Semen parameters in men with varicocele: DNA fragmentation, chromatin packaging, mitochondrial membrane potential, and apoptosis

Abstract

ObjectiveTo evaluate varicocele effects on conventional semen parameters: sperm DNA fragmentation, chromatin packaging, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and sperm apoptosis.MethodsA cross-sectional study was carried out with semen samples from 2,399 men of couples who attended an infertility clinic. A total of 16.3% (391/2399) of the men were diagnosed with varicocele by a urologist.ResultsA regression analysis revealed that the percentages of sperm with DNA fragmentation, abnormal chromatin packaging, and abnormal MMP were significantly increased in individuals with varicocele, when compared to men without varicocele. Apoptosis was not influenced by varicocele. Conventional semen parameters were significantly worse in individuals with the disease. On the other hand, in men with varicocele, Spearman's correlation demonstrated that early apoptosis and abnormal MMP showed a positive and significant correlation with sperm DNA fragmentation.ConclusionMen with varicocele had worse semen parameters, including increased levels of sperm DNA fragmentation, inactive mitochondria, and abnormal chromatin packaging. These changes are possible causes of infertility in individuals with varicocele.

Seminal SIRT1‐oxidative stress relationship in infertile oligoasthenoteratozoospermic men with varicocele after its surgical repair

“…In this context, several investigators pointed out that varicocele associated male infertility is characterised by augmented seminal OS as well as apoptotic indices (Dieamant et al, ; Hassan, El‐Nashar, & Mostafa, ; Tawadrous, Aziz, & Mostafa, ; Zaazaa et al, ; Zedan, El‐Mekhlafi, El‐Noweihi, Abd El‐Azim, & Mostafa, ). Hamada, Esteves, and Agarwal () showed that varicocele repair is helpful for alleviating OS‐associated male infertility and protects against the progressive consequent upregulation of systemic OS.…”

Relationship between varicocele and platelet indices: changes of mean platelet volume before and after operation

“…In eastern China, the incidence was 4.83% through the study of 39,559 rural men (Liu et al ., ). And it is a higher incidence of varicocele in the crowd with infertility; a cross‐sectional study showed that the incidence of varicoceles is up to 16.3% in men with fertility requirements who attended an infertility clinic (Dieamant et al ., ), and 26% of infertile men in China suffer from varicocele at present (Zhang et al ., ). Varicocele had a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia (Wang et al ., ), and caused problems such as pain symptoms, decreased sperm quality, infertility, and even increase in the risk of hypogonadism (Ji & Jin, ).…”

Varicocele as one of the causes of the decreased male infertility

“…При этом среди мужчин с нарушениями параметров спермограммы (n = 3626) частота выявления варикоцеле при физикальном осмотре составила 25,4 %, а среди мужчин, спермограмма и половые функции которых соответствовали норме (n = 3468), -11,7 % [3]. В одной из недавних работ при обследовании 2399 мужчин из бесплодных супружеских пар варикоцеле обнаружено у 319 (16 %) [20].…”

“…Выявлено, что содержание сперматозоидов с фрагментацией ДНК, аномальной упаковкой хроматина и аномальным потенциалом митохондриальной мембраны статистически значимо выше у пациентов с варикоцеле по сравнению с мужчинами с бесплодием без варикоцеле [20]. Стандартные параметры спермиологического исследования (объем эякулята, концентрация сперматозоидов, морфология, прогрессивная и общая подвижность) статистически значимо ниже у мужчин с варикоцеле [20].…”