RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Molecular Evidence of Apoptotic Pathway Activation in Semen Samples with High DNA Fragmentation JF In Vivo JO In Vivo FD International Institute of Anticancer Research SP 289 OP 294 VO 29 IS 2 A1 LUCREZIA MANENTE A1 STEFANO PECORARO A1 ESTHER PICILLO A1 UMBERTO GARGIULO A1 PAOLO GARGIULO A1 ANTONIO DE LUCA A1 LUISA POLITANO YR 2015 UL http://iv.iiarjournals.org/content/29/2/289.abstract AB Background/Aim: Male infertility is diagnosed by semen parameters, such as concentration, motility and morphology; however, these are not sufficient for the prediction of male fertility capacity. In the clinical routine, several other sperm functions have been introduced, including the sperm DNA fragmentation test. The objective of the present study was to evaluate sperm chromatin integrity in semen samples. Materials and Methods: Sperm chromatin dispersion test (SCD) was used in ejaculates from men divided into five groups: normozoospermic, oligozoospermic, asthenozoospermic, oligoasthenozoospermic and cryptozoospermic. Results: The data obtained showed that the SCD percentage appeared to be significantly associated with oligozoospermia diagnosis. We also evaluated total testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and inhibin B serum hormonal levels in all samples examined, in order to assess whether DNA fragmentation increase could correlate with abnormal hormonal values. Finally we selected certain samples with an increasing DNA fragmentation and analyzed the molecular activated apoptotic pathways. Conclusion: A significant relationship was found between caspase-3 activation and increased DNA fragmentation.