Acrosin activity in human spermatozoa in relation to semen quality and in-vitro fertilization.
Acrosin, a sperm proteinase released during acrosomal exocytosis, facilitates penetration through the oocyte vestments. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if a correlation exists between the acrosin activity of ejaculated human spermatozoa, before motility enrichment techniques, and in-vitro fertilization (IVF) success using selected (glass wool or swim-up) spermatozoa. Since all the oocytes were retrieved from women receiving exogenous hormonal stimulation and a mixed population of mature and immature oocytes were encountered, only cases with > or = 50% mature oocytes were analysed. Under these conditions, the acrosin activity was significantly greater (P < 0.01) in the ejaculates in which spermatozoa ultimately fertilized > or = 70% of the mature oocytes, than in the ejaculates in which spermatozoa ultimately fertilized < 70% of the mature oocytes. Furthermore, a strong correlation (r = 0.962, P = 0.0001) was detected between pre-IVF acrosin activity and subsequent high (> or = 70%) IVF success. Acrosin activity from normozoospermic and oligo-asthenozoospermic men was also compared and was significantly (P < 0.01) higher for the normozoospermic group. These data suggest that measurement of acrosin activity may be a valuable clinical laboratory assay for assessing the sperm fertilizing potential and that low acrosin activity is associated with abnormal semen characteristics.
De Jonge
C J
CJ
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rush Medical College, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612-3864.
Tarchala
S M
SM
Rawlins
R G
RG
Binor
Z
Z
Radwanska
E
E
D000176:Acrosin / Q000378:metabolism*; D005298:Fertility / Q000502:physiology*; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology*; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000201:enzymology*
D000176:Acrosin