The effect of 12-myristate 13-acetate phorbol ester on human sperm hyperactivation
Objective:
To determine whether 12-myristate 13-acetate phorbol ester (PMA) can increase hyperactivated motility of human sperm.
Design:
A controlled pharmacological study using computer-assisted semen analysis.
Setting:
Andrology laboratory in a medical research institution.
Patient(S):
Normal semen was obtained from 48 men.
Intervention(S):
Washed sperm were exposed to different concentrations of PMA alone or with P and pentoxifylline (PTX) for up to 2 hours and sperm motility measured by a computer-assisted semen analyzer.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
The percentage of sperm with hyperactivated motility was determined from the motility parameters: curvilinear velocity, linearity, and maximum amplitude of lateral head displacement.
Result(S):
Phorbol ester PMA increased hyperactivated motility in a dose- and time-dependent manner. At 1 hour, the average increases in hyperactivated motility were as follows: 2 microM, 4.8% +/- 1.5%; 6 microM, 9.6% +/- 1.5%; and 20 microM, 11.3% +/- 2.2%. The PMA effect was not altered when P or PTX were added although each separately had a positive effect on hyperactivation.
Conclusion(S):
Phorbol ester PMA stimulates human sperm hyperactivated motility, indicating the involvement of protein kinase C in the signal transduction pathway.
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