Platelet-activating factor in sperm from fertile and subfertile men * †

Study Objective To examine the proposed role of platelet-activating factor (PAF) as a mediator of sperm function first by quantitating the concentration of PAF in sperm and second by incubating sperm with PAF and assessing the change in sperm motion parameters with a computerized motion analysis system. Design Retrospective, case-control study. Setting University hospital urology clinic. Patients Concentrations of PAF were measured in sperm from 6 randomly chosen normal donors and 8 asthenozoospermic patients. The change in sperm motion parameters was assessed in sperm from 10 randomly chosen normal donors and 7 asthenozoospermic patients. Results Platelet-activating factor concentrations were significantly higher ( P 6 sperm) than in sperm from normal donors (91.9±13.0 fmol/10 6 sperm). Exogenous PAF did not enhance the percent motility of precapacitated or capacitated sperm from either patients or donors, and computerized semen analysis revealed no enhancement of sperm motion parameters in asthenozoospermic patients after addition of PAF to either precapacitated or capacitated sperm. Conclusion Platelet-activating factor does not appear to have therapeutic value as a means of enhancing sperm motility.