Idiopathic Infertility: Effect of Palmitoylethanolamide (a Homologue of Anandamide) on Hyperactivated Sperm Cell Motility and Ca2+ Influx

• Published in: Journal of andrology Vol. 26; no. 3; pp. 429 - 436
• Main Authors: Ambrosini, Annarina, Zolese, Giovanna, Ambrosi, Simona, Bertoli, Enrico, Mantero, Franco, Boscaro, Marco, Balercia, Giancarlo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Am Soc Andrology 01-05-2005; Blackwell Publishing Ltd; American Society of Andrology
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Birth control; Calcium - metabolism; Chelating Agents; Endocannabinoids; Ethanolamines; Fluorescent Dyes; fura 2 AM; Fura-2; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; hyperactivated motility; Infertility, Male - drug therapy; Infertility, Male - physiopathology; Kinematic parameters; Male; Male genital diseases; Medical sciences; Palmitic Acids - pharmacology; Palmitic Acids - therapeutic use; Sperm Capacitation - drug effects; Sperm Motility - drug effects; Spermatozoa - drug effects; Spermatozoa - metabolism; Sterility. Assisted procreation; Spermatozoa; Calcium; Arachidonic acid derivatives; fura 2 AM; Germinal cell; Inorganic element; Male genital system; Sterility; Anandamide; Cell motility; Reproduction; hyperactivated motility; Kinematic parameters
• ISSN: 0196-3635; 1939-4640
• DOI: 10.2164/jandrol.04141

The goal of this study was to examine the effect of palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) on the capacitation process and hyperactivated motility (HA) in idiopathic infertile men. Our data show the effect of PEA on the kinematic parameters of sperm cells from idiopathic infertile men during the capacitation of spermatozoa in vitro, both in the presence and absence of 2.5 nM PEA, a molecule physiologically present in human reproductive tracts. Two groups of sperm cells were identified. In group I (36 ± 14 × 106 cells/mL), PEA significantly increased some motility parameters and HA during capacitation. In group II (58 ± 18 × 106 cells/mL), PEA did not significantly modify motility parameters and HA. Fura 2 AM (acetoxymethyl ester derivative of fura 2) measurements demonstrated that PEA increased external Ca2+ influx (which modulates HA) in group I, while no change was measured in group II. In conclusion, our data indicated that PEA modulated certain physiological sperm functions that are involved in fertilization; in particular, we showed that PEA modulated for HA in men with low sperm kinematic parameters.