Evaluation of Viability and Apoptosis in Human Sperm Treated with Sodium Arsenite

The aim of this research was to evaluate viability as well as morphological and biochemical featears of apoptosis in human sperm treated with sodium arseinte. Human sperm samples were exposed with different concentration of sodium arsenite (0، 0. 1، 20 and 100 µM) for 0، 60، 120 and 180 minutes. Sperm viability was done using MTT assay and sperm DNA integrity was investigated by acridine orange staining. Morphological feature of apoptosis in sperm nucleus was studied using Hoechst and Diff-Quick staining، whereas biochemical feature of apoptosis was studied by TUNEL method. Statistical analysis was carried out by one-way ANOVA and repeated measure. MTT assay showed a significant interaction between sodium arsenite concentration and time on the decrease sperm viability. In addition، after 180 minutes، the viability of sperm treated with sodium arsenite was significantly decreased compared to control. However، this pollutant had no effect on DNA integrity as well as morphological and biochemical features of apoptosis in the sperm nucleus. Sodium arsenite caused a significant decrease in human sperm viability and this effect was not due to the damage of sperm nucleus and DNA.