Effects of ascorbic acid on sperm motility, viability, acrosome reaction and DNA integrity in teratozoospermic samples

BACKGROUND Oxidative stress in teratozoospermic semen samples caused poor assisted reproductive techniques (ART) outcomes. Among antioxidants, ascorbic acid is a naturally occurring free radical scavenger and as such its presence assists various other mechanisms in decreasing numerous disruptive free radical processes. OBJECTIVE The main goal of this study was to evaluate potential protective effects of ascorbic acid supplementation during in vitro culture of teratozoospermic specimens. MATERIALS AND METHODS Teratozoospermic semen samples that collected from 15 volunteers were processed, centrifuged and incubated at 37(o)C until sperm swimmed-up. Supernatant was divided into four groups and incubated at 37(o)C for one hour under different experimental conditions: Control, 10 µm A23187, 600µm ascorbic acid and 10 µm A23187+600 µm ascorbic acid. After incubation sperm motility, viability, acrosome reaction, DNA damage and malondialdehyde levels were evaluated. RESULTS Our results indicated that after one hour incubation, ascorbic acid significantly reduced malondialdehyde level in ascorbic acid group (1.4±0.11 nmol/ml) compared to control group (1.58±0.13 nmol/ml) (p<0.001). At the end of incubation, progressive motility and viability in ascorbic acid group (64.5±8.8% and 80.3±6.4%, respectively) were significantly (p<0.05 and p<0.001, respectively) higher than the control group (54.5±6.8% and 70.9±7.3%, respectively). A23187 significantly (p<0.0001) increased acrosome reaction in A23187 group (37.3±5.6%) compared to control group (8.5±3.2%) and this effect of A23187 attenuated by ascorbic acid in ascorbic acid+A23187 group (17.2±4.4%). DNA fragmentation in ascorbic acid group (20±4.1%) was significantly (p<0.001) lower than controls (28.9±4.6%). CONCLUSION In vitro ascorbic acid supplementation during teratozoospermic semen processing for ART could protect teratozoospermic specimens against oxidative stress, and it could improve ART outcome.