Inhibition of Acrosomal Enzymes by Gossypol Is Related to Its Antifertility Action

To investigate into the mechanisms underlying the irreversible sterility induced by gossypol, we studied the relationship between its inhibitory action on acrosomal enzymes and its antifertility effect.As shown by our result, after exposure to gossypol (l.25-60 μg/ml) for 15 min. in vitro,the sperms' ability to penetrate bovine cervical mucus and the fertility rate were significantly reduced. Also, following administration of gossypol (12.5 mg/kg/day) for six weeks, the rate of fertilization in vitro by hamster sperm was significantly decreased. In the gossypol-treated group, extracts of testis sperm delayed dispersion of cumulus cells, suggesting inhibition of hyaluronidase and other acrosomal enzymes. Furthermore, the acrosin and arylsulfatase activities were shown to be markedly inhibited. Thus, a parallelism was displayed between the reduction of fertility and the decreasc in acrosin and arylsulfatase activities in epididymis sperms.Besides, the inhibition was reversible and was dosage-and durationdependent. In conclusion, the assay of acrosin activity might serve as a useful tool for monitoring the irreversible sterility induced by gossypol,

Protein kinase A inhibition induces EPAC-dependent acrosomal exocytosis in human sperm

To in teract with the egg, the spermatozo on must un dergo several biochemical and motility modifications in the female reproductive tract, collectively called capacitation. Only capacitated sperm can undergo acrosomal exocytosis, near or on the egg, a process that allows the sperm to penetrate and fertilize the egg. In the present study, we investigated the invoIvement of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent processes on acrosomal exocytosis. Inhibition of protein kinase A (PKA) at the end of capacitation induced acrosomal exocytosis. This process is cAMP-dependent;however, the addition of relatively high concentration of the membrane-permeable 8-bromo-cAMP (8Br-cAMP, 0.1 mmol l^-1) analog induced significant inhibition of the acrosomal exocytosis. The induction of acrosomal exocytosis by PKA inhibition was significantly inhibited by an exchange protein directly activated by cAMP (EPAC) ESI09 inhibitor. The EPAC selective substrate activated AE at relatively low concentrations (0.02-0.1 μmol l^1), whereas higher concerttrations (>5 pmol l^-1) were inhibitory to the AE induced by PKA inhibition. Inhibition of PKA revealed about 50% increase in intracellular cAMP levels, conditions under which EPAC can be activated to induce the AE. Induction of AE by activating the actin severing?protein, gelsolin, which causes F-actin dispersion, was inhibited by the EPAC inhibitor. The AE induced by PKA inhibition was mediated by phospholipase C activity but not by the Ca^2+-channel, CatSper. Thus, inhibition of PKA at the end of the capacitation process induced EPAC/phospholipase C-dependent acrosomal exocytosis. EPAC mediates F-actin depolymerization an d/or activation of effectors down stream to F-actin breakdown that lead to acrosomal exocytosis.

Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection Fertilization Rate Does Not-Depend on the Proportion of Round-headed Sperm, Small acrosomal Sperm, or Morphologically Normal Sperm in Patients with Partial Globozoospermia

