Cryopreservation-induced decrease in heat-shock protein 90 in human spermatozoa and its mechanism / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

ABSTRACT

<p><b>AIM</b>To study the protein changes of spermatozoa associated with sperm motility during sperm cryopreservation and its mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In 18 healthy men, the seminal sperm motility and HSP90 levels were studied before and after cryopreservation using SDS-PAGE, Western blotting and computerized image analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The sperm motility declined significantly after cryopreservation (P<0.01). The average grey level and the integrated grey level of sperm HSP90 before cooling were 34.1+/-3.2 and 243.0+/-21.6, respectively, while those after thawing were 23.2+/-2.5 and 105.7+/-28.5, respectively. Both parameters were decreased significantly (P<0.01). No HSP90 was found in the seminal plasma before and after cryopreservation.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>HSP90 in human spermatozoa was decreased substantially after cryopreservation. This may result from protein degradation, rather than leakage into the seminal plasma.</p>