P-52: Interest of Measuring MitochondrialMembrane Potential of Sperm by Flow Cytometry Technique in The Exploration ofSperm Quality of Infertile Men

Background: The fertilizing sperm potential is directly related to its mitochondria activity evaluated by measuring the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm). The objectives of the present study were to investigate the vitality and mitochondrial membrane potential of sperm in infertile men by the and to assess the correlations between sperm parameters and the level of sperm mitochondrial membrane potential. Materials and Methods: Our study included 38 semen samples from patients investigated for couple infertility. Each patient underwent a semen analysis, a study of sperm vitality by flow cytometry technique after labeling with 7 -Amino- Actinomycin D (7AAD) and an assessment of ΔΨm by flow cytometry technique after labeling with JC1. Having taken into account the rate of sperm vitality, we calculated the proportion of living sperm with high ΔΨm and those with low ΔΨm in each semen sample. Results: We found significant and positive correlations between levels of sperm living with high ΔΨm and total mobility (r = 0,639, p < 0.0001) ; rapid progressive motility (r = 0,684, p < 0.0001) ; vitality (r = 0 806, p < 0.0001) ; sperm count (r = 0,439, p = 0.008) and sperm morphology (r = 0,459, p = 0.007). We divided our samples into three groups: G0: high ΔΨm ≤ 20% (n = 10); G1 : 20 % < high ΔΨm < 50 % (n = 16) ; G3: high ΔΨm ≥ 50 % (n = 9). Comparison of sperm parameters among the three groups showed significant differences on many semen parameters : mobility (p <0.0001), vitality (p <0.001) and sperm morphology (p = 0.017) Conclusion: Evaluation of sperm mitochondrial membrane potential provides a rigorous estimate of the metabolic function of the sperm. Sperm nuclear apoptosis is preceded by severe alterations of mitochondrial functions, including alteration of ΔΨm. The ΔΨm decline is associated to an increased production of active oxygen species responsible for a cytological and molecular loop events deleterious to sperm.