Prostaglandins and cyclic-AMP in human semen

Abstract

Normospermic, oligospermic and azoospermic semen samples were analysed for prostaglandins of the E groups and for cyclic AMP. The whole procedure was rapidly performed in a nitrogen atmosphere. Higher levels of total PGEs (PGEs+19-hydroxy PGEs) were found in normospermic (135.6 micrograms/ml) than in either oligospermic or azoospermic semen. The average level of cyclic AMP in normospermic semen (32.0 nmole/ml) did not differ significantly from the test groups, but very low levels were found only in oligo and azoospermic semen. The correlation coefficient between cyclic AMP and total-PGE concentrations was +0.36. The correlation coefficient between cyclic AMP level and percentage of motile sperm cells was +0.56 (p less than 0.0005). Patients who were treated for two months with a daily dose of 50mg clomiphene citrate exhibited significant elevation of cyclic AMP in their seminal fluid. This finding suggests that cyclic AMP is important for sperm motility and that the clomiphene effect on human semen may be mediated by cyclic AMP.