Different Nuclear Architecture in Human Sperm According to Their Morphology

• Published in: Genes Vol. 15; no. 4; p. 464
• Main Authors: Cassuto, Nino-Guy, Ogal, Nesrine, Assou, Said, Ruoso, Lea, Rogers, Eli-Jonathan, Monteiro, Miguel-José, Thomas, Daniel, Siffroi, Jean-Pierre, Rouen, Alexandre
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01.04.2024; MDPI
• Subjects: Adult; Cell Nucleus; Cell Nucleus - genetics; Cellular Biology; Chromosome 1; Chromosomes; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 1; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 1 - genetics; Decision trees; DNA methylation; Fertility; Fluorescence in situ hybridization; Genetics; Human genetics; Humans; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence - methods; Infertility; Infertility, Male; Infertility, Male - genetics; Infertility, Male - pathology; Information management; Life Sciences; Machine learning; Male; Microscopy; Morphology; Pregnancy; Reproductive Biology; Reproductive technologies; Sexual reproduction; Sperm; Sperm Head; Spermatozoa; Subcellular Processes; Telomerase; Vacuoles; France; Paris France; nuclear architecture; high magnification; fluorescent in situ hybridization; spermatozoa morphology; telomere
• DOI: 10.3390/genes15040464
• ISSN: 2073-4425

Human sperm parameters serve as a first step in diagnosing male infertility, but not in determining the potential for successful pregnancy during assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) procedures. Here, we investigated the relationship between sperm head morphology at high magnification, based on strict morphologic criteria, and the nuclear architecture analyzed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). We included five men. Two of them had an elevated high-magnification morphology score of 6 points (Score 6) indicating high fertility potential, whereas three had a low score of 0 points (Score 0), indicating low fertility potential. We used FISH to study the inter-telomeric distance and the chromosomal territory area of chromosome 1 (Chr. 1). We then compared these two parameters between subjects with high and low scores. FISH data analysis showed that the inter-telomeric distance (ITD) and chromosomal territory area (CTA) of Chr. 1 were significantly higher in subjects with low scores (score 0) than high scores (score 6). Our results suggest that (i) there is a link between nuclear architecture and sperm head abnormalities, particularly vacuoles; and (ii) it is possible to select spermatozoa with normal nuclear architecture, which might indirectly explain the positive ART outcomes observed with this technique.