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. 2024 Sep 17;25(18):9995.
doi: 10.3390/ijms25189995.

Sperm Migration and Hyaluronic Acid Binding: Implications for Male Fertility Evaluation

Katarzyna Marchlewska  1 , Marta Erkiert-Kusiak  2 , Renata Walczak-Jędrzejowska  1 , Jolanta Słowikowska-Hilczer  1
Affiliations

Sperm Migration and Hyaluronic Acid Binding: Implications for Male Fertility Evaluation

Katarzyna Marchlewska et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

Mature, vital, and motile spermatozoa are essential for reaching the oocyte and binding to hyaluronic acid (HA) in the cumulus oophorus matrix. This study aims to determine the relationship between sperm-migration ability and HA-binding potential, as well as the relationship between sperm concentration and motility. Semen samples were collected from 702 men aged 20-56 years (median 34.8). We evaluated the sperm concentration and motility from basic semen analysis, the swim-up test (expressed as millions per mL and the migration efficiency percentage), and the hyaluronan-binding assay (HBA). A moderate positive correlation was found between the migration test results and HBA (R = 0.48). The highest correlation was observed between the concentration of motile spermatozoa and the migration test results (R = 0.85) and HBA (R = 0.4). The sperm migration efficiency strongly correlated with progressive motility (R = 0.6). Although significantly higher sperm migration was observed in patients with normal HBA results, the results of the functional tests were found to differ in some cases. For infertility treatment, the current diagnostic algorithm should be enhanced with more comprehensive seminological methods that assess the sperm-migration ability and HA-binding potential. We also recommend incorporating the swim-up method into the diagnostic protocol before planning assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment.

Keywords: HBA; semen analysis; sperm function; sperm migration test; sperm motility; swim-up.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure A1
Figure A1
The changes occurring in the hyaluronic acid-binding receptor during the capacitation process.
Figure 1
Figure 1
Correlation between the results of the HBA and (A) of the migration test, expressed as post-wash sperm count and (B) efficiency of sperm migration in the swim-up test (S). Blue line—reference value for HBA (Spearman’s R); green line—cut-off value for post-wash sperm count and S in the migration test, established specifically for this study; red line—trend estimation based on linear regression (trend line).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Results of (A) swim-up test (post-wash sperm count) and (B) efficiency of sperm migration in the swim-up test (S) in groups with normal and <80% HBA results. Mann–Whitney test (p < 0.0001).
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