Die Routine-Spermiogramm-Variablen korrelieren nicht mit der Spermien-Chromatin-Integrität

The nuclear chromatin condensation and an intact double stranded DNA helix discriminated significantly between fertile and suspected infertile men. During the spermatogenesis lysine-rich histones were replaced by arginine-and cysteine-rich protamines. This nuclear maturation of spermatozoa is termed sperm chromatin condensation. The extent of chromatin condensation can be assessed by the binding of aniline blue (AB) to lysine-rich histones as well as by the binding of acridine orange (AO) to DNA. Mature sperm nuclei are not stainable by aniline blue and show a green fluorescence after AO. The routine spermiogram-parameters, sperm motility determined by computer assisted motion analysis, basal concentrations of LH, FSH and testosterone as well as the AB and AO were determined in 109 infertile patients. There was no significant correlation of AB and AO to any of the other parameters examined (r 0.05). The percentage of normomorph spermatozoa detected conventionally also did not correlate significantly (p > 0.05) with AB (r = 0.11) or AO (r = - 0.09). In contrast, the AB correlated significantly with AO (r = 0.22; p = 0.024). The percentage of normomorph spermatozoa determined by a conventionally staining method and by AB correlated significantly with each other (r = 0.38; p 0.05). The results indicate that the routine spermiogram can not predict the AO and AB. Therefore, these analyses should be performed, especially, before methods of assisted fertilization, e.g. in vitro fertilization are planned.