Simultaneous vitality and DNA‐fragmentation measurement in spermatozoa of smokers and non‐smokers

• Published in: Cytometry. Part B, Clinical cytometry Vol. 88; no. 2; pp. 120 - 124
• Main Authors: De Bantel, A., Fleury‐Feith, J., Poirot, C., Berthaut, I., Garcin, C., Landais, P., Ravel, C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01-03-2015; Wiley
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; cell vitality; Cross-Sectional Studies; DNA Fragmentation; Flow Cytometry - methods; Human health and pathology; Humans; Life Sciences; Male; Middle Aged; Semen Analysis - methods; Smoking - adverse effects; Smoking - pathology; spermatozoa; Spermatozoa - pathology; Spermatozoa - physiology; tobacco; Young Adult; tobacco; cell vitality; spermatozoa; DNA fragmentation
• ISSN: 1552-4949; 1552-4957
• DOI: 10.1002/cyto.b.21185

Background
Because cigarette smoke is a powerful ROS producer, we hypothesized that the spermatozoa of smokers would be more at risk of having increased DNA fragmentation than spermatozoa of non‐smoking men.
Methods
A cross‐sectional study was performed on consenting smokers and non‐smokers, consulting in an infertility clinic for routine sperm analysis. The application of a novel TUNEL assay coupled to a vitality marker, LIVE/DEAD®, allowed both DNA fragmentation and viability measurement within spermatozoa of participants to be analyzed by flow cytometry.
Results
The coupled vitality‐DNA fragmentation analysis revealed that non‐smokers and smokers, respectively presented medians of 3.6% [0.6–36.8] and 3.3% [0.9–9.6] DNA fragmented spermatozoa among the living spermatozoa population (P > 0.05).
Conclusion
No deleterious effect of smoking on spermatozoa was found in our study. More studies concerning potential mutagenic capacities of cigarette smoke on spermatozoa are necessary. In addition, the coupled vitality‐DNA fragmentation analysis may orient Assisted Reproductive Technology teams when confronted with patients having a high percentage of DNA‐fragmented living spermatozoa. © 2014 International Clinical Cytometry Society