Evaluation of sperm parameters and oxidative stress level in asthenoteratozoospermia men by N-acetylcysteine treatment

Subject Areas :

rahil jannatifar ¹ , kazem parivar ² , Mohammad Hossein Nasr-Esfahani ³ , nasim hayati roodbari ⁴

1 - Department of Biology, School of Basic Science Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran
2 - Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
3 - Department of Reproductive Biotechnology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
4 - Department of Biology, School of Basic Science Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran

Received: 2020-02-10 Accepted : 2020-04-08 Published : 2020-03-20

Keywords: Asthenoteratozoospermia, N-acetyl-cysteine, Oxidative stress, Infertility,

Abstract :

Background Infertile men have higher levels of semen reactive oxygen species (ROS) than fertile men. High levels of semen ROS can cause sperm dysfunction, sperm DNA damage and reduced male reproductive potential. This study investigated the effects of supplementation with N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) on sperm parameters; chromatin integrity and level of stress oxidative (ROS) in infertile men.Methods The study was carried out in the unit of ACECR Infertility Research Center, Qom, Iran. The patients consisted of 50 infertile men with asthenoteratozoospermia who received NAC (600 mg/d) orally for 3 months, after which they were compared with pre-treatment status. Sperm parameters according WHO (World Health Organization) guidelines, protamine deficiency (chromomycin A3 staining), sperm DNA damage (TUNEL assay), percentage and intensity of ROS (DCFH-DA staining) were assessed in infertile men.Results After NAC treatment, patients' sperm parameters improved (P

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