The Effect of Low-Dose Ionizing Radiation (Computer Tomography) on the Functional Parameters of Male Gametes

Abstract

Human semen (native and processed) was treated with different doses of ionizing radiation. The influence of the irradiation on motility, DNA fragmentation and level of apoptosis of spermatozoa has been investigated. The obtained results point out that the treatment of the samples with dosages usually used in medicinal diagnostics (computer tomography) does not have any effect on the total motility of the spermatozoa, but does influence certain specific kinetic parameters – amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH) and beat/cros frequency (BCF). We did not observe any differences in the percentage DNA fragmentation between the experimental and the control groups. Irradiation with low-dose ionizing emissions increases the proportion of gametes in early apoptosis stage and the effect is dose-dependent.