Re.: Protamine contents and P1/P2 ratio in human spermatozoa from smokers and non-smokers.

A novel mechanism of protamine expression deregulation highlighted by abnormal protamine transcript retention in infertile human males with sperm protamine deficiency.

Sperm protamine deficiency has been associated with human male infertility. However, the aetiology of deregulated protamine expression remains elusive. The objective of this study was to evaluate the underlying aetiology of protamine deficiency in male infertility patients with deregulated protamine expression. Protamine-1 (P1) and protamine-2 (P2) protein concentrations were compared against P...

Protamine 2 precursors, protamine 1/protamine 2 ratio, DNA integrity and other sperm parameters in infertile patients.

BACKGROUND The protamine 1-to-protamine 2 ratio (P1/P2) is altered in the sperm cells of some infertile patients. Also, evidence for increased protamine 2 precursors (pre-P2) in a few patients has been reported. But so far, there have been no studies measuring simultaneously these two variables in a large number of patients. METHODS We measured the P1/P2 ratio and the presence of pre-P2 using...

Marked differences in protamine content and P1/P2 ratios in sperm cells from percoll fractions between patients and controls.

The various sperm cell types present in a simple ejaculate differ in their motility and morphology. However, little is known about the nuclear maturity of these sperm cells and their relationship with morphological and motile characteristics. Protamines are considered a good marker of sperm nuclear maturity since they are added to the DNA in the last stage of spermatogenesis. We have analyzed t...

Evaluating the Functional Status of Spermatozoa in Smokers Using Hypo-osmotic Swelling Test

Smoking habits of parents and male: female ratio in spermatozoa and preimplantation embryos.

BACKGROUND Previous observations have addressed a decreased male:female ratio associated with smoking. Our aim was to assess whether this effect is observed at the spermatozoa or at the early embryo development. METHODS We retrospectively assessed smoking intake habits of 56 couples included in our preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) program. Three groups were established according to mal...