ENHANCED RECRUITMENT OF MOTILE SPERMATOZOA BY PROSTASOME INCLUSION INSWIM-UP MEDIUM

Prostasomes, which are prostate-derived organelles, were purified from human seminal plasma for inclusion in Earle's balanced salt solution (EBSS) medium with or without human serum albumin. These media were us ed for swim-up experiments and the subsequent analyses of sperm motili ty parameters at different incubation times. The yield of motile sperm atozoa after swim-up in EBSS medium enriched with boiled prostasomes w as increased by 32% compared with EBSS containing albumin. Native pros tasomes were less active. Combinations of albumin and either prostasom es or boiled prostasomes significantly increased the recovery of motil e spermatozoa and also increased the percentage of spermatozoa display ing progressive motility after 1 h of incubation, Media lacking albumi n showed lower values regarding progressive motility after 22 h of inc ubation. A beneficial effect of prostasomes was noted on lateral head displacement and percentage of hyperactive spermatozoa during the firs t 6 h of incubation. These results suggest that inclusion of prostasom es, especially boiled prostasomes, in swim-up media may improve the re covery of hyperactive motile spermatozoa for up to 6 h in cases of est ablished male factor infertility, and consequently increase the opport unities for fertilization.