Background：Generally,intracytoplasmic sperm injection （ICSI） may be the preferable method to treat partial globozoospermia,but whether there exist some correlations between ICSI fertilization rate and the proportion of round-headed sperm or morphologically normal sperm remains open.This study was to explore the correlation between ICSI fertilization rate and the sperm morphology in patients with partial globozoospermia.Methods：Thirty-four patients diagnosed with partial globozoospermia accepted the following assisted fertilization treatments-2 cases accepted in-vitro fertilization （IvF） alone,26 cases accepted ICSI alone,and 6 accepted split IVF/ICSI.Detailed morphological characteristics were described using Diff-Quik rapid staining.Sixty cases accepting IVF or ICSI treatment in our reproductive center were considered as the control group after being matched by relevant criteria.Fertilization rate,embryo quality,embryo implantation rate and clinical pregnancy rate were calculated.Results：Besides very high proportion of round-headed sperm,partial globozoospermia also showed very high proportion of small-acrosomal sperm and very low proportion of morphologically normal sperm.Fertilization rate of IVF （IVF alone plus split IVF） was very low in partial globozoospermia （25.4% ± 17.4%）,but ICSI （ICSI alone plus split ICSI） achieved satisfying fertilization rate compared with the control group （66.2% ± 22.5% vs.68.8% ± 29.4%,P 〉 0.05）.In patients with partial globozoospermia,there were no correlations between ICSI fertilization rate and the proportion of round-headed sperm,small-acrosomal sperm,or morphologically normal sperm.Conclusions：There was high proportion of small-acrosomal sperm in partial globozoospermia.For patients with partial globozoospermia,ICSI is more preferable than IVF.ICSI fertilization rate does not depend on the proportion of round-headed sperm,small-acrosomal sperm,or morphologically normal sperm.

Tales of the Tail and Sperm Head Aches --Changing concepts on the prognostic significance of sperm pathologies affecting the head, neck and tail

This article presents an update on the variable prognostic significance of different sperm pathologies in patients with severe male factor infertility due to morphology and motility disorders. Severe asthenozoospermia is one of the leading causes of male infertility as spermatozoa cannot reach the oocyte and/or penetrate normally. Identifying structural causes of sperm immotility was of great concern before the advent of intracytoplasmic sperm injection （ICSI）, because immotility was the limiting factor in the treatment of these patients. In these cases, in vitro methods are used to identify live spermatozoa or stimulate sperm motility to avoid selection of non-viable cells. With these advances, fertilization and pregnancy results have improved dramatically. The identification of genetic phenotypes in asthenozoospermia is important to adequately inform patients of treatment outcomes and risks. The one sperm characteristic that seriously affects fertility prognosis is teratozoospermia, primarily sperm head and neck anomalies. Defects of chromatin condensation and acrosomal hypoplasia are the two most common abnormalities in severe teratozoospermia. The introduction of microscopic methods to select spermatozoa and the development of new ones to evaluate sperm quality before ICSI will assure that ultrastructural identification ofsperm pathologies will not only be of academic interest, but will also be an essential tool to inform treatment choice. Herein, we review the differential roles played by sperm components in normal fertilization and early embryo development and explore how assisted reproductive technologies have modified our concepts on the prognostic significance of sperm pathologies affecting the head, neck, mid-piece and tail.

The ultrastructure of the spermatozoon of Octopus ocellatus Gray, 1849 (Cephalopoda: Octopoda)

Morphology of the spermatozoon of Octopus ocellatus was studied by light, scanning electron, and transmission electron microscopes. Sperm are 600-700 um long, with a large number of granules in diameter about 130 um. Each spermatozoon is composed of a head, neck, and tail. The head is made up of an acrosomal complex anterior to the nucleus. The spiral acrosomal complex consists of an electron-lucent vesicle, lacuna, and an electron-dense acrosomal vesicle. Additionally, the spiral acrosomal vesicle has numerous equidistant striations, and is surrounded by many small granules （20 nm diameter）. A long straight nucleus, which is electron-densed, has a deep posterior concavity, the nuclear vacuole. At the terminal end of the nucleus is a sleeve-like structure with a concave posterior nuclear fossa （PNF）. The neck is short connecting the PNF. The basal body is located in the PNF and gives rise to the axoneme. This structure connects the head, neck, and tail. The tail is divided into a middle piece and a principal piece. The middle piece, having a 9＋9＋2 arrangement, is surrounded by a mitochondrial sheath and terminates by an electron-dense fibrous sheath. The principal piece is the longest part of the sperm with coarse fibers tapering posteriorly. The results of this study shall provide some useful information for artificial breeding of this species.

