertile donors
Unite de Biologie de la Reproduction - CECOS, Centre Hospitalier Regional et Universitaire de Rennes, France.
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