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  • Spermiologie
  • Morphologie Fine et Qualité Nucléaire
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Intérêt de l’analyse de la morphologie fine et de la qualité nucléaire des spermatozoïdes dans le cadre des techniques d’AMP

Fine morphology and nuclear quality of spermatozoa: relevance for the assessment of ART outcome

Andrologie volume 16, pages 39–45 (2006)Cite this article

Resume

Des travaux récents ont démontré l’intérêt d’étudier la morphologie fine des spermatozoïdes mobiles au grossissement x10000. Cette technique d’observation accorde une importance toute particulière à la morphologie du noyau dont les anomalies pourraient refléter des altérations de l’ADN. Notre travail avait précisément pour objectif de combiner cette approche morphologique à un test de fragmentation de l’ADN pour en évaluer l’impact sur les résultats en fécondationin vitro (FIV) et en injection intra cytoplasmique d’un spermatozoïde (ICSI). L’étude a porté sur 52 couples inclus en FIV ou en demi FIV-demi ICSI, présentant tous des spermes normaux ou subnormaux en termes de numération, mobilité et morphologie standard. Le jour de la tentative, pour chaque patient étaient réalisés une analyse morphologique fine et un test de fragmentation de l’ADN.

L’analyse des résultats a mis en évidence une valeur seuil de 8% de spermatozoïdes à morphologie fine normale audessous de laquelle un échec complet de fécondation en FIV intervient dans 40% des cas. Le développement embryonnaire précoce de J2 à J3 ne paraît pas être influencé par la morphologie du spermatozoïde. II apparaît également une corrélation négative entre le taux de spermatozoïdes à morphologie nucléaire normale et le taux de fragmentation de l’ADN. Ces résultats laissent entrevoir un intérêt pronostique pour ces techniques dans les échecs de FIV.

Abstract

Routine semen examination does not identify minor malformations of the sperm nucleus and chromatin architectural defects, which may be associated with ART outcome and cannot be detected by the embryologist even at 1000x magnification. Recent publications have demonstrated the advantages, compared to routine analysis, of a new method of real-time detailed morphological evaluation of motile spermatozoa: motile sperm organellar morphology examination (MSOME).

MSOME is performed with an inverted light microscope equipped with high-power differential interference contrast optics enhanced by digital imaging to achieve a magnification of 10000x. To be considered morphologically normal, a sperm nucleus must have both a normal shape and a normal chromatin content.

The aim of the present study was to combine MSOME and sperm DNA fragmentation characteristics to assess reproductive outcome. The study population consisted of the male partners of 52 couples referred for conventional IVF or split cycles (half IVF-half ICSI cycles) and exhibiting normal routine sperm parameters.

Spermatozoa were analysed by examining the fine nuclear morphology and DNA integrity using the sperm chromatin dispersion test (SCD test), based on the principle that the deproteinized nuclei of spermatozoa with nonfragmented DNA show extended halos of DNA dispersion that are either absent or only minimally present in sperm nuclei with fragmented DNA.

Fertilization rates were significantly lower in the group showing less than 8% of normal spermatozoa according to MSOME criteria, but early embryo development was not affected. Fine sperm morphology correlated with DNA fragmentation rate.

These results demonstrate that the assessment of sperm nuclear normality by MSOME analysis and SCD test improves characterization of the semen sample and should be evaluated as a tool for allocating patients to specific assisted reproduction treatments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Service de Biologie de la Reproduction, CHU de Strasbourg, CMCO-SIHCUS, 19, rue Louis Pasteur, BP120, 67303, Schiltigheim

    Hicham Boughali, Christiane Wittemer & Stéphane Viville

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  1. Hicham Boughali
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  2. Christiane Wittemer
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  3. Stéphane Viville
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Correspondence to Hicham Boughali.

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Prix SALF meilleur Mémoire de DESS 2005.

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Boughali, H., Wittemer, C. & Viville, S. Intérêt de l’analyse de la morphologie fine et de la qualité nucléaire des spermatozoïdes dans le cadre des techniques d’AMP. Androl. 16, 39–45 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03034830

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Basic and Clinical Andrology

ISSN: 2051-4190