Higher clusterin immunolabeling and sperm DNA damage levels in hypertensive men compared with controls

results: Data analysis from the normotensive (n ¼ 25) and hypertensive subjects (n ¼ 25) demonstrate a significant correlation between high levels of clusterin immunolabeling and the presence of sperm DNA damage, which is often associated with abnormal morphology. In the normotensive subjects, a low percentage (15.3+ 4.5) of spermatozoa positive for high levels of clusterin was detected; however, this percentage significantly increased (30.9+ 13.0) (P , 0.01) in hypertensive subjects. Standard semen evaluations does not reveal any significant differences between the two groups of subjects, except for a reduced forward motility and lower sperm vitality in the hypertensive subjects. conclusions: This pilot study strongly suggests a relationship between hypertension and markers indicative of poor sperm quality. In hypertensive subjects, high levels of clusterin immunolabeling identified a consistent fraction of ejaculated spermatozoa carrying both DNA fragmentation and strong morphological alterations, which was not correlated with age or with sperm cell mortality. The alternative possibility that sperm damage observed is due to adverse effects of anti-hypertensive drugs does not find support in the literature nor in the drug data sheets. The relationship observed between hypertension and human semen represents a novel and possibly relevant information to be considered in the study of male fertility.