Yam polysaccharide improves sperm viability and protects sperm DNA integrity in vitro

ZHANG Mei-hua; FANG Zhen-ya; LI An-na; ZHANG Yan-ping; QIU Yi

doi:10.13263/j.cnki.nja.2017.11.011

Abstract：Objective:To clarify the roles of yam polysaccharide (YPS) in improving sperm viability and protecting sperm DNA integrity in vitro and provide a new approach to the treatment of oligoasthenozoospermia.Methods:We collected samples by masturbation from 36 normal fertile males aged 27-39 years.Each sample was divided into six groups:blank control or treated with normal saline,vitamin C solution,and YPS solution at low (0.25 mg/ml),medium (1.0 mg/ml) or high concentration (5.0 mg/ml).Using eosin-Y staining,sperm hypotonic swelling (HOS) and sperm chromatin diffusion (SCD) test,we observed the effects of different concentrations of YPS on sperm viability,membrane integrity and nuclear DNA.Results:After 24 and 48 hours of treatment,sperm viability was markedly reduced in the vitamin C ([28.5 ±+ 3.1] and [6.5 + 1.2] ％),low-YPS ([31.3 + 3.5] and [6.5 + 2.2]％),medium-YPS ([37.1 + 3.5] and [9.5 ± 2.8]％) and high-YPS groups ([38.3 + 3.3] and [9.0 +3.2] ％) as compared with the blank control ([17.3 + 2.1] and [3.2 + 1.3] ％) (P ＜ 0.01) and normal saline groups ([13.4 ± 4.1] and [3.1 ± 2.0]％) (P ＜0.01),and it was significantly higher in the medium-and high-YPS than in the vitamin C group (P ＜0.05 and P ＜0.01).The rate of sperm DNA fragmentation was remarkably decreased at 48 hours in the vitamin C ([30.5 ±3.1] ％),low-YPS ([29.4 + 2.6] ％),medium-YPS ([28.5 + 2.3] ％) and high-YPS groups ([27.9 + 1.9] ％) in comparison with the blank control ([41.7 + 2.2] ％) (P ＜ 0.01) and normal saline groups ([42.1 + 3.3] ％),markedly lower in the medium-and high-YPS than in the blank control,normal saline and vitamin C groups (P ＜0.05 or P ＜0.01),but with no statistically significant difference between the low-YPS and vitamin C groups (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion:Yam polysaccharide can improve sperm viability and protect sperm DNA integrity in vitro.