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PubMed1998

Identification of flagellar proteins that initiate the activation of sperm motility in vivo.

Protein phosphorylation appears to be a necessary step in the intracellular signaling pathway that initiates the activation of sperm motility. Activation of live immotile sea urchin sperm produced rapid, time-dependent increased phosphorylation on proteins of 32, 45, 130, and 500 kDa. Fractionation of immotile and motile sperm indicated that these motility-related phosphoproteins are associated with flagella. These proteins showed greater phosphorylation in the flagellar fraction from motile sperm, suggesting that subcellular boundaries are in place to keep protein kinases and their substrates spatially separated. Solubility properties suggest that these proteins are the heavy chain and smaller subunits of sea urchin sperm dynein which are phosphorylated in vivo to initiate activation of motility. This also suggests that phosphorylation of only these few proteins, out of the nearly 100 phosphorylations known to occur in the basic axoneme, appears to be associated with the early signaling pathways of motility activation in intact sperm.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Separation of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 from motile sperm by the double tube gradient method versus other methods.

OBJECTIVE: To compare a new sperm-processing device, utilizing a double tube and gradient, with other commonly used sperm-processing methods for their abilities to exclude human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) from the motile sperm fraction while retaining maximum sperm yield. DESIGN: Laboratory experiments. SETTING: Academic research environment. PATIENT(S): Healthy HIV-1 seronegative men between the ages of 25 and 55. INTERVENTION(S): Semen samples were spiked with HIV-1 (MN HIV-1 strain; range of concentrations: 10(-1)-10(6) TCID(50)) and subjected to one of the following sperm-processing methods: double sperm tube with discontinuous gradient of sperm separation medium formed inside (double tube gradient), conventional single tube gradient, swim-up or single tube gradient followed by swim-up (gradient/swim-up), which is the method currently used to minimize HIV-1 in semen used for assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures. For the gradient techniques, Percoll, ISolate, and PureSperm sperm separation media were compared for efficacy of HIV-1 removal. The amount of HIV-1 remaining in the motile sperm pellet after processing was measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), NucliSens assay, or quantitative HIV-1 culture. A hemacytometer was used to microscopically assess motile sperm count. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): HIV-1 RNA copy number, decrease in HIV-1 TCID(50), motile sperm yield. RESULT(S): The double tube gradient technique was significantly better than all other methods in the removal of HIV-1 from the motile sperm fraction, and produced significantly higher sperm yields in comparison with the gradient/swim-up method. CONCLUSION(S): The double tube gradient technique is a relatively simple and effective method that reduces the risk of infection by HIV-1 while producing good sperm recovery.

Adult↗

PubMed1975

The effect of orally administered androgens on sperm motility.

The administration of oral androgens increased sperm motility to normal in 30 (52%) of 58 men whose impaired motility was the only defect in their semen quality. Their ejaculate volume, sperm count, and morphology were not benefited. Suppression was infrequently seen and appeared to be transient. Pregnancies were documented in 15 (26%) of the 58 couples studies. However, communication regarding this matter was made with only 39 of the 58 couples. The benefical effect from a single course of androgen is likely to persist. However, if a pregnancy does not ensue, semen analysis should be repeated to determine if additional medication is necessary. Pretreatment serum testosterone determinations were not helpful in determining those men who would most likely benefit from therapy. No appreciable benefit was noted in the semen quality of the 35 subfertile men identically treated who, in addition to poor sperm motility, had other defects in their semen.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed1983

Effect of low-dose androgen and zinc sulfate on sperm motility and seminal zinc levels in infertile men.

Beneficial effects of zinc therapy in some infertile patients with low seminal zinc concentrations and decreased sperm motility have been reported recently. The effects of zinc therapy, low-dose (5-10 mg/day) androgen therapy, and combination therapy of both zinc and low-dose androgen, on sperm motility and seminal zinc concentration were studied in patients referred to the andrology clinic. Low-dose androgen therapy increased seminal zinc concentrations and sperm motility, only when pretreatment seminal zinc concentrations were low. Furthermore, patients with low seminal zinc concentrations and poor sperm motility showed greater improvement of sperm motility and seminal zinc levels in response to zinc sulfate with fluoxymesterone than did fluoxymesterone alone or zinc sulfate alone, possible due to a synergistic effect of zinc and androgen.

