Chromomycin A(3) staining as a useful tool for evaluation of male fertility

Purpose: Our purpose was to investigate the association between percentage chromomycin A(3) (CMA(3)) positivity of spermatozoa with some sperm paramet ers and in vitro fertilization rate. Methods: Spermatozoa were collected from 139 men, washed in PBS, fixed in m ethanol/glacial acetic acid (3:1), and then spread on slides. CMA(3) positi vity is expressed as the percentage in 200 spermatozoa. Results: Percentage of CMA(3) positivity showed not only a negative con-ela tion with fertilization rate but also a significant difference between fert ilizing and nonfertilizing patients. Moreover percentage of CMA(3)-positive spermatozoa showed a negative correlation with count and percentage motili ty and a positive correlation with percentage of abnormal morphology. Perce ntage of CMA(3) positivity also had a positive correlation with some abnorm alities of head such as amorphous and macrocephaly. Ultrastructural study s howed chromatin unpackaging in high CMA(3)-positive semen samples in compar ison with low CMA(3)-positive semen samples. Conclusion: There is a close relationship among fertilization rate, sperm p arameters, and CMA(3) positivity and CMA(3) could be considered as a useful tool for evaluation of male fertility prior to infertility treatment.