Evaluation of zeta and HA-binding methods for selection of spermatozoa with normal morphology, protamine content and DNA integrity

Abstract

Sperm selection parameters based on morphology and motility for ICSI might not be relevant to chromatin integrity. Thus sperm selection based on sperm characteristics has been suggested. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of the zeta and hyaluronic acid (HA) sperm selection procedures with neat semen, for recovering spermatozoa with normal morphology, protamine content and DNA integrity in infertile men. Semen samples from 77 infertile couples were assessed during this study. Semen analysis was carried out according to World Health Organization criteria. Protamine content, DNA integrity and sperm morphology were assessed by chromomycin A3, sperm chromatin dispersion and Papanicolaou staining respectively. The results show that both HA and zeta methods were efficient to recover spermatozoa with normal morphology and protamine content. In terms of the latter parameters, there was no superiority between the two procedures. However, in terms of DNA integrity, the zeta method was more efficient compared with the control and HA procedure and no significant difference was observed between HA and the controls. Therefore, the zeta method appears to be a suitable procedure to recover spermatozoa with normal DNA integrity.