Significance of adenosinetriphosphate in human sperm as clinical parameter

Washed human spermatozoa from 21 individuals with an average motility of 60% (quality index 277 +/- 16) had an endogenous ATP generation of 7.5 +/- 3.4 nmole/10(8) spermatozoa. The ATP concentrations in spermatozoa from 16 patients with severely impaired motility of 26% (quality index 98 +/- 13) was 16.9 +/- 9.9 nmole/10(8) spermatozoa. There was no correlation between ATP content and motility in either group. Sperm penetration into blood serum type AB, Rh-positive, was evaluated using a capillary tube penetration test. The penetration was graded with a maximum score of 14. Spermatozoa with an initial motility of 60% reached a score of 10 +/- 0.7. After addition of 20 mmole of ATP the score was significantly improved to 13 +/- 0.3. Compared with these results spermatozoa with an average motility of 26% reached a score of 4 +/- 1. Exogenous ATP (20 mmole) increased the score to 8 +/- 1.0. In both groups reduced glutathione had a negative effect. Human spermatozoa with high and low motility are capable to synthesize ATP. A dysfunction of the phosphorylating particles in the mitochondria appears not to be associated with low sperm motility.