HUMAN SPERM NADH AND NADPH DIAPHORASE CYTOCHEMISTRY - CORRELATION WITH SPERM MOTILITY

Objectives, We have examined the correlation between the retention of residual sperm cytoplasm and sperm motility in semen from men presenti ng for infertility evaluation. Methods. Semen samples (n = 12) were ob tained from nonazoospermic men presenting for infertility evaluation a t our institution. Samples were fractionated into high-, intermediate- , and low-density subpopulations by Percoll gradients in order to exam ine the correlation between the retention of residual sperm cytoplasm and sperm motility. Residual sperm cytoplasm retention was detected by cytochemical staining of sperm for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH)- or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-depende nt diaphorase activity. Results. The different sperm subpopulations (l ow, intermediate, and high density) had significantly different percen tages of sperm with droplet retention (analysis of variance, P < 0.05) . Using either NADH or NADPH diaphorase staining as a marker of the cy toplasmic space, a significant negative correlation was observed betwe en the percentage of sperm with residual cytoplasmic droplets and the percentage of motile sperm (r = -0.58 and -0.61, respectively, P < 0.0 5). Conclusions. Assessment of residual sperm cytoplasm retention is a simple diagnostic test. Although this test is of unproven value in th e management of infertile men, this and other studies suggest that it may provide useful data on sperm function. (C) 1998, Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.