Effects of steroids on the in vitro forward migration of human spermatozoa.
The effects of 14 steroids at concentrations between 0.1 and 10 micrograms/ml on human spermatozoal forward migration in vitro were tested. Oestradiol-17 beta at a concentration of 0.1 microgram/ml significantly activated spermatozoal forward migration in ejaculated human semen. However, the effect of oestradiol-17 beta at concentrations of 2 and 10 micrograms/ml on ejaculated human sperm motility was not significantly different from the control where no steroid was added. Progesterone, testosterone, oestriol, oestrone, oestradiol-17d, and ethinyl oestradiol significantly inhibited human spermatozoal forward migration at concentrations of 10 micrograms/ml. Chlormadinone acetate and medroxyprogesterone acetate at concentrations of 2 and 10 micrograms/ml significantly inhibited human spermatozoal forward migration, while norethynodrel, ethynodiol diacetate, norgestrel and lynoestrenol significantly inhibited human spermatozoal forward migration at concentrations between 0.1 and 10 micrograms/ml. However, norethindrone had no demonstrable effect on human spermatozoal forward migration at the above concentrations.
D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D045166:Estradiol Congeners / Q000494:pharmacology; D004964:Estriol / Q000494:pharmacology; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004970:Estrone / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D013256:Steroids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*
D045166:Estradiol Congeners; D004967:Estrogens; D013256:Steroids; D004970:Estrone; D013739:Testosterone; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D004964:Estriol