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DNA damage to spermatozoa has impacts on fertilization and pregnancy

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Abstract

DNA damage in the male germ line has been associated with poor semen quality, low fertilization rates, impaired preimplantation development, increased abortion and an elevated incidence of disease in the offspring, including childhood cancer. The causes of this DNA damage are still uncertain but the major candidates are oxidative stress and aberrant apoptosis. The weight of evidence currently favours the former and, in keeping with this conclusion, positive results have been reported for antioxidant therapy both in vivo and in vitro. Resolving the causes of DNA damage in the male germ line will be essential if we are to prevent the generation of genetically damaged human embryos, particularly in the context of assisted conception therapy.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to G. N. De Iuliis and C.M. McVicar for the Comet image depicted in Fig. 2.

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  1. School of Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen’s University, Belfast, BT12 6BJ, UK

    S. E. M. Lewis

  2. ARC Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology and Development, Discipline of Biological Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, 2308, Australia

    R. J. Aitken

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Correspondence to R. J. Aitken.

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During the preparation of this manuscript, S.E.M. Lewis was a visiting scholar of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology and Development.

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Lewis, S.E.M., Aitken, R.J. DNA damage to spermatozoa has impacts on fertilization and pregnancy. Cell Tissue Res 322, 33–41 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-005-1097-5

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