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One of the most important factors related to male fertility is sperm chromatin status. Under Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART), especially Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), the natural selection of high quality sperm with intact chromatin is not possible. Therefore, embryo quality and pregnancy rate decreased for damaged DNA of sperms involved in the fertilization of eggs. Thus, this study evaluated the frequency of abnormal sperm chromatin condensation and damaged sperm chromatin in men with different infertility factors (e.g. oligozoospermia, asthenozoospermia, teratozoospermia, oligasthenoteratozoospermia, and normozoospermia) and ICSI outcomes were examined. 195 patients were examined and the sperm chromatin status was evaluated using aniline blue and toluidine blue staining. Fertilization, zygote and embryo quality, chemical pregnancy and abortion rates were calculated, too. The results showed that in the oligoasthenoteratozzoospermia samples, the damaged chromatin percentage was higher than that in normozoospermia ones. The fertilization rate, embryo quality, and pregnancy rate significantly decreased in this group. Also, a higher abortion rate was observed in this group (P<0.05). In conclusion, the frequency of damaged chromatin was observed to be different in different male infertility factors, which could influence the ICSI outcomes. Therefore, the evaluation of sperm chromatin status before cycle initiation was found to promote ICSI outcomes.
 

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This study aimed to investigate the polymorphism of matrix metalloproteinase -3 (MMP-3) gene and its expression in the serum of infertile female patients received in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET). To do so, 100 women with unsuccessful IVF-ET (IVF^–) and 100 women with successful IVF-ET procedure and clinical pregnancy (IVF⁺) were included. Genetic polymorphism and serum concentration of MMP3 were investigated by ARMS-PCR and ELISA, respectively. The results showed no significant association between MMP-3 gene polymorphism and IVF-ET outcome among the two groups studied. However, a significant decrease in the concentration of MMP-3 serum in the IVF^– group was observed in comparison with the IVF⁺ group (P=0.000002). Moreover, we showed that the serum MMP-3 levels in CC, AC and AA genotypes in the IVF^– group were 33, 65.33 and 86 ng/ml, respectively. In conclusion, while there is no significant difference between MMP-3 promoter polymorphism and IVF-ET outcome between the IVF⁺ and IVF^- groups, a significant decrease in MMP-3 serum levels in IVF^- group was seen as compared with the IVF⁺ group. It could be also suggested that the CC genotype is associated with a decreased level of MMP-3 serum concentration and may be associated with IVF-ET failure.