Effect of Coenzyme Q10 on DNA Fragmentation, Membrane Integrity, and Sperm Chromatin Condensation after Thawing of Frozen Semen

In recent years, sperm cryopreservation has resulted in significant advances in assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs); and, has showed a crucial potential impact on infertility treatment and increasing success rates of ARTs. The negative effects of sperm freezing due to lack of antioxidants have been well recognized .The aim of this study was to determine the effect of coenzyme Q10 as a potent antioxidant on sperm parameters including DNA fragmentation, membrane integrity, and sperm chromatin condensation after thawing of frozen semen.

Semen samples were collected from 50 men referring to the infertility treatment center of Besat Hospital. According to WHO criteria, the men were normozoospermia. Semen samples were divided into three parts: 1) before freezing 2) freezing without coenzyme Q10 , and 3)freezing with coenzyme Q10. After freezing, samples were stored in liquid nitrogen. After two weeks, the samples were thawed and the parameters of sperm including DNA fragmentation, membrane integrity, and sperm chromatin condensation were evaluated. Data were analyzed by one way ANOVA and Pearson correlation test.

After thawing the frozen samples, sperm parameters including number and concentration, total number of motile sperms and progressive movement of sperm, viability, membrane integrity, DNA fragmentation, chromatin density were significantly different from the same parameters before freezing (P <0.05). Addition of coenzyme Q10 improved, viability, membrane integrity, chromatin density, and total number of motile sperms and reduced sperm DNA fragmentation. (P <0.05) Sperm count and morphology showed no significant difference before and after freezing (P> 0.05). Also, the percentage of sperm DNA fragmentation was directly related to sperm chromatin before and after freezing.

Addition of Q10 coenzyme antioxidant to sperm freezing medium not only improved sperm parameters of membrane integrity and chromatin, but also resulted in reduced sperm DNA fragmentation after thawing