Distribution of cyclic AMP in human seminal plasma and its relation to sperm progressive motility.

Organelles and amorphous substance (pellet II) isolated from human seminal plasma contained 3'5' AMP (cyclic AMP, cAMP) in manifold smaller amounts than did the particle-free seminal plasma. The amount of cAMP associated with pellet II did not differ significantly between normospermic and oligozoospermic or teratozoospermic ejaculates. In analyses of split ejaculate fractions, the distribution of cAMP coincided with that of fructose and protein (but not with the Mg2+- and Ca2+-dependent ATPase activity or with zinc), indicating secretion of cAMP by the seminal vesicles. The distribution profiles of cAMP in the various ejaculate fractions were similar for particle-free seminal plasma and for pellet II material. The cAMP contents of the fractions were compared with sperm motility in the same fractions. An inverse relationship was found, with the first three fractions displaying higher sperm motility and the last three fractions higher cAMP content.