Catalase can protect spermatozoa of FSH receptor knock‐out mice against oxidant‐induced DNA damage in vitro

• Published in: International journal of andrology 2010-12, Vol.33 (6), p.818-822
• Main Authors: Libman, J, Gabriel, M.S, Sairam, M.R, Zini, A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; antioxidant; Antioxidants; Apoptosis; Catalase; Catalase - pharmacology; Chromatin; Chromatin - drug effects; Compaction; damage; Data processing; DNA; DNA damage; DNA Damage - drug effects; DNA fragmentation; DNA Fragmentation - drug effects; Follicle-stimulating hormone; Infertility, Male - genetics; Male; Mice; Mice, Knockout; Models, Animal; Mouse animal models; Oxidative Stress; Receptors, FSH - genetics; Sperm; sperm function sperm cells; Sperm Motility; Spermatozoa - drug effects
• ISSN: 0105-6263; 1365-2605
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2605.2009.01032.x

The aetiology of sperm DNA damage is likely multi‐factorial with abnormal compaction of nuclear DNA, abortive apoptosis and oxidative stress implicated as potential causes of DNA damage. The objective of this study was to evaluate DNA damage in spermatozoa from wild‐type (WT) and FSH receptor knock‐out (FORKO) mice, compare the relative susceptibility of spermatozoa from these animals to oxidative DNA damage, and examine the protective effect of the antioxidant catalase on sperm DNA damage. Epididymal spermatozoa from FORKO mice (n = 5) and WT controls (n = 5) were extracted and incubated with or without catalase. Sperm DNA damage was assessed immediately after epididymal extraction (time 0 control) and following 2‐h incubation at 37 °C. DNA damage was measured by the sperm chromatin structure assay and the results expressed as the %DNA fragmentation index or %DFI. Freshly retrieved epididymal spermatozoa from WT mice had a significantly lower mean (±SD) %DFI than that of FORKO mice (2.7 ± 1.8 vs. 6.4 ± 2.9%, p