Testicular spermatozoa have statistically significantly lower DNA damage compared with ejaculated spermatozoa in patients with unsuccessful oral antioxidant treatment

Objective: To compare DNA damage in ejaculated and testicular spermatozoa in patients with previously unsuccessful oral antioxidant treatment. Design: Prospective clinical study. Setting: University-affiliated teaching hospital. Patients(s): Twelve men with persistently high sperm DNA damage. Intervention(s): Evaluation of DNA damage of ejaculated and testicular spermatozoa by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Main Outcome Measure(s): The DNA damage of ejaculated spermatozoa compared with that of testicular spermatozoa, both samples collected on the day of intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Results(s): Ejaculated spermatozoa showed a threefold higher DNA damage when compared with testicular samples (39.7% +/- 14.8 vs. 13.3% +/- 7.3). Conclusions(s): Our results indicated that in patients with previously unsuccessful oral antioxidant treatment the retrieved testicular spermatozoa had a lower degree of DNA damage compared with ejaculated sperm collected on the same day. (Fertil (R) 2010;93: 1142-6. (C)2010 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine)