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The effect of nicotine onin vitro sperm motion characteristics

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Abstract

Purpose and study plan

Men who are habitual smokers tend to have poor semen quality. We studied the effect of nicotine on sperm motility in vitro. Spermatozoa from 13 normal fertile nonsmoking donors, washed free of seminal plasma, were treated with medium alone (control); and, 10 mM, 5 mM, 1 mM and 0.1 mM nicotine (concentrations estimated to approximate residual concentrations of nicotine in the testes of heavy smokers). Computerized sperm motion analysis (CASA) was done at 2, 4, 6 and 24 h after incubation.

Results

Sperm motility, beat/cross frequency, linearity and maximum anterior lateral head displacement (ALH max.) were significantly decreased across nominal dosages (P < 0.001 by repeated measures analysis of variance). Of the concentrations tested, 0.1 mM had no effect; 1 mM significantly decreased sperm motility (P = 0.003) and linearity (P = 0.02); 5 mM decreased the beat frequency (P = 0.001) and linearity (0.02); and 10 mM markedly decreased motility (P = 0.0001), beat frequency (P = 0.0002), linearity (P = 0.02) and ALH max. (P = 0.02). The interactions between dose and time were insignificant.

Conclusion

Nicotine at concentrations of ⩾1 mM significantly decreased sperm motion characteristics after different periods of incubation, whereas 0.1 mM concentration had the least effect.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biometry, College of Graduate Studies, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina

    Philip F. Rust

  2. Andrology and Reproductive Immunology Research Laboratories, Section of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of South Carolina, 171 Ashley Avenue, 29425, Charleston, South Carolina

    Anupama Reddy (South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Scholar), Ajay Sood (South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics Scholar), J. Erik Busby, Eric Varn, Rajesh S. Mathur & Subbi Mathur

Authors
  1. Anupama Reddy
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  2. Ajay Sood
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  3. Philip F. Rust
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  4. J. Erik Busby
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  5. Eric Varn
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  6. Rajesh S. Mathur
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  7. Subbi Mathur
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Reddy, A., Sood, A., Rust, P.F. et al. The effect of nicotine onin vitro sperm motion characteristics. J Assist Reprod Genet 12, 217–223 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02211802

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02211802

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