Calcium ion exists extensively in cells as the second messenger, and calcium channel blocker (CCB) is widely used to treat cardiac, skeletal muscular diseases. With the advances in the investigation of human sperm calcium channel, CCB has been proved to affect not only the shape, activation and acrosome reaction, but also the function of human sperm, which may afford a new approach to male contraception.
Calcium Channel Blockers ; pharmacology ; Calcium Channels ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; physiology

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a unique and novel signaling phospholipid that has pleiotropic biologic properties in addition to platelet activation. Recent studies show that this novel compound plays a significant role in male reproduction and sperm function. PAF binds surface special receptors inducing the formation of inositol triphosphate (IP3) and diacylglycerol (DAG) and increasing intracellular calcium. The concentrations of sperm-derived PAF may help predict sperm motility and fertilization potential, which may serve as a valuable marker for assessing male fertility. Exogenous PAF can improve sperm motility, acrosome reaction and pregnancy rates in human intrauterine inseminations.
Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Male ; Platelet Activating Factor ; pharmacology ; physiology ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; physiology

AIMTo evaluate the effect of acute lead chloride exposure on testis and sperm parameters in mice.

METHODSPbCl2, 74 mg/kg, was daily administered to sexually mature male mice for 3 days and the effects on the testicular histology and ultrastructure as well as the motility and density of spermatozoa in cauda epididymis were observed. An additional group of mice were treated for 1-3 days and were allowed to recover for 32 days to determine the reversibility of lead-induced changes.

RESULTSThe testicular weight, seminiferous tubular diameter and sperm counts were significantly decreased following 3 days of PbCl2 treatment, but were unaffected by shorter-term exposures. The changes caused by lead are mostly reversible.

CONCLUSIONAcute lead chloride exposure injures the fertility parameters of male mice and the effects are partially reversible.

Animals ; Epididymis ; drug effects ; physiology ; Lead ; pharmacology ; Male ; Mice ; Microscopy, Electron ; Sexual Maturation ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects ; Spermatogenesis ; drug effects ; physiology ; Spermatozoa ; cytology ; drug effects ; ultrastructure

OBJECTIVESTo study the inhibitory effect of KF-950 on human acrosin and sperm acrosome.

METHODSHuman acrosin was extracted and purified with 2% acetic acid, and its residual activity was evaluated by BAEE/ADH assay after treated with different concentrations of KF-950. ABC assay was used to observe the effect of KF-950 on human acrosome with Biotin-PSA as a probe.

RESULTS1. The activity of normal sperm acrosin was (37.65 +/- 4.47) U/L. 2. The residual activity was inversely related to the concentration of KF-950 (r = -0.998), and had a dose-response curve. The result could be described by Y = 7.57-1.895X. 3. With increase of KF-950 concentration and prolongation of action time, the staining rate of acrosome obviously dropped (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSKF-950 directly inhibits acrosin activity and assumely injures sperm acrosome. It might be a new kind of highly effective inhibitor.

Acrosin ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Acrosome ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo study the damage of mitochondrial function of sperm induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the protection of melatonin (MLT) against the damage.

METHODSSpermatozoa of normal physiological function selected from semen samples by Percoll gradient centrifugation technique were used as normal sperm models in the present study. Reactive oxygen species were generated by hypoxanthine xanthine oxidase system, and in the presence (or absence) of MLT (6 mmol/L), incubated with normal sperm models for 30 and 60 minutes. After incubation, the activity of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) in mitochondria of spermatozoa was assessed by histochemical method, and spermatozoa were labeled with specific fluorescent probe of Rhodamine 123 to measure mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) by flow cytometry.

RESULTSAfter normal spermatozoa were incubated with ROS, MMP of spermatozoa significantly decreased, and the activity of SDH almost decreased to zero. However, MLT had effect on reducing the damage of the mitochondrial function of sperm induced by ROS.

CONCLUSIONROS can damage the mitochondrial function of sperm by affecting MMP of spermatozoa and the activity of SDH. MLT can protect sperm mitochondria from the damage induced by ROS through its effective antioxidative potential.

Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Male ; Melatonin ; pharmacology ; Membrane Potentials ; drug effects ; Mitochondria ; drug effects ; enzymology ; physiology ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; pharmacology ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; physiology ; Succinate Dehydrogenase ; metabolism

Semenogelin I (Sg I) and the fragments of peptides hydrolyzed from Sg I by prostate-specific antigen have multiple biological activities. There exists a controversy over the inhibitory effect of the key fragment on sperm motility. This article focuses on the sperm-inhibiting and antibacterial activities of the fragments of Sg I-derived peptides and illustrates the supposition concerning the most controversial aspect. A deeper insight into the action mechanisms of Sg I-derived peptides may help improve the methods of sperm screening and provide a new perspective in the management of asthenozoospermia and urinary tract infection.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Humans ; Male ; Semen ; drug effects ; Seminal Vesicle Secretory Proteins ; genetics ; physiology ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of inhaled anesthetics on human sperm motility in vitro.

METHODSSperm samples were obtained from 20 healthy men by masturbation and prepared by the swim-up technique. The effects of isoflurane and sevoflurane at the clinical concentration (1.4%-5.6%) and high concentration (5.6%-84%) on human sperm motility in vitro were observed at 25 degrees C by the computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA).

