Increased DNA damage in sperm from leukocytospermic semen samples as determined by the sperm chromatin structure assay.

OBJECTIVE To determine DNA damage as measured by the sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) in subsets of human spermatozoa at different stages of maturation in patients who are undergoing infertility evaluation. DESIGN Prospective study. SETTING Andrology laboratory at a tertiary care hospital. PATIENT(S) Fifty-six patients undergoing infertility evaluation. Patients with normal semen parameters (n = 17), abnormal semen parameters (n = 29), leukocytospermia (n = 10), and a group of healthy fertile men (n = 18) were included in the study. INTERVENTION(S) None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) The shift of green (native DNA) to red (denatured, single-stranded DNA) fluorescence was measured and quantified using the expression alpha(t) (red fluorescence/[red + green fluorescence] per cell). Sperm DNA damage was examined in subsets of spermatozoa isolated by a three-step density gradient. The DNA damage was correlated with classic semen characteristics. RESULT(S) Leukocyte concentration in semen was directly correlated with chromatin alterations in immature and mature sperm. Leukocyte concentration in semen was also directly correlated with immature germ cell concentration and the percentage of abnormal forms in semen. CONCLUSION(S) The increase in chromatin alterations and DNA damage in sperm, as defined by the sperm chromatin structure assay from leukocytospermic samples may be related to alterations in the regulation of spermatogenesis.