Relationship of sperm motility with seminal plasma and sperm DNA integrity in male patients with infertility

Objective To investigate the relationship of sperm motility with seminal plasma and sperm DNA integrity in male patients with infertility.Methods A total of 54 infertility patients was divided into two groups according to sperm motility of grade (a + b). In Group 1 (n=25) the percentage of sperm with grade (a + b) was ≥ 50%, while in Group 2 (n=29) the percentage of grade (a+b) was 30%. The seminal plasma of both the 2 groups were divided into two parts, the first one was used to exchange between the 2 groups, and the rest was as control. After exchanging, the samples of both the 2 groups were incubated at 37°C for 40 min and 90 min, then the seminal plasma with percentage of grade (a + b) were analyzed with CASA system. Meanwhile, the concentration of alpha-glucosidase, acid phosphotase (ACP), and fructose (Fru) were detected. The integrity of sperm DNA from 40 random samples was determined with acridine orange fluorescence method.Results After exchange between the 2 groups, the percentage of seminal plasma with grade (a+b) in group 1 was lower than that in control whether they were incubated for 40 min or 90 min. Meanwhile, after exchange, the percentage of seminal plasma with grade (a + b) in group 2 were higher than that in control. There was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups. In both the two groups, the percentage of sperm with grade (a + b) decreased with incubation time. There was no correlation between the concentration of ACP and Fru in seminal plasma and sperm motility, but a positive correlation between sperm motility and alpha-glucosidase concentration, sperm motility and sperm DNA integrity in Group I was found.Conclusion Sperm DNA integrity play important role for sperm motility, while the components in seminal plasma might be the factors that affects sperm motility.