Avicenna J Med Biochem. 2013;1(1):41-45.
Research Article
Variation of cholesterol, phospholipid and triacylglycerol content in subsets of human spermatozoa isolated by density gradient
Rohollah Setarehbadi 1, 1, Mojgan Atabakhash 1, Amir Fattahi 1, Aboozar Mohagheghi 1, Asad Vaisi-Raygani 2, Hossain Mahjub 3, Heidar Tavilani 4 *
1 Student Research Committee, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
2 Fertility and Infertility Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
3 Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Science, Hamadan, Iran
4 Urology & Nephrology Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan Iran
Abstract
Objectives: Lipid
components of spermatozoa have an important role in its functional
activity. In this study the concentration of cholesterol, phospholipid,
triacylglycerol and total lipid in different subsets of human
spermatozoa, isolated as three fractions by a discontinuous PureSperm
gradient, was determined.
Methods: Aliquots
of the liquefied semen samples (n=107) were layered on top of the upper
layer of 40 and 80% PureSperm gradient. The resulting interfaces 40 and
80% (fraction 1), 80% and pellet (fraction 2), and pellet (fraction 3)
aspirated and transferred into separate tubes. Lipids were extracted
with 6 volumes of chloroform-methanol (2/1, V/V) and the concentration
of cholesterol, phospholipid, triacylglycerol were determined by
colorimetric method.
Results: Percent
of sperm with normal morphology was significantly higher in sperm
fraction 3 compared to fraction 2 and 1, while percent of sperm with
midpiece and tail defect was significantly higher in fraction 1 compared
to fractions 2 and 3 (P<0.01). The amount of cholesterol,
phospholipid and total lipid of sperm fractions 2 and 3 were about
1.5-fold higher than that of found in sperm from fraction 1 (P<0.05).
Conclusion: This result suggests that the total lipid contents of sperms increase with increasing normal morphology from fraction 1 to 3
Keywords: Centrifugation; Density Gradient; Lipids; Spermatozoa