Dataset Information

High-Frequency Ultrasound Boosts Bull and Human Sperm Motility.

ABSTRACT: Sperm motility is a significant predictor of male fertility potential and is directly linked to fertilization success in both natural and some forms of assisted reproduction. Sperm motility can be impaired by both genetic and environmental factors, with asthenozoospermia being a common clinical presentation. Moreover, in the setting of assisted reproductive technology clinics, there is a distinct absence of effective and noninvasive technology to increase sperm motility without detriment to the sperm cells. Here, a new method is presented to boost sperm motility by increasing the intracellular rate of metabolic activity using high frequency ultrasound. An increase of 34% in curvilinear velocity (VCL), 10% in linearity, and 32% in the number of motile sperm cells is shown by rendering immotile sperm motile, after just 20 s exposure. A similar effect with an increase of 15% in VCL treating human sperm with the same setting is also identified. This cell level mechanotherapy approach causes no significant change in cell viability or DNA fragmentation index, and, as such, has the potential to be applied to encourage natural fertilization or less invasive treatment choices such as in vitro fertilization rather than intracytoplasmic injection.

SUBMITTER: Gai J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9008414 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

High-Frequency Ultrasound Boosts Bull and Human Sperm Motility.

Gai Junyang J Dervisevic Esma E Devendran Citsabehsan C Cadarso Victor J VJ O'Bryan Moira K MK Nosrati Reza R Neild Adrian A

Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) 20220209 11

Sperm motility is a significant predictor of male fertility potential and is directly linked to fertilization success in both natural and some forms of assisted reproduction. Sperm motility can be impaired by both genetic and environmental factors, with asthenozoospermia being a common clinical presentation. Moreover, in the setting of assisted reproductive technology clinics, there is a distinct absence of effective and noninvasive technology to increase sperm motility without detriment to the ...[more]

PMID: 35419997

Similar Datasets

Project description:Study questionCan a high-throughput screening (HTS) platform facilitate male fertility drug discovery?Summary answerAn HTS platform identified a large number of compounds that enhanced sperm motility.What is known alreadySeveral efforts to find small molecules modulating sperm function have been performed but none have used high-throughput technology.Study design, size, durationHealthy donor semen samples were used and samples were pooled (3-5 donors per pool). Primary screening was performed singly; dose-response screening was performed in duplicate (using independent donor pools).Participants/materials, setting, methodsSpermatozoa isolated from healthy donors were prepared by density gradient centrifugation and incubated in 384-well plates with compounds (6.25 μM) to identify those compounds with enhancing effects on motility. Approximately 17 000 compounds from the libraries, ReFRAME, Prestwick, Tocris, LOPAC, CLOUD and MMV Pathogen Box, were screened. Dose-response experiments of screening hits were performed to confirm the enhancing effect on sperm motility. Experiments were performed in a university setting.Main results and the role of chanceFrom our primary single concentration screening, 105 compounds elicited an enhancing effect on sperm motility compared to dimethylsulphoxide-treated wells. Confirmed enhancing compounds were grouped based on their annotated targets/target classes. A major target class, phosphodiesterase inhibitors, were identified, in particular PDE10A inhibitors as well as number of compounds not previously known to enhance human sperm motility, such as those related to GABA signalling.Large scale dataN/A.Limitations, reasons for cautionAlthough this approach provides data about the activity of the compound, it is only a starting point. For example, further substantive experiments are necessary to provide a more comprehensive picture of each compound's activity, the effect on the kinetics of the cell populations and subpopulations, and their potential mechanisms of action. Compounds have been tested with prepared donor spermatozoa, incubated under non-capacitating conditions, and only incubated with compounds for a relatively short period of time. Therefore, the effect of compounds under different conditions, for example in whole semen, for longer incubation times, or using samples from patient groups, may be different and require further study. All experiments were performed in vitro.Wider implications of the findingsThis phenotypic screening assay identified a large number of compounds that increased sperm motility. In addition to furthering our understanding of human sperm function, for example identifying new avenues for discovery, we highlight potential compounds as promising start-point for a medicinal chemistry programme for potential enhancement of male fertility. Moreover, with disclosure of the results of screening, we present a substantial resource to inform further work in the field.Study funding/competing interest(s)This study was supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Scottish Funding Council and Scottish Universities Life Science Alliance. C.L.R.B. is Editor for RBMO. C.L.R.B. receives funding from Chief Scientists Office (Scotland), ESHRE and Genus PLC, consulting fees from Exscientia and lecture fees from Cooper Surgical and Ferring. S.M.d.S. is an Associate Editor of Human Reproduction, and an Associate Editor of Reproduction and Fertility. S.M.d.S. receives funding from Cooper Surgical and British Dietetic Society. No other authors declared a COI.

Dataset Information

High-Frequency Ultrasound Boosts Bull and Human Sperm Motility.

Publications

High-Frequency Ultrasound Boosts Bull and Human Sperm Motility.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets