THE EFFECTS OF IN-VITRO COCAINE EXPOSURE ON HUMAN SPERM MOTILITY, INTRACELLULAR CALCIUM, AND OOCYTE PENETRATION

Objective: To determine if cocaine exposure affects human sperm motili ty, intracellular calcium level, and fertilizing capability. Design an d Methods: Human semen samples were treated with 1 to 1,000 mu M cocai ne hydrochloride for up to 2 hours in vitro. Sperm motion kinematics w ere measured by computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA). Spermatozoan intracellular calcium was determined by laser cytometry. The sperm fer tilizing capability was assessed using the zona-free hamster oocyte pe netration test. Results: After a short exposure (15 minutes) to cocain e, the sperm motion kinematic parameters, straight line velocity and l inearity, were decreased in the high concentration groups. However, af ter a longer exposure (2 hours) to cocaine, the differences were no lo nger significant. Cocaine treatment did not alter spermatozoa intracel lular calcium levels. Most importantly, human sperm treated with cocai ne at a high concentration were fully capable of penetrating zona-free hamster oocytes. Conclusion: Human spermatozoa acutely exposed to hig h concentrations of cocaine initially demonstrate a decrease in two mo tion kinematics, straight line velocity and linearity. However, overal l, cocaine exposure had no significant effects on sperm motility and f ertilizing capability.