Influence of regulatory peptides on the mobility of human sperm cells in vitro

Number of infertile marriages has increased in the world in the last decades, largely associated with a male factor due to a decline in parameters of fertility of the ejaculate, mostly in the form of asthenoteratozoospermia. Actual problem of modern andrology and human reproduction is the search for agents that can increase sperm motility and to increase their stability to action of damaging factors of different nature. An important problem for andrology and human reproduction remains the preservation of fertility parameters, particularly motility and viability of sperm. The aim of the undertaken study was to evaluate the influence of some regulatory oligopeptides on human sperm motility. Material for the study was the ejaculate of men with pathospermia in the form of asthenozoospermia. Experiments with peptides were performed at room temperature. The concentration of regulatory peptides in all the examples was 1000 pg/ml of the ejaculate. In the application of semax peptide we have used 2 concentrations: 10 and 1000 pg pro ml of the ejaculate. The semax peptide after 1 hour of incubation led to a significant increase in active sperm motility (3-5 times) and to lesser extent in overall mobility. This effect was dose-dependent. The effect of peptide drug selank was less pronounced, no more than increase up to 30 - 43%. The effects of the other investigated peptides on sperm motility were graded as short-term: increase in sperm motility observed during the first 30 minutes. After 1 and 3 hours of incubation sperm motility was close to the control level. The mechanism of the action remains unclear, however, the results show the promise of using the peptides in andrology and reproductive practices, in the clinics utilizing assisted reproductive technologies.