title: Positive correlation between the level of protein-carboxyl methylase in spermatozoa and sperm motility.
abstract: 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.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011496:Protein Methyltransferases / Q000032:analysis*; D011497:Protein O-Methyltransferase / Q000032:analysis*; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000201:enzymology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D014646:Varicocele / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D011496:Protein Methyltransferases; D011497:Protein O-Methyltransferase