Abstract

OBJECTIVE Aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of vitamin C on sperm parameters, sperm chromatin quality and apoptosis resulted of vitrification in neat semen and prepared spermatozoa of normozoospermic samples. MATERIAL AND METHODS Forty semen samples from normozoospermic men were included in this prospective study. Each sample was divided into five groups. Group I: control or fresh semen, group II: semen prepared by swim-up method and then vitrified, group III: neat semen was vitrified, group IV: vitamin C (600 μM) was added to prepared spermatozoa and then vitrified and group V: vitamin C (600 μM) was added to neat semen and then vitrified. After warming, sperm analysis was done accordingly. For evaluating the sperm chromatin/DNA integrity status and acrosome reaction, we used toluidine blue (TB), acridine orange (AO), terminal transferase mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate biotin end labeling (TUNEL) and double staining tests. RESULTS All of the sperm parameters (count, motility, morphology and viability) had significant differences (P < 0.05) between different groups, especially in group IV. Data showed sperm chromatin damages and acrosome reaction abnormality increased resulted of vitrification, but, in the groups that added vitamin C (IV, V) rate of damages was decreased and this was notable in the group IV. CONCLUSION Vitamin C can attenuate the detrimental effects of vitrification on sperm parameters, chromatin quality and rate of apoptosis in both neat semen and prepared spermatozoa of normozoospermic samples.