Mitochondrial Respiratory Efficiency is Positively Correlated With Human Sperm Motility

OBJECTIVE To correlate sperm mitochondrial respiratory efficiency with variations in sperm motility and with sperm morphologic anomalies. METHODS Sperm mitochondrial respiratory activity was evaluated with a polarographic assay of oxygen consumption carried out in hypotonically-treated sperm cells. A possible relationship among sperm mitochondrial respiratory efficiency, sperm motility, and morphologic anomalies was investigated. RESULTS Mitochondrial respiratory efficiency was positively correlated with sperm motility and negatively correlated with the percentage of immotile spermatozoa. Moreover, midpiece defects impaired mitochondrial functionality. CONCLUSION Our data indicate that an increase in sperm motility requires a parallel increase in mitochondrial respiratory capacity, thereby supporting the fundamental role played by mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in sperm motility of normozoospermic subjects. These results are of physiopathological relevance because they suggest that disturbances of sperm mitochondrial function and of energy production could be responsible for asthenozoospermia. UROLOGY 79: 809-814, 2012. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc.