The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

Low folate in seminal plasma is associated with increased sperm DNA damage

Low folate in seminal plasma is associated with increased sperm DNA damage
Low folate in seminal plasma is associated with increased sperm DNA damage
Objective: To determine associations between vitamin B status, homocysteine (tHcy), semen parameters, and sperm DNA damage.

Design: Observational study.

Setting: A tertiary referral fertility clinic.

Patients: Two hundred fifty-one men of couples undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment, with subgroups of fertile (n = 70) and subfertile men (n = 63) defined according to semen concentration and proven fertility.

Intervention: None.

Main Outcome Measure: The DNA fragmentation index (DFI) as marker of sperm DNA damage determined using the sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA), and semen parameters assessed according to World Health Organization criteria; tHcy, folate, cobalamin, and pyridoxine concentrations determined in seminal plasma and blood.

Result: In the total group of fertile and subfertile men, all biomarkers in blood were statistically significantly correlated with those in seminal plasma. No correlation was found between the biomarkers in blood and the semen parameters. In seminal plasma, both tHcy and cobalamin positively correlated with sperm count. Folate, cobalamin, and pyridoxine were inversely correlated with ejaculate volume. In fertile men, seminal plasma folate showed an inverse correlation with the DNA fragmentation index.

Conclusion: Low concentrations of folate in seminal plasma may be detrimental for sperm DNA stability.

sperm parameters, dna fragmentation index, scsa, homocysteine, folate, cobalamin, pyridoxine
0015-0282
548-556
Boxmeer, Jolanda C.
0c509cdc-e589-45d1-809c-dec6a025ba75
Smit, Marji
2a3709ef-81b9-4f23-aba2-f3f587476c5d
Utomo, Elaine
dda74837-9e2e-4a83-bf23-74935fdb0010
Romijn, Johannes C.
2c6b66f7-3bd5-4b7f-a7bf-ec38136bc982
Eijkemans, Marinus J.C.
f95640f3-5107-4b1b-b924-ebac8a334321
Lindemans, Jan
2fe464f3-b659-460c-bde3-c54982286c0c
Laven, Joop S.E.
840def1a-6693-4488-b412-29794c5fc56f
Macklon, Nick S.
7db1f4fc-a9f6-431f-a1f2-297bb8c9fb7e
Steegers, Eric A.P.
6061f35a-1c75-4f9f-ac9f-ed369f475ce9
Steegers-Theunissen, Regine P.M.
c0c708b4-f765-4330-825a-b8c3a4d4edd4
Boxmeer, Jolanda C.
0c509cdc-e589-45d1-809c-dec6a025ba75
Smit, Marji
2a3709ef-81b9-4f23-aba2-f3f587476c5d
Utomo, Elaine
dda74837-9e2e-4a83-bf23-74935fdb0010
Romijn, Johannes C.
2c6b66f7-3bd5-4b7f-a7bf-ec38136bc982
Eijkemans, Marinus J.C.
f95640f3-5107-4b1b-b924-ebac8a334321
Lindemans, Jan
2fe464f3-b659-460c-bde3-c54982286c0c
Laven, Joop S.E.
840def1a-6693-4488-b412-29794c5fc56f
Macklon, Nick S.
7db1f4fc-a9f6-431f-a1f2-297bb8c9fb7e
Steegers, Eric A.P.
6061f35a-1c75-4f9f-ac9f-ed369f475ce9
Steegers-Theunissen, Regine P.M.
c0c708b4-f765-4330-825a-b8c3a4d4edd4

Boxmeer, Jolanda C., Smit, Marji, Utomo, Elaine, Romijn, Johannes C., Eijkemans, Marinus J.C., Lindemans, Jan, Laven, Joop S.E., Macklon, Nick S., Steegers, Eric A.P. and Steegers-Theunissen, Regine P.M. (2009) Low folate in seminal plasma is associated with increased sperm DNA damage. Fertility and Sterility, 92 (2), 548-556. (doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2008.06.010). (PMID:18722602)

Record type: Article

Abstract

Objective: To determine associations between vitamin B status, homocysteine (tHcy), semen parameters, and sperm DNA damage.

Design: Observational study.

Setting: A tertiary referral fertility clinic.

Patients: Two hundred fifty-one men of couples undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment, with subgroups of fertile (n = 70) and subfertile men (n = 63) defined according to semen concentration and proven fertility.

Intervention: None.

Main Outcome Measure: The DNA fragmentation index (DFI) as marker of sperm DNA damage determined using the sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA), and semen parameters assessed according to World Health Organization criteria; tHcy, folate, cobalamin, and pyridoxine concentrations determined in seminal plasma and blood.

Result: In the total group of fertile and subfertile men, all biomarkers in blood were statistically significantly correlated with those in seminal plasma. No correlation was found between the biomarkers in blood and the semen parameters. In seminal plasma, both tHcy and cobalamin positively correlated with sperm count. Folate, cobalamin, and pyridoxine were inversely correlated with ejaculate volume. In fertile men, seminal plasma folate showed an inverse correlation with the DNA fragmentation index.

Conclusion: Low concentrations of folate in seminal plasma may be detrimental for sperm DNA stability.

This record has no associated files available for download.

More information

Published date: August 2009
Keywords: sperm parameters, dna fragmentation index, scsa, homocysteine, folate, cobalamin, pyridoxine

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 185459
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/185459
ISSN: 0015-0282
PURE UUID: 6f0c8d26-a6ac-4c4c-8e86-9255120c8057

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 10 May 2011 13:40
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 03:14

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: Jolanda C. Boxmeer
Author: Marji Smit
Author: Elaine Utomo
Author: Johannes C. Romijn
Author: Marinus J.C. Eijkemans
Author: Jan Lindemans
Author: Joop S.E. Laven
Author: Nick S. Macklon
Author: Eric A.P. Steegers
Author: Regine P.M. Steegers-Theunissen

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×