Acrosin activity as a potential marker for sperm membrane characteristics in unexplained male infertility.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate sperm membrane system integrity in unexplained infertile male subjects with three consecutive conception failures on IUI even though semen clinical parameters were normal.

DESIGN:

Prospective study.

SETTING:

Medical biotechnology laboratory, School of Medical Science and Technology IIT Kharagpur, India.

PATIENT(S):

Twenty-nine patients with unexplained infertility, 17 normal proven-fertile healthy donors, and 21 infertile males with low motility but with other semen parameters remaining normal.

INTERVENTION(S):

Semen samples were collected from unexplained infertile patients as well as from healthy fertile donors after abstinence of 3-5 days and were analyzed according to World Health Organization guidelines.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S):

Release of 5'-nucleotidase (plasma membrane marker), lactate dehydrogenase (mitochondrial marker) and free acrosin, proacrosin, and total acrosin (acrosomal membrane marker).

RESULT(S):

Plasma membrane integrity and respiratory activity of sperm cells were comparable in all three groups. The proacrosin-acrosin system was adversely affected in unexplained infertile subjects despite high sperm motility.

CONCLUSION(S):

Total acrosin activity may be considered as a sensitive biochemical marker for clinical evaluation of unexplained infertility in males.

• Authors: Koel Chaudhury, Tuhin Das, Baidyanath Chakravarty, Asok K Bhattacharyya
• Journal: Fertility and sterility (Fertil Steril) Vol. 83 Issue 1 Pg. 104-9 (Jan 2005) ISSN: 0015-0282 [Print] United States
• PMID: 15652894 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Biomarkers
• L-Lactate Dehydrogenase
• 5'-Nucleotidase
• Acrosin

Topics

• 5'-Nucleotidase (metabolism)
• Acrosin (analysis)
• Adult
• Biomarkers
• Humans
• Infertility, Male (enzymology)
• L-Lactate Dehydrogenase (metabolism)
• Male
• Prospective Studies
• Spermatozoa (enzymology)