Fluoxymesterone↗

PubMed2004

Analysis and significance of mRNA in human ejaculated sperm from normozoospermic donors: relationship to sperm motility and capacitation.

The existence of a complex population of mRNA in human sperm is well documented but their role is not yet elucidated. Using discontinuous density gradients, we have isolated high and low motile sperm from the same semen sample. The levels of different transcripts coding for molecules either involved in nuclear condensation (protamines 1 and 2) or in capacitation [endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and c-myc] were then assessed in the two populations using semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Sperm viability was estimated by eosin-nigrosin staining and by hypo-osmotic swelling test; apoptosis percentage was measured by the TdT (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase)-mediated dUDP nick-end labelling technique. The contamination by somatic and germ cells was assessed by looking for specific molecular markers of these cells, respectively CD-45 and E-cadherin for somatic cells and c-kit for germ cells. The viability of sperm was unchanged in high and low motile fractions, as well as DNA fragmentation percentage. The amount of Prm-1 mRNA was significantly higher in low density motile than in the high motile fraction. In most of high motile sperm samples eNOS and nNOS transcripts were undetectable whereas they were present in the low motile sperm. In contrast, no significant variation was found in the c-myc/Prm-2 mRNA ratio between the two populations. Moreover, a partial or complete disappearance of c-myc transcripts was observed after capacitation. Thus analysing mRNA profiles could be helpful as a diagnostic tool and prognosis value for fertilization.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Ginsenoside R(e) increases fertile and asthenozoospermic infertile human sperm motility by induction of nitric oxide synthase.

We investigated the effects of Ginsenoside R(e) on human sperm motility in fertile and asthenozoospermic infertile individuals in vitro and the mechanism by which the Ginsenosides play their roles. The semen samples were obtained from 10 fertile volunteers and 10 asthenozoospermic infertile patients. Spermatozoa were separated by Percoll and incubated with 0, 1, 10 or 100 microM of Ginsenoside R(e). Total sperm motility and progressive motility were measured by computer-aided sperm analyzer (CASA). Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity was determined by the 3H-arginine to 3H-citrulline conversion assay, and the NOS protein was examined by the Western blot analysis. The production of sperm nitric oxide (NO) was detected using the Griess reaction. The results showed that Ginsenoside R(e) significantly enhanced both fertile and infertile sperm motility, NOS activity and NO production in a concentration-dependent manner. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP, 100 nM), a NO donor, mimicked the effects of Ginsenoside R(e). And pretreatment with a NOS inhibitor N(omega)-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 100 microM) or a NO scavenger N-Acetyl-L-cysteine (LNAC, 1 mM) completely blocked the effects of Ginsenoside R(e). Data suggested that Ginsenoside R(e) is beneficial to sperm motility, and that induction of NOS to increase NO production may be involved in this benefit.

Acetylcysteine↗

PubMed1995

Effect of glyceryl trinitrate on sperm motility and lipid peroxidation in normozoospermic men.

The objective of this study was to assess the in-vitro effects of the nitric oxide substrate glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) on sperm motility and membrane lipid peroxidation. Nitric oxide (NO) can impair sperm motility, possibly by an alteration of cyclic nucleotide levels. NO may also be protective against lipid peroxidation. Semen samples from nine normospermic men were prepared by a swim-up technique. Each specimen was divided into four aliquots, one of which was the control sample. The other three had 10(-6), 10(-8) or 10(-10) M GTN added. Sperm motility was then analysed over 180 min using a Hamilton Thorn motility analyser. Lipid peroxidation was assessed by measuring media malondialdehyde (MDA) levels at 180 min. Compared with control, the following measurements were reduced (p < 0.05) over the first 60 min in the 10(-6) M GTN aliquots only: mean path velocity (reduced by 14-15%), curvilinear velocity (reduced by 12-21%), straight-line velocity (reduced by 18-19%) and percentage of hyperactivated spermatozoa (reduced by 38-43%). MDA levels and head movement parameters were comparable amongst all aliquots (p > 0.05). The depressant effects of GTN on sperm motility appeared to be transient and reversible. The effects observed may be due to NO generated by GTN, or to GTN itself. This suggests that NO may have a role in vivo as a physiological inhibitor of sperm motility. The addition of GTN did not appear either to cause sperm membrane damage or to protect the spermatozoa from lipid peroxidation.

