The effect of in vitro use of FSH on sperm parameters, DNA integrity, and mitochondrial membrane potential in asthenozoospermic men

Faezeh Etebari; Mohammad Ebrahim Rezvani; Sahar Khosravi; Mahin Izadi; Esmat Mangoli

doi:10.1007/s11255-025-04540-z

The effect of in vitro use of FSH on sperm parameters, DNA integrity, and mitochondrial membrane potential in asthenozoospermic men

Int Urol Nephrol. 2025 May 8. doi: 10.1007/s11255-025-04540-z. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Faezeh Etebari¹, Mohammad Ebrahim Rezvani¹, Sahar Khosravi², Mahin Izadi^{2

3}, Esmat Mangoli⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
² Research and Clinical Center for Infertility, Yazd Reproductive Sciences Institute, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
³ Andrology Research Center, Yazd Reproductive Sciences Institute, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
⁴ Research and Clinical Center for Infertility, Yazd Reproductive Sciences Institute, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran. es.mangoli@gmail.com.

PMID: 40338505
DOI: 10.1007/s11255-025-04540-z

Abstract

Sperm motility is a key indicator of male fertility. Decreased motility, or asthenozoospermia, highlights the need for understanding male fertility challenges. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of in vitro use of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) on various sperm parameters, sperm DNA integrity, and mitochondrial membrane potential. Semen samples were obtained from 20 asthenozoospermic men. Each sample was divided into control and case groups. In the case group, samples were incubated with FSH at 30 mIU/mL for 1 h, while in the control group, the samples were incubated for 1 h without treatment. Sperm parameters, DNA fragmentation, and mitochondrial membrane potential were assessed in the two groups based on WHO 2021 criteria. Progressive motility and rapid progressive motility were higher in the case group compared to the control. However, FSH did not have a significant effect on morphology, viability, DNA fragmentation, or mitochondrial membrane potential in either group. In conclusion, FSH effectively enhanced sperm motility without compromising sperm DNA integrity or mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). Therefore, FSH can be recommended as a safe and effective option for sperm selection in patients with asthenozoospermia.

Keywords: Asthenozoospermia; DNA integrity; FSH; Sperm motility.