Detection of Sperm DNA Integrity and Some Immunological Aspects in Infertile Males

Sarmad N. Mageed; Shukur R. Hamashareef; Ahmed F. Shallal

doi:10.14500/aro.10924

Sarmad N. Mageed Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Health, Koya University, Koya, Kurdistan Region – F.R. Iraq https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5754-5544
Shukur R. Hamashareef Department of Medical Instrumentations Engineering Technology, College of Engineering Techniques, Alkitab University, Kirkuk, F.R. Iraq https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3105-615X
Ahmed F. Shallal Department Medical Laboratory Science, College of Science, University of Raparin, Rania-Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan Region – F.R. Iraq https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7841-6178

Keywords: Acridine orange test, Anti-sperm antibodies, Deoxyribonucleic acid fragmentation index, Mixed agglutination reaction

Abstract

Immunoinfertility caused by anti-sperm antibodies (ASAs) represents about 10–20% of infertility among couples, which interfere with sperm motility and ability to penetrate cervical mucus, sperm-oocyte binding, fertilization, and embryo development. In addition, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damages are increasingly found with infertile cases affecting male reproduction potency and progeny. This study aims to assess the semen, presence of ASAs, and DNA fragmentation index in normozoospermic patients. A total number of 116 cases with an average age of 20–51 years old, and duration of infertility at 4.70 ± 2.77 are classified into 77 and 39 primary and secondary types of infertility, respectively. Mixed agglutination reaction test was used to estimate the ASAs in semen (direct method) and in seminal plasma and blood serum (indirect method), for both immunoglobulins IgG and IgA. Acridine orange test was used to detect DNA fragmentation index. The results showed a significant difference (P > 0.05) for those with a secondary type of infertility at means 24.37 and 31.48 for IgG, and 14.46 ± 1.76 and 6.86 ± 0.39 for IgA by both direct and indirect methods, respectively. The direct method showed a significant difference only for the sperm tail, while that for indirect method was in sperm mid-piece. The mean of DFI for all cases was 38.25 ± 2.08, at 41.61 ± 2.19 and 31.63 ± 4.29, for both primary and secondary cases, respectively. The percentage of ASAs revealed no significant difference with DFI, except in some parts of sperm.

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Author Biographies

Sarmad N. Mageed, Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Health, Koya University, Koya, Kurdistan Region – F.R. Iraq

Sarmad Nagemaldeen Mageed is an Assistant Professor, at the Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Health, Koya University. He got the B.Sc. degree in Biology, the M.Sc. degree in Biochemistry of Parasites, and the Ph.D. degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Parasitology. His research interests are in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Parasitology. Dr. Sarmad is a member of the British Society of Parasitology.

Shukur R. Hamashareef, Department of Medical Instrumentations Engineering Technology, College of Engineering Techniques, Alkitab University, Kirkuk, F.R. Iraq

Shukur Ramadhan Hamasharef is an Assistant Lecturer at the Department of Medical Instrumentations Engineering Technology, College of Engineering Techniques, Al-Kitab University. He got the B.Sc. degree in Biology, the M.Sc. degree in Applied Embryology. His research interests are in Applied Embryology, Microbiology and Medicinal Chemistry.

Ahmed F. Shallal, Department Medical Laboratory Science, College of Science, University of Raparin, Rania-Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan Region – F.R. Iraq

Ahmed Farhan Shallal is an Assistant Prof. at the Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Science, Raparin University. He got the B.Sc. degree in Biology, College of Science, Mustansiriyah University, the M.Sc. degree in Biology-physiology and the Ph.D. degree in Immunology. His research interests are in immunology, physiology and biochemistry.

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