Background: Excessive consumption of alcohol induces an increase in oxidative stress production and can lead to detrimental effects on the male reproductive system. Objective: To evaluate the possible protective effects of coadministration of vitamin (vit) E on the detrimental changes in the sperm quality of mice administered ethanol. Materials and Methods: Fifty-four BALB/c mice were categorized into nine groups (n = 6/each). The control group received a basal diet while the eight experimental groups received ethanol 10%; ethanol 20%; vit. E 100 mg; vit. E 200 mg; ethanol 10% + vit. E 100 mg; ethanol 10% + vit. E 200 mg; ethanol 20% + vit. E 100 mg; ethanol 20% + vit. E 200 mg. After 35 days, the sperm parameters and sperm chromatin were assessed. Results: The results demonstrated a significant reduction in the motility rate, normal morphology rate, viability rate, increase in abnormal DNA structure and packaging (TB staining), and DNA damage (TUNEL) in ethanol consumer groups. In addition, the findings showed a significant increase in the aforementioned parameters in ethanoland vit. E-consumer groups compared to the ethanol-only consumer groups. The ethanol group received 20% of the most damage among the groups. The group receiving vit. E 100 mg and those receiving ethanol 10% + vit. E 200 mg gained the highest benefit among the groups. Conclusion: Sperm forward progressive motility, normal morphology rate, and viability decreased in the ethanol groups. Also, the rates of spermatozoa with abnormal DNA structure and DNA fragmentation increased in the ethanol groups. Our findings revealed that the coadministration of vit. E and ethanol can protect destructive changes in DNA structure and damage. Key words: Ethanol, Sperm parameters, Vitamin E.

Conventional sperm processing uses centrifugation has a negative effect on sperm parameters and DNA integrity. We designed and fabricated a novel microfluid device based on chemotaxis and thermotaxis, and compared it with the swim‐up method. Twenty normal samples with high DNA fragmentation were included. Each sample was divided into four groups: Group 1, control, Group 2: sperm selection by thermotaxis, Group 3: sperm selection by chemotaxis, and Group 4: sperm selection with thermotaxis and chemotaxis. We used cumulus cells in a microfluid device to create chemotaxis, and, two warm stages to form a temperature gradient for thermotaxis. The spermatozoa were assessed based on the concentration, motility, and fine morphology using Motile Sperm Organelle Morphology Examination, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), acrosome reaction (AR), and sperm DNA fragmentation. Concentration (22.40 ± 5.39 vs. 66.50 ± 19.21; p < 0.001) and DNA fragmentation (12.30 ± 3.96% vs. 17.95 ± 2.89%; p < 0.001) after selection in the chemotaxis and thermotaxis microfluid device were significantly lower than control group. The progressive motility (93.75 ± 4.39% vs. 75.55 ± 5.86%, p < 0.001), normal morphology (15.45 ± 2.50% vs. 10.35 ± 3.36, p < 0.001), MMP (97.65 ± 1.81% vs. 94 ± 3.89%, p = 0.02), and AR status (79.20 ± 5.28% vs. 31.20 ± 5.24%, p < 0.001) in the chemotaxis and thermotaxis microfluid device were significantly increased compared to control group. According to these findings, spermatozoa that have penetrated the cumulus oophorus have better morphology and motility, as well as acrosome reactivity and DNA integrity.

Sperm processing for assisted reproductive technologies (ART) aims to separate immotile and debris from the motile spermatozoa in the semen. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of free centrifuge sorting (FCS) approach based on a combination of rheotaxis and swim-up on sperm biological characteristics and ICSI clinical outcomes. Each semen sample was splitted into two equal parts for 67 ICSI cycles with donation oocytes. Parts were processed with the Direct Swim Up (DSU) (control) and with the FCS method (experimental). Sperm quality was assessed in terms of motility, fine morphology, mitochondrial membrane potential, lipid peroxidation and sperm DNA fragmentation. Also Following ICSI, the clinical outcomes were compared between the groups. Sperm progressive motility (93.5 ± 4.1% vs. 78.6 ± 8.2%; p < 0.001), the fraction of Class I (good) morphology (30.2 ± 9.4% vs. 23.7 ± 8.5%; p < 0.0001) and the rate of mitochondrial membrane potential (77.4 ± 7.2% vs. 66.9 ± 5.7%; p < 0.0001) were significantly higher in the FCS compared to DSU groups. The level of lipid peroxidation (0.5 ± 0.05% vs. 0.6 ± 0.06%; p < 0.0001) and concentration of DNA fragmentation (DF) (7.4 ± 1.6% vs. 15.4 ± 2.6%; p < 0.0001) were lower in sperm from the FCS group compared to DSU group. There were higher rates of high-quality embryo formation (p < 0.001), implantation and clinical pregnancy rates (p = 0.03) in the FCS group compared to the control group. The processing of seminal samples using FCS collected spermatozoa with better biological quality and resulted in higher reproductive outcomes in ICSI cycles.