Research advances in the biological characteristics of the crustacean spermatozoa

The biological characteristics of crustacean spermatozoa is important for the artificial reproduction and genetic breeding. With reference to the latest studies and related materials, this paper reviewed the research progress in the biological characteristics of crustacean spermatozoa, such as morphological structure of sperm, spermatogenesis, sperm viability, preservation in vitro and acrosome reaction et al. The prospects of the research field have also been anticipated.

A Protein Extracted from Mouse Sperm That Plays an Important Role in Fertilization

A membrane protein was isolated from mouse sperm heads that had undergone acrosomal reaction induced by C2+ ionophore, A 23187, which, with a molecular weight of 77.6 kd, shows capability to block egg-sperm fusion. As revealed by analysis usintg isotopic markers, this protein is one of the chief membrane proteins of inner acrosomal membrane or the outer membrane of equatorial segment and Post-acrosomal region; treatment of mouse sperms with 0.6 μg/ml of the Purified protein for 30 minutes reduced the sperm-egg fusion index by 51%.The above results led us to the conclusion that the protein is an active participant in sperm-egg fusion. The possible existence of sperm receptor on egg plasma membrane was discussed.

Differentiation of murine male germ cells to spermatozoa n a soft agar culture system

Establishment of an in vitro system that allows the development of testicular germ cells to sperm will be valuable for studies of spermatogenesis and future treatments for male infertility. In the present study, we developed in vitro culture conditions using three-dimensional agar culture system （SACS）, which has the capacity to induce testicular germ cells to reach the final stages of spermatogenesis, including spermatozoa generation. Seminiferous tubules from testes of 7-day-old mice were enzymatically dissociated, and intratubular cells were cultured in the upper layer of the SACS in RPMI medium supplemented with fetal calf serum （FCS）. The lower layer of the SACS contained only RPMI medium supplemented with FCS. Colonies in the upper layer were isolated after 14 and 28 days of culture and were classified according to their size. Immunofluorescence and real-time PCR were used to analyse specific markers expressed in undifferentiated and differentiated spermatogonia （Vasa, Dazl, OCT-4, C-Kit, GFR- a-l, CD9 and a-6-integrin）, meiotic cells （LDH, Crem-1 and Boule） and post-meiotic cells （Protamine-1, Acrosin and SP-IO）. Our results reveal that it is possible to induce mouse testicular pre-meiotic germ cell expansion and induce their differentiation to spermatozoa in SACS. The spermatozoa showed normal morphology and contained acrosomes. Thus, our results demonstrate that SACS could be used as a novel in vitro system for the maturation of pre-meiotic mouse germ cells to post-meiotic stages and morphologically-normal spermatozoa.

A newly discovered mutation in PICK1 in a human with globozoospermia

Globozoospermia is a human infertility syndrome caused by spermatogenesis defects （OMIM 102530）. Acrosome plays an important role at the site of sperm-zonapellucida binding during the fertilization process. Thus, malformation of the acrosome is the most prominent feature seen in globozoospermia. Disruption of several mouse genes, including Gopc （Golgi-associated PDZ and coiled-coil motif containing protein）, Hrb （HIV-I Rev binding protein）, Csnk2α2 （casein kinase 2, α prime polypeptide） and Pick1 （protein interacting with C kinase 1）, results in a phenotype similar to globozoospermia in humans, which suggests their potential role in the disease. However, no mutations with a clear link to globozoospermia have been identified in these genes in humans. In this study, we screened the candidate genes men- tioned above in three globozoospermia type I patients and discovered a homozygous missense mutation （G198A） in exon 13 of the PICK1 gene in a Chinese family. The family member affected by this homozygous missense mutation showed a complete lack of acrosome. Using the candidate gene screening strategy, our study is the first to identify an autosomal recessive genetic mutation in PICK1 that was responsible for globozoospermia in humans.

