Sperm artificially exposed to antisperm antibodies show altered deoxyribonucleic acid

Purpose: Our purpose was to assess sperm deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) integrity after exposure to antisperm antibodies. Methods: Donor semen were divided and exposed to sera containing IgG, IgA, and IgM antisperm antibodies. Untreated portions served as the control. After incubation (I hr, 23°C), the sperm were centrifuge-washed, resuspended, and incubated (23°C) for 2, 5, 7, or 9 days. Acridine orange staining and kinematic parameters were measured. The sentinel (17q21 from D17S855) and β-globin genes were amplified and analyzed using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Results: Sperm preexposed to antisperm antibodies had deleted sentinel gene on days 7 and 9. The β-globin gene was intact. There were no differences in acridine orange staining. Conclusions: Sperm artificially exposed to antisperm antibodies resulted in a subtle deletion of genetic material. The DNA alteration process was slow and was undetectable at the gross level. More studies are needed to confirm the findings and determine whether DNA repair mechanisms can reverse the damage.