Effect of N-acetylcysteine on Human Sperm Parameters and DNA Damage in Frozen-thawed Sperm Samples of Asthenozoospermic Men

The semen cryopreservation is not only required for improving the success chance of assisted reproductive technologies fertility but also is performed for men undergoing chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery, and facing ejaculation problems. This study aimed to investigate the effects of N-acetyl-cysteine on human sperm parameters and DNA damage in frozen-thawed sperm samples of patients with asthenozoospermia.

Methods

In this study, 20 patients with asthenozoospermia referring to Jihad University Infertility Treatment Center, Qom, Iran, were evaluated in three groups, namely control, freezing, and freezing + N-acetyl-cysteine (1mg/ml). Sperm parameters, viability, and DNA damage were respectively assessed using the World Health Organization guideline (2010), eosin-nigrosin staining, and sperm chromatin dispersion kit, respectively in all three groups. The statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc test. The significance level was considered at the p-value of < 0.05.

The freezing process resulted in a decrease in sperm motility parameters, and the addition of the antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine improved sperm motility, morphology, and sperm viability. The addition of N-acetyl-cysteine could reduce DNA damage (P<0.05).

Our results showed that N-acetyl-cysteine ​​could reduce the disruptive effects of the freezing-thawing process.