Nifedipine modifies plasma membrane functional integrity and inhibits osmosensitive calcium influx in human sperm
Liu, X.-j.; Xu, J.-x.; Li, H.-c.; Mi, Z.-g.; Xu, N.; Wang, H.-y.
Zhonghua Nan Ke Xue 13(5): 428-430
2007
ISSN/ISBN: 1009-3591 PMID: 17569260 Document Number: 611947
To investigate the effect of nifedipine of therapeutic dosage on the plasma membrane functional integrity and osmosensitive calcium influx in human sperm in vitro. Sperm samples were aseptically obtained from 10 healthy fertile men by masturbation and prepared by swim-up technique to produce a spermatozoal solution of high motility. The solution was then incubated with nifedipine of 20, 100 and 20 x 10(3) ng/ml respectively at 37 degrees C in vitro. The hypo-osmotic swelling (HOS) test was done to assess the sperm function. Intracellular calcium concentration was measured by fluorescent probe fura-2/AM before and after sperm medium dilution in distilled water. The 20 x 103 ng/ml group showed significantly lower HOS scores than the control (P < 0.01). The 20, 100 and 20 x 10(3) ng/ml groups all showed significantly lower Ca2+ fluorescence D-value than the control (P < 0.01). Nifedipine can modify plasma membrane functional integrity and inhibit osmosensitive calcium influx in human sperm and affect male fertility in vitro in therapeutic dose.