EFFECTS OF PENTOXIFYLLINE ON SPERM MOTILITY AND HYPERACTIVATION IN NORMOZOOSPERMIC AND NORMOKINETIC SEMEN

Objective: To determine the effects of in vitro incubation with pentox ifylline on sperm motion characteristics of spermatozoa from normozoos permic, normokinetic specimens. Design: Prospective, controlled experi ment. Setting: Andrology laboratory, university-based fertility center . Participants: Healthy, untreated male partners of couples attending the fertility center. Intervention: Each specimen was washed, pelleted by centrifugation, then resuspended in human tubal fluid medium (HTF) . Two portions were incubated at 37-degrees-C, one with pentoxifylline (final concentration = 1 mg/mL = 3.6 mM) and the other without pentox ifylline (control). After 1 hour, the pentoxifylline-treated portion w as divided: one half was washed to remove pentoxifylline, then further incubated in HTF; the other half remained incubated in HTF with pento xifylline. Main Outcome Measures: Motility, hyperactivation, amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH), curvilinear velocity (VCL), strai ght line velocity (VSL), linearity (LIN), beat-cross frequency. Result s: Incubation with pentoxifylline did not increase motility, VSL, LIN, or beat-cross frequency but did significantly increase HA, VCL, and A LH at 1, 2, and 4 hours, compared with control. Incubation in control medium without pentoxifylline did not significantly increase any of th e parameters measured. After 24 hours of incubation with or without pe ntoxifylline, all parameters measured were significantly decreased, wi th the exception of LIN. Conclusions: Pentoxifylline does not increase percentage motility of washed spermatozoa in capacitation medium. Enh ancement of sperm HA by pentoxifylline in capacitation medium occurs w ith normozoospermic, normokinetic semen specimens. This effect persist s for up to 4 hours when pentoxifylline is removed from the medium aft er 1 hour of incubation.