Determination of sperm acrosin activity for evaluation of male fertility

Aim: To investigate a simple method for assaying acrosin activity for the e valuation of male fertility. Methods: The acrosin activity of 7.5 x 10(6) s perm. without seminal plasma and acrosin activity inhibitors was assayed us ing N-alpha -benzoyl-DL-arginine-p-nicroanilide (BAPNA) and detergent (Trit on X-100) as substrate. Results: The acrosin activity of 60 normal fertile men (35 +/- 10 mu IU/10(6) sperm) was higher than that of 168 infertile men (16 +/- 8 mu IU/10(6) sperm) (P <0.01). It was indicated that there was a significant positive correlation between the acrosin activity and the sperm motility (r<greater than or equal to>0.6534, P < 0.01) and a significant n egative correlation between the sperm malformed rate and the WBC number ( r <less than or equal to> -0.5426, P < 0.01). The temperature and time of in cubation and the sperm concentration could influence the assay results. Con clusion: Acrosin activity is an important index for the evaluation of male fertility. The approach developed by the authors is a simple method for the determination of acrosin activity.