P-75: The Protective Effect of Vitamin C on Sperm Parameters and Chromatin Condensation in Diabetic Mice

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM), primary or idiopathic, is a chronic disorder of the carbohydrate, lipid and protein metabolism, characterized through hyperglycemia and glycosuria. DM can involve male reproductive function at many levels. Vitamin C ( ascorbic acid) is one of necessary elements in human and mammalian diet that is very important in fertility. Vitamin C prevent from gamets damage with free radicals along gametogenesis and fertilization. The aim of this study is to observe the protective effects of vitamin C on sperm parameters (viability, count, morphology and motility) and evaluation of DNA integrity in diabetic mice. Materials and Methods: Totally twenty eight adult male Syrian mice were divided randomly into 4 groups (n=7). The animals of group 1 were considered as controls, group 2 were diabetic that received a single dose (200 mg/kg) streptozotocin (STZ) intra peritoneally, group 3 received vitamin C (10 mg/kg/daily , intra peritoneal) and group 4 were diabetic mice that received vitamin C (10 mg/kg/daily , intra peritoneal). After 35 days, the cauda epididymis of each mouse was dissected and placed in 1 mL of pre-warm Ham,s F10 culture medium for 30 min. The swim-out spermatozoa were analyzed for count, motility, morphology and viability. To evaluate the sperm chromatin quality and DNA integrity, the air-dried smears were fixed with specific fixative and then stained with cytochemical assays before microscopic examinations. Results: In sperm analysis, all of the sperm parameters were significantly differences between 4 groups (p<0.001). Regard to sperm DNA/chromatin quality, although, the results of toluidine blue (TB) and acridine orange (AO) tests showed statically significant differences between groups, but in aniline blue (AB) and chromomycin A3 (CMA3) staining, we didn’t see any significant differences (p>0.001) between them. Conclusion: Vitamin C, as a power antioxidant is able to balance the ROS effects of diabet on sperm parameters and DNA integrity.