A trial to restore defective human sperm centrosomal function.
BACKGROUND
In human fertilization, sperm centrosome function is essential for male and female pronuclear movement and fusion. In this study, we investigated the possibility of restoring human sperm centrosomal function in sperm exhibiting abnormalities in microtubule organization.


METHODS
Semen was obtained from both a fertile donor and a patient with dysplasia of the fibrous sheath (DFS). Following heterologous ICSI using human sperm, we examined microtubules and chromatin configuration in bovine oocytes. Sperm were treated with dithiothreitol (DTT) prior to ICSI, while the oocytes were treated with the cytoskeletal stabilizer paclitaxel after ICSI.


RESULTS
The combination of DTT and paclitaxel treatment induced microtubule organization in dead sperm from the fertile donor following heterologous ICSI. This treatment, however, was not effective for DFS sperm. In addition, expression of centrin, a protein functioning within the sperm centrosome, was reduced in DFS sperm from that of the normal levels observed in fertile donor sperm.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that sperm centrosomal function could be induced by the treatment of sperm with DTT before ICSI and of oocytes with paclitaxel after ICSI. DFS sperm are likely to exhibit such severe dysfunction of sperm centrosome that cannot be compensated for by this treatment; therefore, this method may be a practical way to discern the degree of sperm centrosomal dysfunction.
Nakamura
Soichi
S
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8574, Japan.
Terada
Yukihiro
Y
Rawe
Vanesa Y
VY
Uehara
Shigeki
S
Morito
Yuki
Y
Yoshimoto
Tomoko
T
Tachibana
Masahito
M
Murakami
Takashi
T
Yaegashi
Nobuo
N
Okamura
Kunihiro
K
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D018385:Centrosome / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D004229:Dithiothreitol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008870:Microtubules / Q000187:drug effects; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000494:pharmacology; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D013439:Sulfhydryl Reagents / Q000494:pharmacology; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / Q000378:metabolism
D013439:Sulfhydryl Reagents; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination; D017239:Paclitaxel; D004229:Dithiothreitol