Mechanism of sperm capacitation and the acrosome reaction： role of protein kinases

Mammalian sperm must undergo a series of biochemical and physiological modifications, collectively called capacitation, in the female reproductive tract prior to the acrosome reaction （AR）. The mechanisms of these modifications are not well characterized though protein kinases were shown to be involved in the regulation of intracellular Ca2＋ during both capacitation and the AR. In the present review, we summarize some of the signaling events that are involved in capacitation. During the capacitation process, phosphatidyl-inositol-3-kinase （PI3K） is phosphorylated/activated via a protein kinase A （PKA）-dependent cascade, and downregulated by protein kinase C a （PKCa）. PKCa is active at the beginning of capacitation, resulting in PI3K inactivation. During capacitation, PKCa as well as PP172 is degraded by a PKA-dependent mechanism, allowing the activation of PI3K. The activation of PKA during capacitation depends mainly on cyclic adenosine monophosphate （cAMP） produced by the bicarbonate-dependent soluble adenylyl cyclase. This activation of PKA leads to an increase in actin polymerization, an essential process for the development of hyperactivated motility, which is necessary for successful fertilization. Actin polymerization is mediated by PIP2 in two ways： first, PIP2 acts as a cofactor for phospholipase D （PLD） activation, and second, as a molecule that binds and inhibits actin-severing proteins such as gelsolin. Tyrosine phosphorylation of gelsolin during capacitation by Src family kinase （SFK） is also important for its inactivation. Prior to the AR, gelsolin is released from PIP2 and undergoes dephosphorylation/activation, resulting in fast F-actin depolymerization, leading to the AR.

Insulin and leptin enhance human sperm motility, acrosome reaction and nitric oxide production

Aim： To investigate the in vitro effects of insulin and leptin on human sperm motility, viability, acrosome reaction and nitric oxide （NO） production. Methods： Washed human spermatozoa from normozoospermic donors were treated with insulin （10 μIU） and leptin （10 nmol）. Insulin and leptin effects were blocked by inhibition of their intracellular effector, phosphotidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）, by wortmannin （10 μmol） 30 min prior to insulin and leptin being given. Computer-assisted semen analysis was used to assess motility after 1, 2 and 3 h of incubation. Viability was assessed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting using propidium iodide as a fluorescent probe. Acrosome-reacted cells were observed under a fluorescent microscope using fluorescein-isothiocyanate-Pisum sativum agglutinin as a probe. NO was measured after treating the sperm with 4,5-diaminofluorescein-2/diacetate （DAF-2/DA） and analyzed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Results： Insulin and leptin significantly increased total motility, progressive motility and acrosome reaction, as well as NO production. Conclusion： This study showed the in vitro beneficial effects of insulin and leptin on human sperm function. These hormones could play a role in enhancing the fertilization capacity of human spermatozoa.

The human acrosome reaction

We developed tests of sperm-oocyte interaction:sperm-zona binding,zona-induced acrosome reaction,sperm-zona penetration and sperm-oolemma binding,using oocytes which failed to fertilise in clinical in vitro fertilization(IVF).Although oocyte defects contribute to failure of sperm oocyte interaction,rarely are all oocytes from one wom-an affected.Low or zero fertilization in standard IVFwas usually caused by sperm abnormalities.Poor sperm-zona pel-lucida binding was frequently associated with failure of standard IVF and obvious defects of sperm motility or morpholo-gy.The size and shape of the acrosome is particularly important for sperm binding to the oocyte.The proportion ofacrosome intact sperm in the insemination medium was related to the IVF rote.Inducing the acrosome reaction with acalcium ionophore reduced sperm-zona binding.Blocking acrosome dispersal with an acrosin inhibitor prevented sperm-zona penetration.Sperm-zona penetration was even more highly related to IVF rates than was sperm-zona binding.Some patients had low or zero fertilization rates with standard IVF but normal sperm by conventional tests and normalsperm-zona binding.Few of their sperm underwent the acrosome reaction on the surface of the zona and none penetrat-ed the zona.In contrast,fertilization and pregnancy rates were high with intmcytoplasmic sperm injection.We call thiscondition defective zona pellucida induced acrosome reaction.Discovery of the nature of the abnormalities in the signaltmnsduction and effector pathways of the human zona pellucida induced acrosome reaction should result in simpler testsand treatments for the patients and also provide new leads for contraceptive development.

