title: A trial to restore defective human sperm centrosomal function.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8574, Japan.
authors.forename: Soichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Yukihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Terada
authors.forename: Vanesa Y
authors.initials: VY
authors.lastname: Rawe
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Uehara
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morito
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshimoto
authors.forename: Masahito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tachibana
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Nobuo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yaegashi
authors.forename: Kunihiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okamura
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D013439:Sulfhydryl Reagents; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination; D017239:Paclitaxel; D004229:Dithiothreitol