Purification of apolipoprotein H (beta 2-glycoprotein I)-like protein from human follicular fluid.

We purified a glycoprotein of molecular weight 50 kDa that has an N-terminal sequence similar to that of apolipoprotein H indicating that it is identical to or highly homologous to apolipoprotein H. There are indications that apolipoprotein H or its homologue may be involved in the fertilization process. Sperm motion was assessed employing computer-assisted semen analysis. The addition of the purified protein to prepared sperm samples from normospermic men increases significantly the straight line velocity (VSL) and the amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH) but does not increase the number of progressively motile sperm.