Tobacco's genotoxic components can cause a wide range of gene defects in spermatozoa such as single- or double-strand DNA breaks, cross-links, DNA-adducts,
higher frequencies of aneuploidy and chromosomal abnormalities. The aim in this
study was to determine the correlation between sperm quality determined by
standard parameters, sperm DNA maturity tested by Chromomycin A3 (CMA3)
staining, sperm DNA fragmentation tested by TUNEL assay and tobacco smoking
in association with the single nucleotides polymorphisms (SNP) of three nuclear
protein genes in spermatozoa (H2BFWT, PRM1 and PRM2). In this study, semen
samples of 167 male patients were collected and divided into 54 non-smokers
and 113 smokers. The target sequences in the extracted sperm DNA were amplified by PCR followed by Sanger sequencing. The results showed the presence of
three variants: rs7885967, rs553509 and rs578953 in H2BFWT gene in the study
population. Only one variant rs737008 was detected in PRM1 gene, and three
variants were detected in the PRM2 gene: rs2070923, rs1646022 and rs424908.
No significant association was observed between the concentration, progressive
motility, morphology and the occurrence of H2BFWT, PRM1 and PRM2 SNPs.
However, sperm parameters were significantly lower in heavy smokers compared
to controls (p < 0.01) (sperm count: 46.00 vs. 78.50 mill/ml, progressive motility:
15.00% vs. 22.00%, and morphology 4.00% vs. 5.00%, respectively). Moreover,
the heavy smoker individuals exhibited a considerable increase in CMA3 positivity and sDF compared to non-smokers (p < 0.01) (29.50% vs. 20.50% and 24.50%
vs. 12.00%, respectively). In conclusion, smoking altered sperm parameters and
sperm DNA integrity, but did not show a linkage with genetic variants in
H2BFWT, and protamine genes (PRM1 and PRM2)