Ultrastructure and Protein Composition Changes during Acrosome Reaction in the Sperm of Chinese Shrimp, Fenneropenaeus Chinensis

Egg water was used to induce acrosome reaction in mature sperm of Fenneropenaeus chinensis .Transmission electron microscope and SDS PAGE were used to study the ultrastructure and protein changes of the sperm in F.chinensis ,which has undergone acrosome reaction.The results demonstrated that the sperms from female thelycum could be induced acrosome reaction in vitro by egg water,which was a kind of egg jelly released from oocyte into seawater during oocyte activation.More than fifty percent of sperm finished acrosome reaction during the first 30 min, in vitro .The whole event consists of the retraction of the spike and acrosome exocytosis.Spike was retracted and fused to acrosome cap followed by the release of acrosome granules.When the original egg water was diluted 5 and 10 times,The diluted egg water also have the ability to induce sperm acrosome reaction,but the acrosome reaction rate is much lower than that of the original egg water in the same time.Capillary zone electrophoresis was used to detect the biochemical components of egg water.Egg water was composed of two different components,which were also demonstrated by SDS PAGE.The molecular weights of the two kinds of egg jellies are both about 200kDa.Gelatin substrate SDS PAGE results did not show any hydrolytic enzyme activity in egg water.After acrosome reaction,many sorts of proteins in sperm are degraded.When the reacted sperms were examined with gelatin substrate SDS PAGE,there were six major peptide bands with hydrolytic enzyme activity were detected.Their molecular weights are 200kDa,130 kDa,66 kDa,53 kDa,48 kDa and 41 kDa respectively.These hydrolases cannot be detected in the sperms before acrosome reaction.The acrosome reaction of Chinese shrimp, F.chinensis is much different to that of the sperm in the shrimp, Sicyonia ingentis ,which the acrosome reaction was clearly studied.There is not filament formation during the acrosome reaction in Chinese shrimp.The time of exocytosis in the sperm of Chinese shrimp is also much longer than that of the sperm of Sicyonia ingentis .

Acrosome reaction： relevance of zona pellucida glycoproteins

During mammalian fertilisation, the zona pellucida （ZP） matrix surrounding the oocyte is responsible for the binding of the spermatozoa to the oocyte and induction of the acrosome reaction （AR） in the ZP-bound spermatozoon. The AR is crucial for the penetration of the ZP matrix by spermatozoa. The ZP matrix in mice is composed of three glycoproteins designated ZP1, ZP2 and ZP3, whereas in humans, it is composed of four （ZP1, ZP2, ZP3 and ZP4）. ZP3 acts as the putative primary sperm receptor and is responsible for AR induction in mice, whereas in humans （in addition to ZP3）, ZP1 and ZP4 also induce the AR. The ability of ZP3 to induce the AR resides in its C-terminal fragment. O-linked glycans are critical for the murine ZP3-mediated AR. However, N-linked glycans of human ZP1, ZP3 and ZP4 have important roles in the induction of the AR. Studies with pharmacological inhibitors showed that the ZP3-induced AR involves the activation of the Gi-coupled receptor pathway, whereas ZP1- and ZP4-mediated ARs are independent of this pathway. The ZP3-induced AR involves the activation of T-type voltage-operated calcium channels （VOCCs）, whereas ZP1- and ZP4-induced ARs involve both T- and L-type VOCCs. To conclude, in mice, ZP3 is primarily responsible for the binding of capacitated spermatozoa to the ZP matrix and induction of the AR, whereas in humans （in addition to ZP3）, ZP1 and ZP4 also participate in these stages of fertilisation.

