الفهرس 
IntroductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) testing has been emerging as a valuable tool for male fertility evaluation. The SCSA is a pioneering assay for the detection of damaged sperm DNA. Conflicting data exist regarding the role of sperm DNA fragmentation in relation to fertilization, pre-embryo development and pregnancy outcome. The present study aimed to detect relation between sperm DFI assessed by SCSA and various ICSI parameters including pregnancy outcome and to discover the effect of apoptotic parameters on sperm DFI and ICSI outcome. The study recruited 30 males subjected to ICSI procedure. All participants were subjected to sperm DFI using SCSA. The assessed apoptotic markers included Caspase 3, Caspase 8 and BAX. In the current study, comparison between the studied groups regarding DFI revealed that fertile group had significantly lower DFI when compared with sub-fertile and infertile groups. Also, sub-fertile group had significantly lower DFI when compared with infertile group. Categorically, fertile group had significantly higher frequency of cases with lower DFI categories in comparison with the other two groups. In the current study, ICSI treatment resulted in successful pregnancy in 17 cases (56.7 %). The study showed a significant direct correlation between DFI and both paternal age and BMI.Regarding the relation between DFI and sperm parameters, our study found statistically significant inverse correlations between DFI and sperm count, motility and morphology using CASA techniques. This study found a significant direct association between DFI and the apoptosis related markers, caspase 3, caspase 8 and Bax reflecting accentuated apoptotic process in conjunction with higher DNA fragmentation rates.In the present study, semen samples used in ICSI for women who achieved pregnancy had lower DFI when compared with those who failed to conceive.Conclusions:Fertile men had significantly lower DFI when compared with sub-fertile and infertile men. There is a statistically significant inverse correlations between DFI and sperm count, motility and morphology using both conventional and CASA techniques. There is a significant direct association between DFI and the apoptosis related markers, Caspase-3, Caspase-8 and Bax.