The role of sperm creatine kinase in the assessment of male fertility

Semen analysis at the turn of the century: an evaluation of potential uses of new sperm function assays

Semen analysis is a critical assay in the evaluation of infertility and may yield critical information regarding the etiology and prognosis of many types of reduced male fertility. However, basic semen analysis does not directly measure sperm fertilizing capacity, or many of the biochemical events both prior to and subsequent to fertilization. In the last two decades numerous assays of sperm function have been developed. These assays can be classified as: 1) Assays of general biochemistry and ultrastructure, 2) Assays of zona binding and oocyte penetration, and 3) Assays of postpenetration events. Sperm function assays not only allow an accurate diagnosis of many infertilities not diagnosed by the semen analysis, but can also lead to improved treatment modalities. In this review, basic semen analysis and many sperm function assays are briefly reviewed. Novel uses of sperm function are demonstrated in brief case studies.

Creatine kinase activity in human spermatozoa and seminal plasma lacks predictive value for male fertility in in vitro fertilization

OBJECTIVE

To examine the predictive value of creatine kinase in human spermatozoa and seminal plasma from patients treated in an IVF program.

DESIGN

Prospective, blind clinical study.

SETTING

Male infertility clinic.

PATIENT(S)

Seventy-three patients and 32 fathers (age, <45 years).

INTERVENTION(S)

Determination of creatine kinase activity in seminal plasma, washed spermatozoa, and swim-up purified spermatozoa from patients treated in an IVF program.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Creatine kinase activity in seminal plasma, washed spermatozoa, and swim-up purified spermatozoa.

RESULT(S)

Creatine kinase activity in washed spermatozoa correlated significantly with normal sperm morphology. No significant correlations were found between creatine kinase activity or creatine kinase isoenzyme ratio in seminal plasma, washed spermatozoa, or swim-up purified spermatozoa and success in the IVF program. The percentage of spermatozoa with normal morphology was significantly lower in patients whose sperm did not fertilize than in patients whose sperm did fertilize oocytes and in the control group of proven fathers.

CONCLUSION(S)

Total creatine kinase activity and creatine kinase isoenzyme distribution are not sperm function markers for prediction of male fertility in IVF treatment.