F^ole and regulation of EGFR in actin remodeling in sperm ：apacitation and the acrosome reaction

To bind and fertilize the egg, the spermatozoon should undergo few biochemical and motility changes in the female reproductive tract collectively called capacitation. The capacitated spermatozoon binds to the egg zona pellucida, and then undergoes the acmsome reaction （AR）, which allows its penetration into the egg. The mechanisms regulating sperm capacitation and the AR are not completely understood. In the present review, we summarize some data regarding the role and regulation of the epidermal growth factor receptor （EGFR） in these processes. In the capacitation process, the EGFR is partially activated by protein kinase A （PKA）, resulting in phospholipase D （PLD） activation and actin polymerization. Protein kinase C alpha （PKCα）, which is already activated at the beginning of the capacitation, also participates in PLD activation. Further activation of the EGFR at the end of the capacitation enhances intracellular Ca2＋ concentration leading to F-actin breakdown and allows the AR to take place. Under in vivoconditions, the EGFR can be directly activated by its known ligand epidermal growth factor （EGF）, and indirectly by activating PKA or by transactivation mediated by G protein-coupled receptors （GPCRs） activation or by ouabain. Under physiological conditions, sperm PKA is activated mainly by bicarbonate, which activates the soluble adenylyl cyclase to produce cyclic adenosine monophosphate （cAMP）, the activator of PKA. The GPCR activators angiotensin II or Ivsoohosphatidic acid, as well as ouabain and EGF are phvsioloeical comoonents oresent in the female reoroductive tract.

Clinical pregnancies and livebirths achieved by intracytoplasmic injection of round headed acrosomeless spermatozoa with and without oocyte activation in familial globozoospermia： case report

We report the successful outcome of intracytoplasmic sperm injection （ICSI） treatment in two siblings with familial globozoospermia. After controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and oocyte pick-up, retrieved oocytes were mechanically activated before ICSI and a fertilization rate of 33.3% was achieved in the first case. The second couple underwent ICSI without oocyte activation and a 9.1% fertilization rate was obtained. The transfer of two grade I embryos in the first couple and one grade I embryo in the second couple resulted in clinical pregnancies with healthy livebirths. It was concluded that the main problem of cases with globozoospermia is a low fertilization rate, and even though ICSI and oocyte activation can increase this rate it is not necessarily needed to achieve a pregnancy. （Asian J Androl 2008 Mar; 10： 332-336）

NYD-SP27,a novel intrinsic decapacitation factor in sperm

Prior to fertilization sperm has to undergo an activation process known as capaciation,leading to the acrosome reaction.Till now,little is known about the mechanism for preventing premature capacitation in sperm although decapacitation factors from various sources have been thought to be involved.In this study,we report that NYD-SP27,an isoform of phospholipase C Zeta 1(PLCZ1),is localized to the sperm acrosome in mouse and human spermatozoa by immunofluorescence using a specific antibody.Western blot and double staining analyses show NYD-SP27 becomes detached from sperm,as they undergo capacitation and acrosome reaction.The absence of HCO_(3)^(-),a key factor in activating capacitation,from the capacitation-inducing medium prevents the loss of NYD-SP27 from sperm.The anti-NYD-SP27 antibody also prevents the loss of NYD-SP27 from sperm,reduced the number of capacitated sperm,inhibited the acrosome reaction induced by ATP and progesterone,and inhibited agonist-induced PLC-coupled Ca^(2+)mobilization in sperm,which can be mimicked by the PLC inhibitor,U73122.These data strongly suggest that NYD-SP27 is a physiological inhibitor of PLC that acts as an intrinsic decapacitation factor in sperm to prevent premature capacitation and acrosome reaction.

