Human Reproduction, Vol 13, 911-915, Copyright © 1998 by Oxford University Press
AE Calogero, S Fishel, J Hall, E Ferrara, E Vicari, S Green, A Hunter, N Burrello, S Thornton and R D'Agata
Various compounds have been used in the attempt to improve sperm motility,
including pentoxifylline (PF), a methylxanthine derivative. It has been
postulated that PF, being a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, increases sperm
kinematic parameters and the number of spermatozoa exhibiting
hyperactivated motility by raising the intracellular content of cAMP, a
molecule involved in the generation of sperm energy. However, it has not
been clarified whether the biological effects of PF on sperm motility
correlate with its ability to increase intracellular cAMP levels. To
examine this relationship, the kinematic parameters, hyperactivation, and
intracellular cAMP content were evaluated in motile spermatozoa, obtained
by discontinuous Percoll gradient and swim- up from 21 normozoospermic
semen samples, incubated without and with PF for 0, 1, 2, and 4 h. PF
increased beat cross frequency after 1 and 2 h of incubation, curvilinear
velocity and lateral head displacement (ALH) after 4 h, and hyperactivation
after 1, 2, and 4 h, and decreased linearity (LIN) after 1 h of incubation.
The intracellular cAMP content of spermatozoa incubated with PF increased
at all time-points examined. Both intracellular cAMP content and increase
in hyperactivation in response to PF decreased with the length of
incubation. In the absence of PF, cAMP content was unchanged and was
correlated significantly only with ALH and the percentage of spermatozoa
with hyperactivated motility. Following incubation with PF, cAMP content
correlated with hyperactivation and all sperm kinematic parameters, with
the exception of LIN and straightness. These findings suggest that the
beneficial effects of PF on sperm kinematic parameters and hyperactivation
are related to its ability to increase intracellular cAMP content.
ARTICLES
Correlation between intracellular cAMP content, kinematic parameters and hyperactivation of human spermatozoa after incubation with pentoxifylline
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Catania Medical School, Italy.
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