Quantitative study of caspase-3 activity in semen and after swim-up preparation in relation to sperm quality

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2005

Authors

Almeida C (Author) Other; cardoso, mf (Author) ICBAS; sousa, m (Author) ICBAS; Viana, P (Author) Other; Goncalves, A (Author) Other; Silva, J (Author) Other; barros, a (Author) FMUP

Journal

Title: Human Reproduction

Vol. 20 No. 5

Pages: 1307-1313

ISSN: 0268-1161

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 39 Citations

Scopus - 51 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-000-3KS

DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deh727

Abstract (EN): BACKGROUND: There are no studies relating the apoptotic marker caspase-3 in human sperm to different degrees of abnormal sperm concentration, morphology and rapid progressive motility. METHODS: Semen from 67 males with abnormal semen analyses (n=61) and normozoospermia (n=6) were used. In each case, sperm from the neat semen (semen fraction) and after gradient centrifugation and swim-up (swim-up fraction) were incubated with a caspase-3 profluorogenic substrate. Caspase-3 activity was quantified in 119 850 sperm, 67 488 from semen and 52 362 from swim-up fractions. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratio (with 99% confidence intervals) for the presence of caspase-3-positive sperm. RESULTS: In semen fractions, no relationship was found between abnormal semen analysis subgroups and sperm caspase-3 activity. On the contrary, a significantly increased number of sperm with caspase-3 activity was found in the swim-up fractions from samples with poor sperm morphology. When analysis was restricted to single semen analysis defects, a significant increase of caspase-3-positive sperm was found in the semen fractions of cases with asthenozoospermia, and in the swim-up fractions of cases with teratozoospermia. CONCLUSIONS: Sperm caspase-3 activity seems to be associated with teratozoospermia and asthenozoospermia, thus suggesting that nuclear, mitochondrial and cytoskeletal abnormalities induce caspase-3 activation during spermiogenesis or sperm maturation.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 7