Chromomycin A3 staining as a useful tool for evaluation of male fertility.

PURPOSE: Our purpose was to investigate the association between percentage chromomycin A3 (CMA3) positivity of spermatozoa with some sperm parameters and in vitro fertilization rate.

METHODS

Spermatozoa were collected from 139 men, washed in PBS, fixed in methanol/glacial acetic acid (3:1), and then spread on slides. CMA3 positivity is expressed as the percentage in 200 spermatozoa.

RESULTS

Percentage of CMA3 positivity showed not only a negative correlation with fertilization rate but also a significant difference between fertilizing and nonfertilizing patients. Moreover, percentage of CMA3-positive spermatozoa showed a negative correlation with count and percentage motility and a positive correlation with percentage of abnormal morphology. Percentage of CMA3 positivity also had a positive correlation with some abnormalities of head such as amorphous and macrocephaly. Ultrastructural study showed chromatin unpackaging in high CMA3-positive semen samples in comparison with low CMA3-positive semen samples.

CONCLUSION

There is a close relationship among fertilization rate, sperm parameters, and CMA3 positivity and CMA3 could be considered as a useful tool for evaluation of male fertility prior to infertility treatment.