[Evaluation of sperm quality, maturation and DNA integrity in adult mice treated with sulpiride]

Use of certain antipsychotic drugs has severe effects on fertility in males. Hypothalamus and hypophysial impressions and changes in plasma hormones concentration like prolactin, LH and FSH can affect sperm production. In this study, we investigated the effects of sulpiride on sperm quality, maturation and DNA damage. Twenty for adult male mice [age: 6-8 weeks] were divided into three groups. The treatment group received 40 mg/kg sulpiride solution and the control sham group was given carrier of the drug intraperitoneally [IP] daily for 45 days but the control group received nothing. Finally, all the mice were sacrificed by cervical dislocation and their cauda epididymis were removed surgically. The excised specimens were placed in 1 ml HTF medium and incubated for 30 min in CO2 incubator to allow the spermatozoa to swim out. Later, sperm count, motility and viability were analyzed. Additionally, sperm chromatin quality and DNA integrity were assessed by aniline blue and acridine orange staining. Significant decrease in sperm motility and count were observed in the treatment group while the number of abnormal sperm increased as compared with the other two groups. Sperm viability and DNA maturation showed significant reduction and the rate of DNA damage increased in comparison with the control sham and the control groups [P<0.05]. The study showed that sulpiride has negative effects on sperm parameters in treated animals and in some cases it could cause secondary infertility

Serum concentration of testosterone, epididymal mast cell population and histamine content in relation to sperm count and their motility in albino rats following H2 receptor blocker treatment.

H2 receptor blocker treatment over a period of 2 weeks had been found to cause significant reduction in epididymal tissue mast cell population and tissue histamine content in caput, corpus and cauda regions in albino rats. There was also a highly significant fall of serum testosterone level and sperm count in these segmental fluids collected by micropuncture. The motility of sperms was also greatly reduced and the number of abnormal spermatozoa was found to be increased, the increase being highly significant in the caudal segment. In view of histamine being involved in steroidogenic activity, it appears that reduction in epididymal tissue histamine content following H2 receptor blocker treatment had caused low availability of testosterone to the tissues and thereby the reduction in sperm count and their motility. Increase in number of abnormal sperms particularly in the caudal epididymis is likely to be due to malformation and increased destruction of sperms, because of alteration in epididymal environment due to fall in serum testosterone concentration.

Epididymis as a target for contraception.

Advantage of using a vaccine based on sperm antigens is that it can be used both in males and females as individuals who have antisperm antibodies are usually infertile but otherwise healthy. Several sperm specific antigens identified as prospective candidates for immunocontraception are of testicular origin. For the purpose of immunocontraception it may be desirable not to disrupt spermatogenesis and testicular function. Concept of post testicular maturation of spermatozoa has been very well established. During post testicular voyage spermatozoa undergo a series of complex and sequential events which transforms the immature immotile spermatozoa into mature sperm. Acquisition of functional maturity is necessary for progressive motility, zona pellucida recognition culminating in sperm egg binding. Importance of epididymal maturation is highlighted by the fact that high percentage of male infertility in human originates from the malfunction of the epididymis. The epididymis has also shown to be involved in sperm storage and provides an adequate environment for final maturation of the sperm. It provides a conducive microenvironment by virtue of which the spermatozoa are protected during the storage. In view of this it is imperative that more attention needs to be focused on epididymal antigens. The information obtained will enable us to identify epididymal antigens relevant to fertility and also help in infertility diagnosis.