A follicular fluid chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan improves the retention of motility and velocity of human spermatozoa.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effects of two proteoglycans of different structure, isolated from human follicular fluid (FF), on the motility of human spermatozoa.


METHODS
Normozoospermic semen samples and their swim-up sperm fractions were incubated in the presence of 0.4 mg/mL of a larger chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CS-PG) for 0, 3, 7, and 16 hours. The effects of a smaller heparan-CS-PG and the chondroitin sulfate side chains of the larger proteoglycan were also investigated in the same conditions. Sperm motility parameters were analyzed using a computer-aided sperm analysis system (CASA; Cryo Research Inc., New York, NY) RESULTS: The larger CS-PG caused an immediate increase in sperm linearity. After 3 and 7 hours, the retention of sperm motility, velocity, linearity, and amplitude of lateral head displacement have increased by an average of 13% compared with the control samples. After a 16-hour incubation, the retention of the motility properties was improved by approximately 40% (range, 27% to 50%) in the samples containing proteoglycan. The effects of the isolated glycosaminoglycan side chains were much lower than those of the intact proteoglycan. The heparan-CS-PG did not affect sperm motility.


CONCLUSIONS
A CS-PG from FF increases retention of motility and velocity of human sperm. These physiological effects may enhance the fertilizing efficiency of spermatozoa in the female reproductive tract.
Eriksen
G V
GV
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Aarhus, Kommunehospitalet, Denmark.
Malmström
A
A
Uldbjerg
N
N
Huszar
G
G
D011508:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015571:Follicular Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D006497:Heparan Sulfate / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015394:Molecular Structure; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors
D011508:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycans; D006497:Heparan Sulfate