The Protective Effects of Alpha Lipoic Acid on Human Sperm Function During Freezing-Thawing

摘要

Sperm cryopreservation is presently used for conservation of male gametes in assisted reproduction technologies (ART). Despite the benefits of sperm banking, freeze-thawing process is injurious to sperm integrity due to induced oxidative stress by cold stress. Oxidativestress reduces sperm motility, viability and DNA integrity. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of alpha lipoic acid (ALA) on human sperm function during the freeze-thawing process. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty semen samples were collected and different concentrations (0, 0.05,0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8, and 8mM) of ALA were added to a sperm freeze medium and its effects on sperm motility, DNA damage, and lipid peroxidation of frozen – thawed spermatozoa were assessed. RESULTS: The addition of 0.2 mM ALA to the sperm freeze medium resulted in significant improvementin percentage of sperm motility, less DNA damage and decreased lipid peroxidation during freeze- thawing process (p CONCLUSION: ALA improves the cryo-protective capacity of sperm freeze medium used for human semen by protecting the sperm from ROS attack induced by the freezing– thawing process. We suggest that sperm freeze medium supplemented with 0.2 mM ALA would be beneficial for the cryopreservation of male gametes in ART.