RESULTSThe sperm vitality and motility were significantly increased on 0.5-4 h exposure to isoflurane at the clinical concentration and decreased gradually at high concentration (42%-84%). The effect of isoflurane on human sperm motility and vitality at the clinical concentration was reversible when the anesthetic withdrawn. Sevoflurane had no effects on human sperm motility and vitality at either the clinical or high concentration.

CONCLUSIONIsoflurane has a reversible increasing effect at the clinical concentration and a significant decreasing effect at the high concentration on the motility and vitality of human sperm, while sevoflurane does not affect human sperm motility and vitality at either concentration.

Adult ; Anesthetics, Inhalation ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Isoflurane ; pharmacology ; Male ; Methyl Ethers ; pharmacology ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects ; Spermatozoa ; cytology ; drug effects ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo observe the relative activity of sperm mitochondria and the proportion of ROS-positive sperm before and after capacitation and progesterone (Pg)-induced hyperactivation, and investigate the functional characteristics of sperm mitochondria.

METHODSWe collected 20 samples of normal human spermatozoa that met the criteria of WHO Laboratory Manual for the Examination and Processing of Human Semen (5th ed) and cultured them with the swim-up method in a CO2 incubator at 37 degrees C for 1 hour. We divided the sperm into a pre-capacitation and a capacitated group, and further incubated the capacitated sperm in an upright tube with (Pg-induced group) or without (control group) slow-releasing Pg at 37 degrees C for another hour. Then we determined the relative activity of mitochondria and the percentage of ROS-positive cells in the sperm samples using JC-1 and DCF staining.

RESULTSThe relative activities of mitochondria were significantly increased in the capacitated, control and Pg-induced groups (6.23, 14.36 and 12.33) as compared with the pre-capacitation group (1.42) (P < 0.05), while the percentages of balanced mitochondria (mitochondria with equal amount of high and low electric potentials) remarkably reduced (4.27%, 5.03% and 8.57% vs 21.64%, P < 0.05). The percentages of ROS-positive sperm in the pre-capacitation, capacitated, control and Pg-induced groups were 2.89%, 0.70%, 4.25% and 1.90%, respectively, significantly lower in the capacitated than in the pre-capacitation group (P < 0.01), but dramatically increased in the control group after another hour of swim-up incubation and markedly higher than in the Pg-induced group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONProgesterone induction can hyperactive human sperm motility, inhibit the relative activity of mitochondria, keep mitochondria potential at a more balanced level, and reduce the production of ROS, which may help to raise the rate of in vitro fertilization and improve the quality of embryos.

Adult ; Humans ; Male ; Mitochondria ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Progesterone ; pharmacology ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) on the chemotactic responses of spermatozoa in vitro, and to explore the possible action mechanisms of uPA for male infertility.

METHODSThe chemotactic responses of spermatozoa were measured using spermatozoal accumulation in the capillary. According to the gradient directions of chemoattractant concentrations in the capillary, the recruits were divided into three groups: Group A (the ascending gradient of chemoattractant), Group B (the descending gradient of chemoattractant) and Group C (control). The chemoattractant in the capillary and the treating fluid in spermatozoal wells of Group A were uPA of different concentrations and Hamś F-10, respectively, while those of Group B were just opposite to Group A, and those of Group C were both Hamś F-10. Then the sperm densities in different capillaries were measured at different points of time.

RESULTS(1) Spermatozoa moved chemotactically following the concentrations of uPA. The accumulative action of spermatozoa in Group A was obviously stronger than in Groups B and C (P < 0.05 ). (2) The effects of 20 IU/ml uPA on the chemotactic responses of spermatozoa were most significant. (3) The sperm densities in the three groups increased with time, significantly different at 20 min and 30 min (P < 0.05). (4) uPA could increase sperm motility and promote sperm movement, as well as induce sperm chemotactic responses.

CONCLUSIONuPA could induce sperm chemotactic responses and increase sperm motility, which is presumably one of the action mechanisms of uPA on male infertility.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Chemotaxis ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; physiology ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of nitric oxide (NO) on human sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction (AR).

METHODSDifferent concentrations of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) were added to the sperm suspension from 48 healthy fertile men, and the suspension was incubated in 1 x Earle at 37 degrees C for 1 hour. Progesterone was used to induce AR for 15, 30, 45 and 60 min, and then acid phosphatase (ACP) activity in the suspension before and after capacitation and at different time of AR was measured by p-nitrophenyl sodium phosphate assay. In the meantime, sperm motile parameters were assayed by CASA to observe sperm capacitation and AR.

RESULTSACP activity and sperm motile parameters increased in the 50 approximately 100 nmol/L NO concentration group, showed no significant variation in the 150 approximately 200 nmol/L group, and decreased in the 250 approximately 300 nmol/L group.

CONCLUSIONNO can facilitate sperm capacitation, AR and sperm motile parameters in low concentration and suppress them in high concentration. ACP activity assay of sperm is an objective and reliable method to evaluate sperm capacitation and AR in whole sperm population.

Acid Phosphatase ; metabolism ; Acrosome Reaction ; drug effects ; physiology ; Adult ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Humans ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; physiology ; Nitric Oxide Donors ; pharmacology ; Nitroprusside ; pharmacology ; Sperm Capacitation ; drug effects ; physiology ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects ; physiology ; Spermatozoa ; enzymology