An interventional study of Sperm Samples in Male Infertility, sponsored by University Hospital, Rouen. Completed at 2 sites in France. Open to male participants aged 18 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-06-10.
Sponsored by University Hospital, Rouen · Not applicable, Interventional, and Basic science
In men presenting sperm alterations, the selection of genetically undamaged spermatozoa need to be improved in order to increase the success of assisted reproduction treatments.
The aim of this study is to determine whether the presence of sperm head vacuoles is associated with sperm DNA alterations.
The use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has greatly improved the treatment of severe male infertility, especially for men with oligo-astheno-teratozoospermia (OAT). This in vitro fertilization procedure allows the direct injection of a single spermatozoon into an oocyte. The sperm used for ICSI is selected under a microscope at a 400x magnification. Several studies have reported that de novo chromosomal abnormalities are increased in children born from ICSI , thereby raising the question of the genetic quality of spermatozoa used for ICSI.
A method called MSOME (high magnification Motile Sperm Organelle Morphology Examination), which allows the detailed morphological evaluation of motile spermatozoa in real time and under high magnification (6600x), was developed in 2001. With this technique, fine morphological abnormalities - mainly vacuoles in the head of spermatozoa - were detected. The use of MSOME for the detection of morphologically normal sperm for ICSI gave rise to a technique called IMSI (Intracytoplasmic Morphologically Selected sperm Injection). Higher pregnancy rates were obtained with IMSI compared to ICSI and sperm head vacuoles were found to negatively affect assisted reproduction success rates and embryo development. The use of IMSI also decreases the risk of sex chromosome aneuploidy in embryos .
Several authors found that the presence of large vacuoles in the sperm head correlates with several nuclear alterations: DNA fragmentation , abnormal chromatin condensation and aneuploidy . However, these studies are controversial and were performed on few spermatozoa. In order to improve the selection of spermatozoa with a normal chromosomal content, it is essential not only to confirm the existence of a relationship between sperm head vacuoles and altered sperm nuclear quality but also to better characterize these alterations.
The main goal of this study is to investigate the correlation between sperm head vacuole areas and sperm aneuploidy rates in men with isolated teratozoospermia or OAT. Vacuole areas will be measured by MSOME and aneuploidy rates by FISH for chromosomes 18, X and Y. Moreover, the correlation between sperm head vacuole areas and other nuclear alterations (DNA fragmentation, abnormal chromatin condensation, telomere abnormalities) will be evaluated. Semen samples from 200 patients recruited over a 2-year period will be collected, stored and analyzed.
This study involves the collection of relevant medical information. The computer website for the patient database is secure and protected by a password. The information will be entered and only be viewed by the investigators. On-site monitoring visits will be conducted throughout the study.
with isolated teratozoospermia or oligo-astheno-teratozoospermia according to the WHO guidelines (2010):
Exclusion Criteria:
Men with altered spermograms (isolated teratozoospermia or oligo-astheno-teratozoospermia)
Other: Sperm Samples
The study will focus on sperm samples collected via masturbation for routine pre-IVF screening tests, taken from patients with isolated teratozoospermia or oligoasthenozoospermia. The various tests and analyses planned will be carried out on sperm not used for IVF or diagnostic purposes.
Correlation coefficient between mean vacuole areas in sperm heads (measured by MSOME) and sperm aneuploidy rates for chromosomes X, Y and 18 (evaluated by FISH)
Time frame: up to 30 months
Total sperm count
Time frame: 1 day
Percentage of mobile spermatozoa
Time frame: 1 day
Percentage of morphologically abnormal spermatozoa
Time frame: 1 day
Mean vacuole area threshold (measured with Receiver Operating Characteristic curves)
Time frame: up to 30 months
Correlation coefficient between vacuole areas and sperm DNA fragmentation (evaluated by TUNEL analysis)
Time frame: up to 30 months
Correlation coefficient between vacuole areas and abnormal chromatin condensation (evaluated by aniline blue staining)
Time frame: up to 30 months
Correlation coefficient between vacuole areas and telomere number, distribution and length (evaluated by quantitative FISH)
Time frame: up to 30 months
This study is completed, as verified in Jan 2017. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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University Hospital, Rouen