Correlation between defective motility (asthenospermia) and ATP reactivation of demembranated human spermatozoa.
Human spermatozoa treated with 0.05% Triton X-100 to remove the cell membranes became immotile but flagellar movement was reinitiated by addition of 0.06 to 1 mM adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The percentage of spermatozoa showing flagellar movement 2 minutes after addition of 1 mM ATP from men with idiopathic asthenospermia (mean +/- SD, 34 +/- 15%), oligozoospermia (17 +/- 21%), sperm autoimmunity (17 +/- 12%), vasoepididymostomy (20 +/- 22%), or idiopathic zero motility (0%) was significantly lower than with spermatozoa from normal men (54 +/- 12%). The percentage of reactivated spermatozoa was correlated with the proportion of live cells (Eosin Y stain, r = 0.602, P less than 0.001), percentage of motile cells (r = 0.761, P less than 0.001), and motility index (r = 0.759, P less than 0.001) in the same semen samples. When expressed relative to initial sperm motility, the proportion reactivated was similar for idiopathic asthenospermia (85%) and normospermia (82%). Thus, failure to produce ATP does not appear to be a frequent cause of low sperm motility in man.
Liu
D Y
DY
Medical Research Centre, Prince Henry's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
Jennings
M G
MG
Baker
H W
HW
D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D017830:Octoxynol; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D013082:Sperm Tail / Q000187:drug effects
D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D017830:Octoxynol