Effect of cytokines on sperm motility and ionophore-stimulated acrosome reaction.

The effects of soluble products from leukocytes (WBC) on sperm motility and calcium ionophore-stimulated acrosome reaction (AR) were examined. Supernatants of mononuclear WBC, isolated from peripheral blood and stimulated by the lectins Phytolacca americana (pokeweed mitogen) or concanavalin A, caused a weak but significant inhibition of progressive sperm motility. The recombinant cytokine interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in high concentrations inhibited motility of sperm from 5 of 8 donors tested. The recombinant cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) did not show any effect on sperm motility. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by stimulation of polymorphonuclear WBC with a phorbol ester (PMA) tended to inhibit sperm motility. Neither supernatants from lectin-stimulated mononuclear WBC, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-8, nor ROS showed any significant effect on the ionophore-challenged AR.