P-25: Effect of Water with Different Temperature with or without Forced Swimming on Sperm Parameters in Adult Mouse

Background: Sports, hypothermia and hyperthermia as some stressors inhibit male reproductive functions and are associated with subfertility or infertility. We investigated whether water temperature and chronic swimming are effective on mouse sperm parameters. Materials and Methods: Adult male mouse(N=35) were randomly divided into 7 groups: 1-controls 2-cold water (100C) with swimming 3- cold water (10°C) without swimming 4- lukewarm water(23°C) with swimming 5- lukewarm water(23°C) without swimming 6- warm water (36°C) with swimming 7- warm water (36°C) without swimming. All animals in swimming groups were submitted to forced swimming in a pool for 5 minutes daily for 5days/week during five weeks. However the groups of 3, 5 and 7 were just standing on a raised platform inside the water in pool without swimming for the same time and duration. Sperm analysis was performed after 35 days from tail part of epididymis. Analyses included sperm count and morphology of head, mid piece and tail, were assayed using a hemocytometer slide and Papanicolaoa staining, respectively. Data were statistically analyzed with ANOVA and post Hoc Tuckey test. Results: Cold water (10°C) with or without swimming had no effect on sperm counts. However, the percent of abnormal tails increased significantly when compared with the controls, (p<0.05). Warm water (36°C) statistically reduced sperm counts and increased abnormal morphology in mid piece and tail in both groups of with or without swimming (p<0.05) when compared with controls. Warm water without swimming increased the percent of abnormal head too. Lukewarm water without swimming had no effect on both sperm counts and morphology; however, lukewarm water with swimming increased sperm abnormal tail morphology (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study indicates lukewarm water itself and without swimming doesn’t have adverse effect on sperm parameters; however, swimming for chronic period in different degrees of water may disrupt mouse sperm parameters and fertility.