Center for Assisted Reproduction, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Department of Biostatistics, Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
J Assist Reprod Genet. 2021 Jun;38(6):1523-1537. doi: 10.1007/s10815-021-02160-x. Epub 2021 Mar 26.
The aim of this study was to examine the ability and safety of papaverine supplementation for in vitro sperm motility enhancement. In addition, sperm motility enhancement of papaverine was compared to pentoxifylline and theophylline. The post-thaw spermatozoa were used as an asthenozoospermia model.
Post thaw sperm suspensions were divided into two groups: papaverine (100 μmol/L) and control, and each was investigated in two subgroups of 30- and 60-min exposure times. Detailed motility parameters were detected using a computerized sperm motility analyzer. Acrosomal status, viability, apoptosis, and DNA fragmentation were evaluated by flow cytometry. Furthermore, the motility-enhancing capacity of papaverine, pentoxifylline, and theophylline was compared.
Cryopreservation impaired sperm parameters dramatically but no significant changes occurred in acrosomal status and apoptosis. Supplementation of papaverine enhanced motility parameters consistently at all exposure intervals, significantly. However, viability was lower at the 60th minute compared to the 30th minute (p=0.019). Papaverine did not alter any acrosomal or apoptotic markers at any time points. All of the compounds compared in this study increased the motility parameters, where theophylline supplementation provided significantly better improvement in total motility compared to papaverine and pentoxifylline.
Our results suggest that in vitro papaverine treatment for 30 min adequately improves motility of post-thaw sperm, without leading to acrosome reaction, DNA damage, and viability loss. Theophylline's potency on increasing the ratio of total motile spermatozoa was found significantly superior than the two tested compounds. Prospective clinical studies with embryo production, pregnancy, and live birth data should be undertaken.
本研究旨在探讨罂粟碱在体外增强精子活力中的作用和安全性。此外，还比较了罂粟碱、己酮可可碱和茶碱对精子活力的增强作用。使用解冻后的精子作为弱精子症模型。
将解冻后的精子悬液分为两组：罂粟碱（100μmol/L）和对照组，每组分别在 30 分钟和 60 分钟的暴露时间下分为两个亚组。使用计算机精子运动分析仪检测详细的运动参数。通过流式细胞术评估顶体状态、活力、凋亡和 DNA 碎片化。此外，还比较了罂粟碱、己酮可可碱和茶碱的增强运动能力。
冷冻保存显著损害精子参数，但顶体状态和凋亡没有明显变化。罂粟碱的补充一致地增强了所有暴露间隔的运动参数，效果显著。然而，与 30 分钟相比，60 分钟时活力降低（p=0.019）。罂粟碱在任何时间点都不会改变任何顶体或凋亡标记物。本研究比较的所有化合物都能提高运动参数，其中茶碱补充在总活力方面的改善明显优于罂粟碱和己酮可可碱。
我们的结果表明，体外 30 分钟罂粟碱处理可充分改善解冻后精子的活力，而不会导致顶体反应、DNA 损伤和活力丧失。与两种测试化合物相比，发现茶碱在增加总运动精子比例方面的作用明显更强。应进行前瞻性的临床研究，以获得胚胎产生、妊娠和活产的数据。
