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The impact of testicular and accessory sex gland function ion sperm chromatin integrity as assessed by the sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA)

Richthoff, J ; Spano, M ; Giwercman, Yvonne LU ; Frohm, Birgitta LU ; Jepson, K ; Malm, J ; Elzanaty, S ; Stridsberg, M and Giwercman, Aleksander LU (2002) In Human Reproduction 17(12). p.3162-3169
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) provides an objective assessment of sperm chromatin integrity, which is essential for normal sperm function. SCSA is valuable as a fertility marker in epidemiological studies and in the clinical situation. Little is known about the impact of testicular and post-testicular function on SCSA parameters. METHODS: Ejaculates from 278 military conscripts of median age 18.1 (range 18-21) years were included. Levels of reproductive hormones, the length of the CAG repeat of the androgen receptor gene, sperm concentration, abstinence period and biochemical parameters of epididymal and accessory sex gland secretions were correlated to the SCSA parameters, DNA fragmentation index (DFI) and highly... (More)
BACKGROUND: The sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) provides an objective assessment of sperm chromatin integrity, which is essential for normal sperm function. SCSA is valuable as a fertility marker in epidemiological studies and in the clinical situation. Little is known about the impact of testicular and post-testicular function on SCSA parameters. METHODS: Ejaculates from 278 military conscripts of median age 18.1 (range 18-21) years were included. Levels of reproductive hormones, the length of the CAG repeat of the androgen receptor gene, sperm concentration, abstinence period and biochemical parameters of epididymal and accessory sex gland secretions were correlated to the SCSA parameters, DNA fragmentation index (DFI) and highly DNA stainable (HDS) cells. RESULTS: Negative correlations were found between sperm concentration and DFI (r = -0.119, P = 0.049) and HDS (r = -0.513, P < 0.0001). DFI was negatively correlated with levels of estradiol (r = -0.19, P = 0.002) and free testosterone (r = -0.13, P = 0.03). DFI also correlated positively with abstinence time (r = 0.17, P = 0.005), and with seminal concentrations of fructose (r = 0.18, P = 0.004) and zinc (r = 0.12, P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Sex steroid production, spermatogenic function, abstinence time and seminal vesicle function appear to impact on sperm chromatin integrity and thereby on sperm fertilizing capacity. These findings may improve present understanding of the pathophysiology of male infertility. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
accessory sex glands, SCSA, sperm chromatin, zine, testosterone
in
Human Reproduction
volume
17
issue
12
pages
3162 - 3169
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • pmid:12456618
  • wos:000179839800024
  • scopus:1842833133
ISSN
0268-1161
DOI
10.1093/humrep/17.12.3162
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Molecular Reproductive Medicine (013241710), Clinical Chemistry, Malmö (013016000), Urology (013243400)
id
7cc3097b-22b4-448a-9bce-4c18189ec61f (old id 892161)
alternative location
http://humrep.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/17/12/3162
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12456618&dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:45:36
date last changed
2022-04-05 04:39:10
@article{7cc3097b-22b4-448a-9bce-4c18189ec61f,
  abstract     = {{BACKGROUND: The sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) provides an objective assessment of sperm chromatin integrity, which is essential for normal sperm function. SCSA is valuable as a fertility marker in epidemiological studies and in the clinical situation. Little is known about the impact of testicular and post-testicular function on SCSA parameters. METHODS: Ejaculates from 278 military conscripts of median age 18.1 (range 18-21) years were included. Levels of reproductive hormones, the length of the CAG repeat of the androgen receptor gene, sperm concentration, abstinence period and biochemical parameters of epididymal and accessory sex gland secretions were correlated to the SCSA parameters, DNA fragmentation index (DFI) and highly DNA stainable (HDS) cells. RESULTS: Negative correlations were found between sperm concentration and DFI (r = -0.119, P = 0.049) and HDS (r = -0.513, P &lt; 0.0001). DFI was negatively correlated with levels of estradiol (r = -0.19, P = 0.002) and free testosterone (r = -0.13, P = 0.03). DFI also correlated positively with abstinence time (r = 0.17, P = 0.005), and with seminal concentrations of fructose (r = 0.18, P = 0.004) and zinc (r = 0.12, P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Sex steroid production, spermatogenic function, abstinence time and seminal vesicle function appear to impact on sperm chromatin integrity and thereby on sperm fertilizing capacity. These findings may improve present understanding of the pathophysiology of male infertility.}},
  author       = {{Richthoff, J and Spano, M and Giwercman, Yvonne and Frohm, Birgitta and Jepson, K and Malm, J and Elzanaty, S and Stridsberg, M and Giwercman, Aleksander}},
  issn         = {{0268-1161}},
  keywords     = {{accessory sex glands; SCSA; sperm chromatin; zine; testosterone}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{12}},
  pages        = {{3162--3169}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Human Reproduction}},
  title        = {{The impact of testicular and accessory sex gland function ion sperm chromatin integrity as assessed by the sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA)}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/humrep/17.12.3162}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/humrep/17.12.3162}},
  volume       = {{17}},
  year         = {{2002}},
}