Hypotaurine Supplementation Benefits in Cryopreservation

Official Title: Hypotaurine Supplementation in Freezing and Preparation Media Improves Human Sperm DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA) and Fertilizing Ability

Although it is widely used, slow freezing can induce strong functional and nuclear spermatic alterations reducing the chances of pregnancy. The study objective is to determinate the effects of the combination of hypotaurine supplementation and spermatozoa selection by Density Gradient Centrifugation (DGC) on human sperm functions and DNA quality during a freezing-thawing cycle.

This prospective study was performed on surplus semen after a density gradient centrifugation-frozen-thawing cycle. Samples were obtained from men undergoing routine semen analysis at the Center for Reproductive Medicine. Spermatozoa were selected by density gradient centrifugation, washed and frozen using a programmable device. Each step was performed in parallel with (H+ arm) or without (H- arm) 50mM hypotaurine supplementation. After thawing, investigator team compared for both conditions the total and progressive mobility, vitality, integrity of the acrosome, markers of Protein Kinase A (PKA) dependent capacitation intracellular signaling pathway and nuclear quality by measuring chromatin packaging, DNA fragmentation and oxidation and vacuoles presence in the spermatozoa head.

Inclusion Criteria:

• None

Exclusion Criteria:

• None