A POSITIVE CORRELATION BETWEEN EXPRESSION OF BETA-1-INTEGRIN CELL-ADHESION MOLECULES AND FERTILIZING ABILITY OF HUMAN SPERMATOZOA IN-VITRO

The purpose of this study was to investigate firstly whether pl-integr in cell adhesion molecules are expressed by human spermatozoa, and sec ondly whether there is any relationship between the expression of pl-i ntegrin cell adhesion molecules and the fertilizing ability of human s permatozoa in vitro. A total of 50 semen samples were examined, The sa mples were obtained from the male partners of couples undergoing in-vi tro fertilization (IVF) for either unexplained, tubal or male factor i nfertility. A panel of six monoclonal antibodies against beta 1-integr in cell adhesion molecules and immunohistochemical techniques were use d to identify the presence of these molecules on the spermatozoa, The percentage of spermatozoa showing strong immunolabelling with each mon oclonal antibody was assessed in each sample, The relationship between these results and the aetiology of infertility and incidence of ferti lization was examined. beta 1-integrins, and primarily the ones with a lpha 4-, alpha 5- and alpha 6-chains, were expressed by human spermato zoa, Compared with semen samples from unexplained or male factor infer tility patients, samples from tubal infertility patients had a signifi cantly higher (P < 0.05) percentage of spermatozoa expressing adhesion molecules, There was a positive correlation between the expression of alpha 4, alpha 5 and alpha 6 adhesion molecules and the fertilizing a bility of spermatozoa. The positive correlation between the presence o f certain beta 1-integrin cell adhesion molecules and the fertilizing ability of human spermatozoa suggests that integrins may be putative d eterminants in egg-sperm recognition and interaction.