• PMID: 15760967
• Gene Name: CASP3
• Condition: Teratozoospermia, asthenozoospermia
• Association: Sperm caspase-3 activity seems to be associated with teratozoospermia and asthenozoospermia, thus suggesting that nuclear, mitochondrial and cytoskeletal abnormalities induce caspase-3 activation during spermiogenesis or sperm maturation.
• Population size: 67
• Population details: 67 (61 abnormal semen analysis, 6 normozoospermia)
• Sex: Male
• Infertility type: Male infertility
• Other associated phenotypes: Teratozoospermia, asthenozoospermia

Quantitative study of caspase-3 activity in semen and after swim-up preparation in relation to sperm quality

Almeida C, Cardoso MF, Sousa M, Viana P, Gonçalves A, Silva J, Barros A.

BACKGROUND: There are no studies relating the apoptotic marker caspase-3 in human sperm to different degrees of abnormal sperm concentration, morphology and rapid progressive motility. METHODS: Semen from 67 males with abnormal semen analyses (n = 61) and normozoospermia (n = 6) were used. In each case, sperm from the neat semen (semen fraction) and after gradient centrifugation and swim-up (swim-up fraction) were incubated with a caspase-3 profluorogenic substrate. Caspase-3 activity was quantified in 119 850 sperm, 67 488 from semen and 52 362 from swim-up fractions. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratio (with 99% confidence intervals) for the presence of caspase-3-positive sperm. RESULTS: In semen fractions, no relationship was found between abnormal semen analysis subgroups and sperm caspase-3 activity. On the contrary, a significantly increased number of sperm with caspase-3 activity was found in the swim-up fractions from samples with poor sperm morphology. When analysis was restricted to single semen analysis defects, a significant increase of caspase-3-positive sperm was found in the semen fractions of cases with asthenozoospermia, and in the swim-up fractions of cases with teratozoospermia. CONCLUSIONS: Sperm caspase-3 activity seems to be associated with teratozoospermia and asthenozoospermia, thus suggesting that nuclear, mitochondrial and cytoskeletal abnormalities induce caspase-3 activation during spermiogenesis or sperm maturation. FAU - Almeida, Carolina AU - Almeida C AD - Department of Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Portugal. FAU - Cardoso, Margarida F AU - Cardoso MF FAU - Sousa, Mário AU - Sousa M FAU - Viana, Paulo AU - Viana P FAU - Gonçalves, Ana AU - Gonçalves A FAU - Silva, Joaquina AU - Silva J