Impact of alcohol and cigarette smoking consumption in male fertility potential: Looks at lipid peroxidation, enzymatic antioxidant activities and sperm DNA damage
Alcohol intake and cigarette smoking are the major lifestyle factors with negative impact
on fertility. We were interested to evaluate the negative impact of these factors
on oxidative stress (OS), enzymatic antioxidant activity (EAO) of spermatozoa and on
its DNA damage. This study included 108 male infertile patients with normal range of
sperm conventional parameters but with unexplained infertility in assisted reproductive
technologies programme. Firstly, OS was analysed based on lipid peroxidation
(MDA) and EAO which included catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione
reductase (GR). Secondly, we evaluated DNA fragmentation by TUNEL assay
and chromatin decondensation by aniline blue colouration. The whole lot was divided
into four groups: control (nonalcoholic and nonsmoker patients), alcohol group, smoking
group and alcohol-smoking
group. The results showed, in three last groups compared
to control an increased CAT, SOD and GR activities with high MDA level
especially in smoking and alcohol-smoking
group. The latter showed the highest values
of DNA fragmentation and chromatin decondensation (31% and 39%) to exceed
DNA damage normal range. Indeed, smoking and alcohol intake lead to increase EAO
due to long-term
unbalanced antioxidant/oxidation ratio with high OS which cause
consequently sperm DNA damage calling in need by urgency to change the lifestyle
behaviour.