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Short Report

ScienceAsia 17 (1991): 071-076 |doi: 10.2306/scienceasia1513-1874.1991.17.071

 

THE EFFECT OF POLYMORPHONUCLEAR LEUKOCYTES ON HUMAN SPERM

 

SOPIT WONGKHAMa, NONGNUJ TANPHAICHITRb, AND DEBORAH J. ANDERSONc

ABSTRACT: Previous work from our laboratory has shown that secretory products of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) decreased sperm motility and caused sperm aggregation in the mouse. In this study we report the same effect of PMN secretory products, superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, on sperm aggregation. The aggregation can be abolished in the presence of seminal plasma but not in the presence of vaginal lavage. Aggregation of sperm can reduce the number of free sperm in the medium which in tum reduces the probability of fertilization. Therefore, sperm aggregation caused by oxygen radicals produced by PMNs can be implicated as a possible cause of infertility in men or women who have gential tract inflammation and high levels of PMNs in their reproductive tissues.

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a Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medidne, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
b Reproductive Biology Unit, Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Ottawa Civic Hospital, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
c Fearing Research Laboratory, Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology and Reproductive Biology Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

Received 20 March 1991