High progesterone concentrations induce acrosome reaction with a low cytotoxic effect.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the optimal conditions to obtain live acrosome-reacted spermatozoa for micromanipulation.


METHODS
Experiments were performed to determine time and dose-dependent effects of calcium ionophore A23187 or steroids on acrosome reaction of fertile donor sperm. The percentages of total reacted and live reacted spermatozoa were assessed with the peanut agglutinin lectin procedure.


RESULTS
Incubation with 1 mmol/L progesterone (P) induced 48% +/- 17% acrosome reaction after 6 hours. Motility and viability remained high (49% +/- 3% and 70% +/- 2%, respectively) and thus the percentage of live reacted spermatozoa was 27% +/- 5%. Incubation with A23187 (5 mumol/L for 30 minutes) gave similar results for the percentage of live reacted spermatozoa (26% +/- 4%) but with a lower motility and viability (25% +/- 7% and 53% +/- 2%, respectively; P less than 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
These results show that high concentration of P is an effective way to induce acrosome reaction in preparation for micromanipulation.
Parinaud
J
J
Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, (INSERM CJF 89-08), Toulouse, France.
Labal
B
B
Vieitez
G
G
D000177:Acrosome / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000001:Calcimycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
D000001:Calcimycin; D011374:Progesterone