Recombinant human zona pellucida proteins ZP1, ZP2 and ZP3 co-expressed in a human cell line

Aim: To produce biologically active recombinant human (rh) ZP proteins in a human cell for use in sperm function tests. Methods: The human embryonic kidney cell line 293T was employed to produce rhZP1, rhZP2 and rhZP3 proteins individually and together by co-expression. Presence of these proteins in the culture medium and cell lysate was assessed by Western blotting analysis. The effect of the recombinant proteins on the human AR was assessed. Results: RhZP2 and rhZP3 were secreted into the culture medium, whereas rhZPl was found only in the cell lysate. Interestingly, when all zona pellucida proteins were co-expressed in the same cells, rhZPl was also secreted into the culture medium. However, despite the presence of all three ZP proteins in sufficient concentration and evidence of heavy glycosylation on gel electrophoresis, biological activity to induce the AR was not observed. Conclusion: RhZP1, rhZP2 and rhZP3 were successfully expressed in the human embryonic kidney cell line 293T. It appears that an interaction amongst these proteins may be required for release of rhZPl from the cell. Although this approach is not satisfactory for producing active human ZP proteins, it makes a significant contribution to the understanding of the structural and functional characteristics of the ZP proteins.

Sperm quality improvement after date seed oil in Vitro supplementation in spontaneous and induced oxidative stress

In vitro supplementation with date seed oil （DSO） can protect spermatozoa against hydrogen peroxide （HiO2）- mediated damage and can improve sperm function, possibly owing to antioxidant properties. We tested the antioxidant effects of DSO on human sperm motility, sperm viability, reacted acrosome and lipid peroxidation assessed in vitro after H202-mediated oxidative damage in spermatozoa. Sixteen patients （mean age： 35 years; range： 25-45 years） referred to the Histology-Embryology Laboratory of the Medicine Faculty of Sfax for semen analysis after 12-24 months of sexual intercourse without conception were selected. After spermiogram, sperm selection by twointerface discontinuous Sill Select gradient was performed, and selected spermatozoa were used in four experimental assays： control; incubation with 100um H2O2; incubation with 0.1% DSO; and co-incubation with 0.1% DSO and 100 um H2O2. Motility and viability were determined using World Health Organization criteria. Acrosome reaction and lipid peroxidation were assessed by staining with fluorescein isothiocyanate-Pisum sativum and spectrophotometric measurement of malondialdehyde, respectively. Results showed that incubation with H2O2 alone led to a significant increase in lipid peroxidation （57.83%, P 〈 0.05） associated with a significant decrease in sperm motility, sperm viability （after 30 min and 24 h） and percentage of reacted acrosome （P 〈 0.05）. Date seed oil im- proved sperm motility after 24 h of incubation （P 〈 0.05） and protected spermatozoa against the deleterious effects of H2O2 on motility, viability, acrosome reaction and lipid peroxidation. We conclude that supplementation with DSO may have a function in antioxidant protection against male infertility.

Biophysical mechanism-mediated time-dependent effect on sperm of human and monkey vas implanted polyelectrolyte contraceptive

Aim： To determine the short and long-term morphological effects on sperm as induced by intra-vas alteration of pH and electrical charge. Methods： Desired biophysical influences were obtained by injection of reversible inhibition of sperm under guidance （RISUG） into the lumen of the vas deferens of human subjects and the monkey. RISUG is a polyelectrolyte hydrogel complex of styrene maleic anhydride （SMA） and dimethyl sulfoxide （DMSO） which generates an electrostatic charge and also lowers in a near space of pH domain. The morphology of sperm was examined by light microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Human study enabled semen collection by masturbation as early as 3 h after injection and studies extended up to 6 months, in the monkey, on vas excision after RISUG implantation, sperm characteristics were examined in serial sections. Results： Semenology in clinical studies and histological data of the monkey showed a time-sequenced sperm plasma membrane, tail mitochondria and nuclear decondensation alterations in sperm structural components, which beared marked similarity to changes in the sperm head and tail during capacitation and entry into the ovum. Conclusion： The findings provide a means of causing such changes in the sperm that inhibit the fertilizing ability before the nucleus is affected. Therefore achieving non-obstructive vas-based contraception, without genotoxic or teratogenic effects caused by infertile sperm passing into the semen, is feasible.