INDUCED ACROSOME REACTIONS AS FERTILITY PREDICTOR

Purpose: This study was conducted to determine the fertility predictiv e value of acrosome reaction rates and indices (induced minus control) of human spermatozoa. By comparing these outcomes with in vitro ferti lization success. The effect of oocyte-cumulus complex exposure on the induction of the acrosome reaction was also analyzed. Patients attend ing our assisted reproduction unit for infertility treatment were incl uded in the study. Acrosome reactions were determined on ethanol-perme abilized smears using FITC-conjugated Pisum sativum agglutinin. The ac rosome reaction inducing agent used was calcium ionophore A23187 (10 m u M/ml). Results: Poor correlations were found between all the acrosom e reaction rates and indices and in vitro fertilization. The presence of oocyte-cumulus complexes had no effect on the spontaneous acrosome reactions, but had a significant effect on the inducibility of the acr osome reaction. Exposure to oocyte-cumulus complexes resulted in the m ean percentage sperm induced to be 7.8% (SE = 3.1%) higher compared to the control samples. Conclusions: Acrosome reaction rates and indices were therefore found to have no significant value in the prediction o f male fertility and/or in vitro fertilization success. This study did , however, show that exposure to oocyte-cumulus complexes significantl y increases the inducible sperm population.