RESUMO
BACKGROUND: In assisted reproduction procedures, we need to develop and enhance new protocols to optimize sperm selection. The aim of this study is to evaluate the ability of the Z potential technique to select sperm with intact DNA in non-normospermic patients and evaluate the impact of this selection on embryonic development. METHODS: We analyzed a total of 174 human seminal samples with at least one altered parameter. We measured basal, post density gradients, and post density gradients + Z potential DNA fragmentation index. To evaluate the impact of this technique on embryo development, 54 cases were selected. The embryo development parameters evaluated were fertilization rate, cleavage rate, top quality embryos at the third day and blastocysts rate. RESULTS: We found significant differences in the study groups when we compared the sperm fragmentation index by adding the Z potential technique to density gradient selection vs. density gradients alone. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the embryo development parameters between the low sperm fragmentation index group vs. the moderate and high sperm fragmentation index groups, when selecting sperms with this new technique. CONCLUSIONS: The Z potential technique is a very useful tool for sperm selection; it significantly reduces the DNA fragmentation index and improves the parameters of embryo development. This technique could be considered routine for its simplicity and low cost.
Assuntos
Fragmentação do DNA , Desenvolvimento Embrionário/fisiologia , Fertilização in vitro/métodos , Injeções de Esperma Intracitoplásmicas/métodos , Espermatozoides/metabolismo , Adulto , Implantação do Embrião/fisiologia , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Indução da Ovulação/métodos , Gravidez , Taxa de GravidezRESUMO
The aim of this study was to preserve albumin nanoparticle structure/function during the lyophilisation process. Bovine serum albumin nanoparticles were obtained by γ-irradiation. Nanoparticles were lyophilised in buffer, miliQ water or in trehalose/miliQ solution. The size and charge of the nanoparticles were tested after lyophilisation by light scattering and Z potential. The most relevant results in size of BSA nanoparticle were those lyophilised in PBS between 20 and 350nm, assembled in different aggregates, and negative Z potential obtained was 37±8mV in all, and those nanoparticles lyophilised with trehalose had a size range of 70±2nm and a negative Z potential of 20±5mV. Structure determination of surface aminoacids SH groups in the BSA NP lyophilised in PBS showed an increase in the free SH groups. Different aggregates had different amount of SH groups exposure from 55 to 938 (from smaller to bigger aggregates), whereas BSA NP lyophilised with trehalose showed no significant difference if compared with BSA NP. The binding properties of the BSA nanoparticle with a theragnostic probe (merocyanine 540) were studied after lyophilisation. Results showed more affinity between the BSA NP lyophilised with trehalose than that observed with non lyophilised BSA NP. As a result, the lyophilisation condition in trehalose 100µM solution is the best one to preserve the BSA NP structure/function and the one with the enhance binding affinity of the BSA NP.