Effects of pentoxifylline treatment before freezing on motility, viability and acrosome status of poor quality human spermatozoa cryopreserved by the liquid nitrogen vapor method
Braz. j. med. biol. res
;
40(7): 985-992, July 2007. tab, graf
Article
in English
| LILACS
| ID: lil-455992
ABSTRACT
The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of the direct addition of pentoxifylline (PF) to the ejaculates of men with poor sperm quality before freezing on post-thaw sperm motility, viability, acrosome integrity, and agonist-induced acrosome reaction. Semen specimens from 16 infertile men with impaired sperm count and motility (oligoasthenozoospermia) were divided into two equal aliquots one received no treatment (control) while the other was incubated with 5 mM PF (treated). Both aliquots were cryopreserved by the liquid nitrogen vapor method. Motility was assessed according to WHO criteria. Acrosome integrity and spontaneous and calcium ionophore-induced acrosome reactions were assessed with fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated peanut agglutinin combined with a supra-vital dye (Hoechst-33258). Cryopreservation impaired sperm motility (percentage reduction 87.4 (interquartile range, IQ 70.3-92.9) vs 89.1 (IQ 72.7-96.0 percent)), viability (25.9 (IQ 22.2-29.7) vs 25.6 (IQ 19.7-40.3 percent)) and acrosome integrity (18.9 (IQ 5.4-38.9) vs 26.8 (IQ 0.0-45.2 percent)) to the same extent in both treated and control aliquots. However, PF treatment before freezing improved the acrosome reaction to ionophore challenge test scores in cryopreserved spermatozoa (9.7 (IQ 6.6-19.7) vs 4.8 (IQ 0.5-6.8 percent); P = 0.002). These data show that pre-freeze treatment of poor quality human sperm with pentoxifylline did not improve post-thaw motility or viability nor did it prevent acrosomal loss during the freeze-thaw process. However, PF, as used, improved the ability of thawed spermatozoa to undergo the acrosome reaction in response to calcium ionophore. The present data indicate that treatment of poor quality human sperm with PF may enhance post-thaw sperm fertilizing ability.
Full text:
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Index:
LILACS (Americas)
Main subject:
Pentoxifylline
/
Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors
/
Sperm Motility
/
Spermatozoa
/
Acrosome Reaction
Type of study:
Observational study
Limits:
Humans
/
Male
Language:
English
Journal:
Braz. j. med. biol. res
Journal subject:
Biology
/
Medicine
Year:
2007
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Brazil
Institution/Affiliation country:
Universidade Federal de São Paulo/BR
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