Cell Membrane↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Sperm motility in men with spinal cord injuries is enhanced by inactivating cytokines in the seminal plasma.

The goal of this study was to determine whether inactivating specific cytokines in seminal plasma improves sperm motility in men affected by spinal cord injury (SCI). For this purpose, we used monoclonal antibodies to interleukin 6 (IL6), interleukin 1 beta (IL1-beta), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), all 3 cytokines having been previously detected at high concentrations in the seminal plasma of patients with SCI. In a group of 17 SCI men with low sperm motility (mean +/- SE, 20.1% +/- 3.1%), treatment with the 3 monoclonal antibodies at the median neutralization dose concentrations for 1.0 to 1.5 hours improved sperm motility in all cases. Effectiveness was higher in those specimens with a pretreatment sperm motility between 11% and 30% (from 19.3% +/- 1.4% to 41.9% +/- 4.9%, P < .0002), suggesting that pretreatment sperm motility might represent an indicator of cell damage and, therefore, a factor that influences monoclonal antibody effectiveness. To the best of our knowledge, these results represent the first rational treatment for improving low sperm motility in these severely affected patients.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Effect of kininase II inhibitors on bradykinin-stimulated bovine sperm motility.

It has been found that the enzyme kininase II present in the seminal plasma inactivates the kinins produced by the kallikreins, thus blocking their beneficial effects on the motility of post-ejaculated mammalian spermatozoa. In this study we examined the influence of 2 kininase II inhibitors (captopril and enalapril maleate) on bradykinin-induced bovine sperm motility. Ejaculates were collected from Holstein-Friesian bulls, and semen samples exhibiting reduced sperm motility (30 to 60%; mean 53 +/- 3.8%) were used. Each semen sample was divided into 6 portions: 1) control; 2) treated with bradykinin (M-8); 3) treated with captopril (M-2); 4) treated with enalapril maleate (M-3); 5) treated with bradykinin + captopril; and 6) treated with bradykinin + enalapril maleate. Total sperm motility was recorded over 4 h at 1-h intervals. It was found that in the second hour after treatment both the combinations of bradykinin + captopril and bradykinin + enalapril maleate considerably enhanced sperm motility compared with that of the controls (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). Total sperm motility rates of semen samples treated with these combinations were also higher than in the samples treated either with inhibitors alone or with bradykinin alone. We concluded that the stimulatory effect of bradykinin on bovine sperm motility was considerably potentiated and prolonged by the addition of the kininase II inhibitors.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors↗

PubMed1988

Clinical microdose study of gossypol: effect on sperm motility and renal function.

This study is part of a series designed to identify the smallest effective gossypol dose for male fertility control. Three men, aged 31-35 years, were administered gossypol, 10 mg/day, orally for 3 months. Urinalysis and assays for plasma hormone values, including cortisol, beta 2-microglobulin, potassium, and BUN, showed no changes during treatment. Forward sperm motility, however, was severely affected by the end of the treatment period (less than 4% forward motility). Sperm density also showed a marked decrease. The subjects developed no undue side effects.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Effect of DHA supplementation on DHA status and sperm motility in asthenozoospermic males.

The effects of supplementation with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on DHA levels in serum, seminal plasma, and sperm of asthenozoospermic men as well as on sperm motility were examined in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled manner. Asthenozoospermic men (n = 28; < or =50% motility) were supplemented with 0, 400, or 800 mg DHA/d for 3 mon. Sperm motility and the fatty acid composition of serum, seminal plasma, and sperm phospholipid were determined before and after supplementation. In serum, DHA supplementation resulted in decreases in 22:4n-6 (-30% in the 800-mg DHA group only) and total n-6 (-6 and -12% in the 400- and 800-mg DHA groups, respectively) fatty acids. Increases were noted in DHA (71 and 131% in the 400- and 800-mg DHA groups, respectively), total n-3 fatty acids (42 and 67% in the 400- and 800-mg DHA groups, respectively), and the n-3/n-6 ratio (50 and 93% in the 400- and 800-mg DHA groups, respectively). In seminal plasma, DHA supplementation resulted in a decrease in 22:4n-6 (-31% in the 800-mg DHA group only) and an increase in the ratio of n-3 to n-6 (35 and 33% in the 400- and 800-mg DHA groups, respectively). There were insignificant increases in DHA and total n-3 fatty acids. In sperm, decreases were noted in 22:4n-6 (-37 and -31% in the 400- and 800-mg DHA groups, respectively). There were no other changes. There was no effect of DHA supplementation on sperm motility. The results show that dietary DHA supplementation results in increased serum--and possibly seminal plasma--phospholipid DHA levels, without affecting the incorporation of DHA into the spermatozoa phospholipid in asthenozoospermic men. This inability of DHA to be incorporated into sperm phospholipid is most likely responsible for the observed lack of effect of DHA supplementation on sperm motility.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Sperm motility inhibitor from human seminal plasma: association with semen coagulum.

