[Effect of low dose gossypol treatment on male sperm nuclear basic protein].

OBJECTIVE

Study on human sperm nuclear basic proteins after low dose of gossypol treatment.

METHODS

Twenty-three men with normal fertility were divided into two groups. The experimental group included 15 men which were treated daily with gossypol (15 mg/d for 12 weeks and treated with 10 mg/d for 32 weeks continuously), 8 men were used in the control group. Semen was collected at 1, 4, 8, 12, 16, 24, 36 and 44 weeks after gossypol treatment and 10 weeks after stopping treatment. Total nuclear basic protein (TNBP) was extracted and TH/TP, HP1/(HP2+HP3) ratios were determined by scanning microdensitometry following electrophoresis of TNBP in polyacrylamide gels.

RESULTS

The TH/TP ratio of control and the gossypol treated group were 0.17 +/- 0.07 and 0.63 +/- 0.79(P < 0.05); The HP1/(HP2+HP3) ratio of control and gossypol treated group were 1.05 +/- 0.21 and 1.47 +/- 0.18 (P < 0.01). These two parameters were returned to normal after 10 weeks of stopping gossypol treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

The interruption of histone-to-protamine replacement reaction (HPRR) and alteration of nuclear basic proteins induced by low dose gossypol treatment might lead to infertility. Changes of HPRR and nuclear basic protein were reversible after stopping gossypol treatment.