title: Low physiological levels of prostaglandins E2 and F2α improve human sperm functions.
abstract: Prostaglandins (PGs) have been reported to be present in the seminal fluid and cervical mucus, affecting different stages of sperm maturation from spermatogenesis to the acrosome reaction. This study assessed the effects of low physiological PGE2 and PGF2α concentrations on human sperm motility and on the ability of the spermatozoa to bind to the zona pellucida (ZP). Human spermatozoa were isolated from seminal samples with normal concentration and motility parameters and incubated with 1μM PGE2, 1μM PGF2α or control solution to determine sperm motility and the ability to bind to human ZP. The effects of both PGs on intracellular calcium levels were determined. Incubation for 2 or 18h with PGE2 or PGF2α resulted in a significant (P<0.05) increase in the percentage of spermatozoa with progressive motility. In contrast with PGF2α, PGE2 alone induced an increase in sperm intracellular calcium levels; however, the percentage of sperm bound to the human ZP was doubled for both PGs. These results indicate that incubation of human spermatozoa with low physiological levels of PGE2 or PGF2α increases sperm functions and could improve conditions for assisted reproduction protocols.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Alameda 340, 8331150, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rios
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Alameda 340, 8331150, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Daniela V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Carreño
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Alameda 340, 8331150, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oses
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Alameda 340, 8331150, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Barrera
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudios Científicos, Valdivia, Chile.
authors.forename: Bredford
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Alameda 340, 8331150, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Villalón
mesh_terms: D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions / Q000187:drug effects*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015237:Dinoprost; D015232:Dinoprostone; D002118:Calcium