Human seminal plasma contains a sperm motility inhibitor (SPMI) originating from the seminal vesicles as a 52 kDa precursor form that is rapidly degraded by prostatic proteases after ejaculation. In this study, the distribution of SPMI biological activity and antigens was analysed in chemically induced, as well as naturally occurring, arrest of semen liquefaction. SPMI activity was detected exclusively in the coagulated semen fraction at 2200 +/- 560 IU, whereas total seminal plasma proteins separated more evenly between soluble and coagulated components (91 +/- 19 and 65 +/- 18 mg, respectively). An SPMI antiserum recognized different forms of SPMI precursors at 52, 38, 35, 33 and 20 kDa in the coagulum while the soluble protein fraction contained only one major immunoreactive band at 15 kDa. High levels of SPMI activity (1500 +/- 180 IU/ml) together with high molecular mass forms of SPMI precursor and low sperm motility (26%) were detected in semen samples that failed to liquefy spontaneously at room temperature. Addition of prostatic secretions to the non-liquefying samples caused a decrease of SPMI activity (330 +/- 17 IU/ml) and transformed the SPMI precursor into low molecular mass forms (14-22 kDa) with a concomitant increase in sperm motility to 49%. The results suggest that SPMI is highly associated with the seminal coagulum components as very active forms that may adversely affect sperm motility when not properly processed after ejaculation.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of dietary selenium on sperm motility in healthy men.

A deficiency of dietary selenium leads to immotile, deformed sperm and infertility in rats, whereas supplementation of the diet with selenium compounds has been associated with both beneficial and deleterious effects on sperm function, depending on the chemical form of selenium. We conducted a randomized, controlled, and blinded intervention study on the effects of selenium in food on semen quality. Eleven healthy men were fed a controlled diet of foods naturally high or low in selenium for 120 days while confined in a metabolic research unit. Dietary selenium was 47 microg/d for the first 21 days, then either 13 microg/d or 297 microg/d for 99 days, resulting in significant changes in selenium concentrations in blood and semen. Seminal plasma selenium concentration increased 50% with high selenium and decreased 40% with low selenium. The fraction of motile sperm in the high-selenium group decreased by 32% by week 13 and ended 18% lower than baseline. Selenium concentrations changed in seminal plasma but not in sperm, and serum androgen concentrations were unchanged in both groups, indicating this effect was neither androgen dependent nor caused by a change in the selenium supply to the testes. Serum triiodothyronine decreased and thyroid-stimulating hormone increased in the high-selenium group, suggesting that altered thyroid hormone metabolism may have affected sperm motility. Although this decrease in sperm motility does not necessarily predict decreased fertility, the increasing frequency of selenium supplementation in the healthy population suggests the need for larger studies to more fully assess this potential side effect.

Dietary Supplements↗

PubMed1981

Effects of psychotropic drugs on human sperm motility.

Imipramine has been shown to have a potent inhibitory effect on sperm motility in vitro. Because of the frequent chronic use of antidepressants in treatment of depression, we investigated the in vivo effects of desmethylimipramine and lithium carbonate on sperm function in patients suffering from clinical depression. We also studied the in vitro effects of a series of neurotrophic agents on sperm motility. There were no significant differences in sperm count, viability, or motility between a group of patients diagnosed as having clinical depression and a group of semen donors with normal sperm characteristics. Three weeks of continuous therapy with desmethylimipramine or lithium carbonate resulted in a significant decrease in sperm viability but no significant change in sperm count or motility. The in vitro drug studies demonstrated that imipramine hydrochloride, desmethylimipramine, chlorpromazine, trifluoperazine, and nortriptyline hydrochloride were all potent inhibitors of sperm motility, whereas lithium carbonate had no effect on motility.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

The relationship between total motile sperm count and the success of intrauterine insemination.

