Trichomonas vaginalis: preliminary characterization of a sperm motility inhibiting factor

This study determined the effects of Trichomonas vaginalis trophozoites, subcellular fractions, and medium from axenic T. vaginalis cultures on human sperm motility and viability. Spent medium (pH 7.0) caused complete cessation of sperm motility after 15 minutes incubation. Trophozoite soluble fraction or formalin-killed trophozoites caused a 50 percent reduction in sperm motility, compared to 25 percent reduction caused by the trophozoite particulate fraction or the sterile medium and three percent by saline (control). Spent medium from T. vaginalis cultures reaching stationary growth phase produced the greatest reduction in sperm motility, suggesting that potency was related to time in culture and trophozoites per ml. The T. vaginalis spermicidal activity was heat-stable, trypsin-sensitive, and had a molecular weight of 12-15,000 by gel filtration. This proteinaceous substance was present in and secreted by T. vaginalis trophozoites during normal growth in axenic culture. Since this T. vaginalis byproduct rapidly killed sperm in vitro, its effects in humans may contribute to infertility in infected couples.