Sperm Epigenome in Hodgkin Lymphoma

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Additional semen samples: 5 additional semen samples : before chemotherapy, at month 6, 12, 18 and 24 after chemotherapy. Each sperm sample will be stored in liquid nitrogen and sent to Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Quebec, Canada for epigenetic analysis.

Study summary

Cancer treatments can have long-term effects on fertility. In men, scientific studies suggest that the process of sperm formation (spermatogenesis) may be disrupted even years after recovery, with potential consequences not only for fertility but also for the health of offspring. The effects of chemotherapy on sperm quality, particularly on DNA packaging (chromatin) and the epigenome, remain poorly understood. Therefore, further in-depth studies are needed to determine whether a history of cancer and chemotherapy treatment may impact the health of children fathered by young male survivors.

We therefore propose to conduct a clinical study aimed at better understanding the mechanisms by which chemotherapies affect spermatogenesis. The results could provide answers by identifying the effects of these drugs on the fertility of young male cancer patients in the long term and the sperm epigenome indicative of the health of the progeny.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Alterations in DNA methylation patterns in spermatozoa — Before chemotherapy, month 6, month 12, month 18, month 24 after chemotherapy
  Sperm analysis : Methyl-C Capture Sequencing (MCC-seq)
• Alterations of histone 3 H3k4me3 retention sites in spermatozoa — Before chemotherapy, month 6, month 12, month 18, month 24 after chemotherapy
  Sperm analysis : chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing (ChIP-seq)

Trial sites (1)

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