The effects of Vero (green monkey kidney) cell coculture on the motility patterns of cryopreserved human spermatozoa.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effects of Vero (a primate, urogenital epithelium-derived cell line) cell monolayer coculture on cryopreserved human sperm function in vitro.

DESIGN

Prospective, controlled investigation in which cryopreserved semen specimens were thawed, processed, and then simultaneously exposed to control media (Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium with either 10% heat-inactivated fetal bovine serum [FBS] or 10% heat-inactivated pooled human sera [PHS]) or the same media with the addition of confluent Vero cell monolayers. A second series of investigations was also performed to study the effect of Vero cell conditioned media (CM).

SETTING

In vitro fertilization/andrology service of tertiary center.

PATIENTS

Donors with normal semen parameters.

INTERVENTIONS

Coculture of human spermatozoa with Vero cell monolayers or Vero cell CM.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

General and hyperactivated (HA) motility patterns, multifactor, repeated measures ANOVA.

RESULTS

General sperm motility parameters, including percentage motility, mean velocity, and mean amplitude of lateral head displacement were significantly greater than controls in the Vero cell monolayer-FBS group at 6 hours and in both the Vero cell monolayer-FBS and Vero cell monolayer-PHS groups by 24 hours. Hyperactivated motility was increased after 3 hours in the Vero cell monolayer-FBS coculture group. A significant decrease in the total sperm concentration over the time course of the study in the Vero cell monolayer, but not the control or Vero CM groups, was also noted. Vero CM did not exert significant effects on any sperm motility parameter, in spite of a sample size sufficient to detect relevant increases with a power of 0.80.

CONCLUSIONS

Vero cell monolayers have a positive influence on cryopreserved sperm function as assessed by general and HA motility patterns. Epithelial cell to spermatozoon contact seems to be important in this process.