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. 2021 Jun 14;9:675973. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2021.675973

TABLE 3.

Percentage of sperm cells with DNA damage after hydrogen peroxide and DNAse treatments in different proteinase K conditions.

Percentage of positive cells
Proteinase K 0 min Proteinase K 30 min Proteinase K 180 min
Fresh – alkaline comet
Control 30 ± 22% 35 ± 36% 15 ± 24%
H2O2 0.01% 71 ± 29%a 80 ± 23%a 64 ± 23%a
H2O2 0.1% 86 ± 18%a 69 ± 35% 85 ± 11%a
DNAse I – 1U 67 ± 17%a 62 ± 42% 46 ± 30%
DNAse I – 4U 74 ± 26%a 64 ± 33% 45 ± 31%
Fresh – neutral comet
Control 6 ± 12% 14 ± 13% 1 ± 3%
H2O2 0.01% 0 ± 0% 23 ± 16%* 4 ± 4%
H2O2 0.1% 0 ± 1% 18 ± 4%* 3 ± 4%
DNAse I – 1U 70 ± 41%a 56 ± 19%a 68 ± 25%a
DNAse I – 4U 63 ± 25%a 84 ± 32%a 71 ± 25%a
Cryopreserved – alkaline comet
Control 62 ± 22% 48 ± 21% 17 ± 20%*
H2O2 0.01% 94 ± 8% 93 ± 13%a 48 ± 47%
H2O2 0.1% 100 ± 0% 93 ± 6% a 52 ± 13%a,¶, *
DNAse I – 1U 50 ± 32% 26 ± 13% 14 ± 12%
DNAse I – 4U 73 ± 22% 34 ± 19%* 17 ± 7%*
Cryopreserved – neutral comet
Control 0 ± 0% 19 ± 9%* 0 ± 1%
H2O2 0.01% 0 ± 0% 19 ± 7%* 3 ± 3%
H2O2 0.1% 0 ± 0% 15 ± 1%* 20 ± 20%
DNAse I – 1U 9 ± 15% 70 ± 27%a,* 97 ± 5%a,*
DNAse I – 4U 50 ± 50% 83 ± 26%a 99 ± 1% a

*Differences compared to 0 min of proteinase K in similar treatment (p < 0.05). Differences compared to 30 min of proteinase K in similar treatment (p < 0.05). aDifferences compared to control in similar proteinase K treatment (p < 0.05).