OBJECTIVES: To determine if the total motile sperm count is predictive of IUI success and to apply life-table analysis to a large database of IUI procedures. DESIGN: Contingency table and life-table analyses were used to analyze a large group of couples (n = 546) undergoing 1,205 cycles of therapeutic IUI with husband's sperm. SETTING: Clinical infertility practice at a medical school referral center. PATIENTS: Five hundred forty-six couples with varying etiologies of infertility. RESULTS: There was a trend toward an increasing percentage of conception with increasing total motile sperm count. Significance was reached when the total motile sperm count used for IUI exceeded 20 x 10(6). The cumulative pregnancy rate calculated from this data reached 52% after the sixth attempted cycle of IUI.

Adult↗

PubMed1986

Effects of seminal vesicle removal on fertility and uterine sperm motility in the house mouse.

The relative significance of the accessory glands of the male reproductive tract in fertility is unclear. To clarify the role of the seminal vesicles, fertility and uterine sperm motility were determined before and after removal of seminal vesicles in the house mouse. After removal of seminal vesicles, the pregnancy rate (number of females pregnant/number of females X 100) was reduced and the time to birth was increased, while the average litter size was not changed. Fertilization, determined by examining the oocytes 30 h after mating, was highly variable after matings with males whose seminal vesicles were removed; in some cases none of the oocytes were fertilized. The motility of sperm recovered from the uterus 1 h after matings with males before and after seminal vesicle removal and sham operations was analyzed using a videomicrographic system. The motility of uterine sperm was less progressive with more lateral displacement of the head about the trajectory and a less linear trajectory after removal of the seminal vesicles. Sham-operated animals showed no consistent changes in motility of uterine sperm. The changes in sperm motility could contribute to the reduction in fertilization since sperm motility is necessary for transport in the female reproductive tract and interaction with the oocytes.

Animals↗

PubMed1986

Positive correlation between the level of protein-carboxyl methylase in spermatozoa and sperm motility.

Levels of protein-carboxyl methylase (PCM) activity were measured in spermatozoa from infertile patients with less than 50% sperm motility and compared with those of normal fertile controls. When spermatozoa were washed by a standard centrifugation procedure, the level of PCM activity in a subgroup of patients with sperm motility ranging from 0% and 20% (24.0 +/- 5.2 pmol/mg protein, mean +/- standard error of the mean) was significantly different from that of controls (35.9 +/- 2.3 pmol/mg). However, when the entire population of patients with sperm motility ranging from 0% to 50% (32.6 +/- 6.2 pmol/mg) was compared with controls, no significant difference was observed in sperm PCM levels. With this standard washing procedure no significant relationship (r = 0.28; P greater than 0.05) between sperm PCM activity and motility was observed. By contrast, when spermatozoa were washed on a Percoll gradient, to eliminate other cellular elements, both groups of patients with 0% to 20% (14.6 +/- 2.5 pmol/mg) and with 0% to 50% (21.5 +/- 2.4 pmol/mg) sperm motility had sperm PCM levels significantly lower than that of controls (34.7 +/- 3.6). A highly significant relationship (r = 0.78; P less than 0.001) was observed between the levels of sperm PCM activity and motility.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

The impact of the total motile sperm count on the success of intrauterine insemination with husband's spermatozoa.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the total motile sperm count and the success of IUI treatment cycles with postwashed husband spermatozoa in couples with infertility in a large patient population. PATIENTS: When 939 couples underwent 1375 cycles of IUI with varying etiologies of infertility which included male factor, endometriosis, tubal factor, ovulatory dysfunction, uterine factor, cervical factor, and unexplained infertility, the results were 207 pregnancies. RESULTS: The overall pregnancy rate per cycle was 15.1% (207/1375). The total motile sperm count were significantly increased in the pregnant group than the nonpregnant group (38.7 x 10(6) versus 28.6 x 10(6); P < 0.001). There was a trend toward an increased success rate with increased total motile sperm count. Significance was reached when the total motile sperm count exceeded 5 x 10(6). Life table analysis was performed and the curve representing a cumulative chance of pregnancy calculated from our data reached 72%. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that a final postwashed total motile sperm count used for IUI may be considered predictive of the success for pregnancy and allow couples to be informed of the chances of success.

Female↗