Effects of Chemical Components and Enzyme Activities in Seminal Plasma on Sperm Motility

Kim, Young Sun; Lee, Hee Yong

Abstract

A total of 189 male subjects with normal and abnormal semen quality were divided into seven groups according to WHO semen analysis criteria : Group I was composed of 62 subjects with normal semen parameters. They were subdivided into 4 sub-groups based on the sperm motility, such as subgroups I-1 with sperm motility between 41-50%, I -2 with motility between 51-60%, I -3 with motility 61-70%, and I-4 with motility over 71%. Group II was composed of 29 subjects with oligozoospermia of less than 20 X 106/ml of sperm density. Group III was composed of 9 subjects with asthenozoospermia of less than 40% of sperm motility. Group IV was composed of 13 subjects with teratozoospermia of more than 40% of abnormal morphology. Group V was composed of 31 subjects with testicular secretory azoospermia. Group VI was composed of 39 subjects with post-testicular obstructive azoospermia. Group VII was composed of 6 subjects with successful vasovasostomy and epididymovasostomy without pregnancy. Seminal plasma was separated from spermatozoa by centrifugation of fresh semen. The contents of protein and fructose and enzyme activities of hyaluronidase, a-amylase, b-glucuronidase, arylsulfatase, azocoll proteinase and acrosin were measured in each seminal plasma of the study groups. Enzyme activities and fructose content were compared based on their sperm motility and abnormalities of spermatozoa. The protein contents of seminal plasma of each group were nearly same. The fructose contents of both sub-group I-4 and group III were found to be very low compared with normal sperm group. Hyaluronidase originated from sperm acrosome and other accessory sex glands. It is related to increasing sperm motility by lowering seminal viscosity. The hyaluronidase activities of the sub-group I -4 and Group VII showed less than those of other groups. Alpha-amylase which cleaved long chain of carbohydrate was measured in each seminal plasma of the study groups. It did not affect lowering the viscosity of seminal plasma and sperm motility. Beta-glucuronidase originated from sperm acrosome and other accessory sex glands. It is related to increasing sperm motility by lowering seminal viscosity. The activity of b-glucuronidase was lowest in the sub-group I -4 and highest in the sub-group I-2 and Group III. Arylsulfatase activity was nearly same in all study groups. Azocoll proteinase activities, a non-specific neutral proteolytic enzyme, were negligible throughout the groups investigated in this study. This may indicate that lowering the viscosity of seminal plasma did not related to the proteolytic process. Acrosin was not contained in the seminal plasma. Disintegration of mucopolysaccharide is somewhat known to influence lowering. the viscosity in the seminal plasma. These findings suggest that sperm motility is affected by the enzyme activities and viscosity in the seminal plasma.