Significance of Adenosinetriphosphate in Human Sperm as Clinical Parameter

Abstract

Washed human spermatozoa from 21 individuals with an average motility of 60% (quality index 277 ± 16) had an endogenous ATP generation of 7.5 ± 3.4 nmole/10⁸spermatozoa. The ATP concentrations in spermatozoa from 16 patients with severely impaired motility of 26% (quality index 98 ± 13) was 16.9 ± 9.9 nmole/10⁸spermatozoa. There was no correlation between ATP content and motility in either group. Sperm penetration into blood serum type AB, Rh-positive, was evaluated using a capillary tube penetration test. The penetration was graded with a maximum score of 14. Spermatozoa with an initial motility of 60% reached a score of 10 ± 0.7. After addition of 20 mmole of ATP the score was significantly improved to 13 ± 0.3. Compared with these results spermatozoa with an average motility of 26% reached a score of 4 ± 1. Exogenous ATP (20 mmole) increased the score to 8 ± 1.0. In both groups reduced glutathione had a negative effect.

Human spermatozoa with high and low motility are capable to synthesize ATP. A dysfunction of the phosphorylating particles in the mitochondria appears not to be associated with low sperm motility.

Key Words:

• Human spermatozoa
• ATP concentration
• Motility.