[Evaluation of sperm mitochondrial membrane potential in varicocele patients using JC-1 fluorescent staining].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To detect sperm mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) of varicocele patients and investigate its clinical significance. METHODS: Sixty-seven varicocele patients were divided into a VC1 (grade 1, n = 26), a VC2 (grade 2, n = 21) and a VC3 group (grade 3, n = 20). And 29 normal fertile volunteers were included in a control group ( m = 29). Conventional semen analyses were performed by computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA). Semen samples were washed, followed by JC-1 staining to evaluate the sperm MMP (JC-1+ %) by flow cytometry. RESULTS: The sperm MMPs of the VC1, VC2 and VC3 groups were siginificantly lower ([56.29 +/- 16.32]%, P < 0.05; [45.04 +/- 13.21]%, P < 0.01; [31.63 +/- 12.91]%, P < 0.01) than that of the control ([76.21 +/- 13. 96]%). There was a significant positive correlation between the percentage of JC-1+ and that of grade (a + b) sperm (r =0.693, P=0.000). CONCLUSION: The decreased MMP in the sperm of varicocele men might be one of the important causes of male infertility.