ABSTRACT

Conclusion:

In azoospermic semen samples, DNA damage was higher, and also the reactions for EGF-R and TGF-α were weaker when compared to normal semen samples. (Gazi Med J 2011; 22: 33-40)

Results:

To determine the DNA damage of sperm cells, the comet assay was used in normospermic, oligozoo-spermic and azoospermic events and a statistically significant difference was found among the treatment groups (p=0.038). The differences between normospermic and azoospermic events is greater than normospermic and oli-gozoospermic events (p=0.05). Furthermore, EGF-R and TGF-α immunoreaction on the sperm cell surface of nor-mospermic and oligozoospermic events were stronger than azoospermic sperm cells. Reactivity of these growth factors was related with sperm morphology.

Methods:

Semen samples were obtained from 30 men attending the Infertility Clinic of Baskent University Hospi-tal. We used the comet assay to determine the DNA damage of sperm cells. Indirect immunohistochemical meth-ods were used with EGF-R and TGF-α polyclonal antibodies.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to compare the rate of sperm cells with DNA damage by the comet assay, and to determine EGF-R and TGF-α localization by using immunohistochemical methods in normospermic, oligozoo-spermic and azoospermic events