The limits for detection of activated caspases of spermatozoa by western blot in human semen

Summary Detection of activated caspases of spermatozoa could be helpful to evaluate male infertility. Although western blot is validated as a highly specific method to detect the proteins extracted from cells, the ability of this technique to detect activated sperm caspases in human semen may be limited. Indeed, round cells, which potentially contain some activated caspases, may be present in semen and interfere with the detection of activated sperm caspases. Moreover, it is necessary to evaluate the minimum amount of spermatozoa necessary to optimise the detection of activated caspases in semen samples. Our results showed that interference due to round cells contained in semen with activated caspase-3 requires separation of spermatozoa by density migration. This sperm preparation selects a mature sperm population that does not reflect the whole sperm population, and in infertile men with oligoasthenoteratozoospermia, the amount of spermatozoa thus selected is usually low. Moreover, the western blot technique's low detection sensitivity and the low level of caspase enzyme activity in human spermatozoa for activated caspase-3, -8 and -9 mean that large quantities of spermatozoa are needed to detect the expression of the activated caspases. These limitations prevent this method being used for routine analysis in clinical practice.