Sperm ATP Düzeyleri ile Sperm Hareketsizliği Arasında Doğrusal Bir İlişki Var Mı?

Yıl 2026, Sayı: Advanced Online Publication, 09.03.2026

Ayla Karımova , Mustafa Abusak , Nalin Gümüşçü , Hamdi Ozkara , İlhan Onaran

https://izlik.org/JA72AK79YH

Öz

Amaç: Asthenozoospermi (AS) ve oligoasthenoteratozoospermi (OAT), farklı derecelerde sperm hareketsizliği ile karakterize edilen erkek infertilitesi fenotipleridir. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) eksikliğinin sperm motilitesinde azalmaya yol açtığı öne sürülmüş olsa da, hareketsiz sperm fenotipinin hücre içi ATP düzeyleri ile nasıl bir ilişki içinde olduğu yeterince araştırılmamıştır. Bu çalı şma, AS ve OAT olgularında sperm hareketsizliği ile ATP düzeyleri arasındaki ilişkiyi değerlendirmeyi amaçlamaktadır.

Materyal ve metod: Semen örnekleri, AT, AS tanılı ve fertil kontrol grubundaki erkeklerden oluşan üç gruptan (her grup n=30) toplanmış ve Dünya Sağlık Örgütü (DSÖ) kriterlerine göre değerlendirilmiştir. Sperm hücreleri ayrıldıktan sonra hücre lizatı içinde ATP ve Adenosine diphosphate (ADP) düzeyleri biyolüminesans yöntemiyle ölçüldü.

Bulgular: OAT grubunda sperm ATP düzeyleri, hem AS hem de yaş-eşleştirilmiş kontrol grubuna göre daha yüksekti. ATP düzeylerindeki artışa rağmen, hiçbir grupta ilerleyici motilite yüzdesi ile ATP düzeyleri arasında anlamlı bir doğrusal ilişki gözlenmedi. OAT spermatozoalarında ADP/ATP oranı anlamlı şekilde yüksek bulundu ve bu oran motilite ile güçlü negatif korelasyon (r=-0,84, p<0,0001) gösterdi. Bu sonuçlar, motilite ve enerji metabolizmasındaki değişimlerin yalnızca ATP üretimi ile açıklanamayacağını ortaya koymaktadır.

Sonuç: AS ve OAT gruplarında ATP düzeyleri ile ilerleyici motilite arasında doğrudan ilişki olmaması, azalmış motilitenin sperm ATP içeriğini etkileyen tek ya da başlıca faktör olmadığını göstermektedir. OAT grubundaki yüksek ADP/ATP oranı, ATP üretimi ve /veya dengesizlik olduğunu düşündürmektedir. Sperm fonksiyonları ve erkek infertilitesi incelenirken hem enerji sentezi hem de kullanım süreçlerinin birlikte değerlendirilmesi önem arz etmektedir.

 

Anahtar Kelimeler

ATP , Astenozoospermi , Oligoastenoteratozoospermi , Motilite , Sperm

Etik Beyan

This study was approved by the Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine Clinical Research Ethics Committee (approval no: A-51, date: February 2, 2021).

Proje Numarası

36175

Is There a Linear Relationship Between Sperm ATP Levels and Non-Motility of Sperm?

https://izlik.org/JA72AK79YH

Öz

Background: Asthenozoospermia (AS) and       oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT)  are characterized by varying degrees of sperm immotility. While ATP deficiency has been proposed as a cause of impaired motility, the relationship between the immotile sperm phenotype and intracellular Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content remains insufficiently explored. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between sperm motility impairment and intracellular ATP content in AS and OAT. Materials and Methods: Semen samples were obtained from three groups of men (n = 30 per group): patients diagnosed with OAT, AS, and fertile controls. Semen analysis was performed in accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Following sperm isolation, intracellular ATP and Adenosine diphosphate (ADP) levels were quantified in sperm cell lysates using a bioluminescence-based assay.

Results: Sperm ATP levels were significantly higher in the OAT group compared with both AS and age-matched controls. Despite elevated ATP levels, no linear correlation was observed between progressive sperm motility and ATP levels in any group. The ADP/ATP ratio was significantly elevated in OAT spermatozoa and showed a strong negative correlation with progressive motility (r=-0.84, p<0.0001).

Conclusions: The absence of a linear correlation between ATP levels and progressive motility in both AS and OAT groups suggests that reduced motility is unlikely to be the primary determinant of sperm ATP content. The elevated ADP/ATP ratio observed in OAT sperm may reflect an imbalance between ATP production and/or utilization rather than increased ATP availability. Together, these findings highlight the complexity of sperm ATP metabolism and emphasize the importance of evaluating both energy synthesis and energy consumption when assessing sperm function and male infertility.

 

Anahtar Kelimeler

ATP , Asthenozoospermia , Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia , Motility , Sperm

Etik Beyan

This study was approved by the Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine Clinical Research Ethics Committee (approval no: A-51, date: February 2, 2021).

Destekleyen Kurum

This study was supported by İstanbul University-Cerrahpaşa Scientific Research Projects (BAP), project no: TYL-2021-36175

Proje Numarası

36175

Teşekkür

Acknowledgment of the individuals who contributed to the preparation of the manuscript but who do not fulfill the authorship criteria.

Kaynakça

• 1. du Plessis SS, Agarwal A, Mohanty G, van der Linde M. Oxidative phosphorylation versus glycolysis: what fuel do spermatozoa use? Asian J Androl. 2015;17(2):230-5.
• 2. Bohnensack R, Halangk W. Control of respiration and of motility in ejaculated bull spermatozoa. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1986;850:72-9.
• 3. Amaral A. Energy metabolism in mammalian sperm motility. Wiley Interdiscip Rev Syst Biol Med. Published online June 9, 2022. 1569
• 4. Castellini C, D'Andrea S, Cordeschi G, Totaro M, Parisi A, Di Emidio G, et al. Pathophysiology of mitochondrial dysfunction in human spermatozoa: focus on energetic metabolism, oxidative stress and apoptosis. Antioxidants (Basel). 2021;10(5):695.
• 5. Costa J, Braga PC, Rebelo I, Oliveira PF, Alves MG. Mitochondria quality control and male fertility. Biology (Basel). 2023;12(6):827.
• 6. Losano JDA, Padín JF, Méndez-López I, Angrimani DSR, García AG, Barnabe VH, et al. The stimulated glycolytic pathway is able to maintain ATP levels and kinetic patterns of bovine epididymal sperm subjected to mitochondrial uncoupling. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2017;2017:1682393.
• 7. Levin RM, Shofer J, Wein AJ, Greenberg SH. ATP concentration of human spermatozoa: lack of correlation with sperm motility. Andrologia. 1981;13(5):468-72.
• 8. Mukai C, Okuno M. Glycolysis plays a major role for adenosine triphosphate supplementation in mouse sperm flagellar movement. Biol Reprod. 2004;71(2):540-7.
• 9. Setiawan R, Priyadarshana C, Tajima A, Travis AJ, Asano A. Localisation and function of glucose transporter GLUT1 in chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) spermatozoa: relationship between ATP production pathways and flagellar motility. Reprod Fertil Dev. 2020;32(7):697-705.
• 10. Guerra-Carvalho B, Carrageta DF, Maurício T, Pereira SC, Barros A, Carvalho RA, et al. Metabolomics analysis of human spermatozoa reveals impaired metabolic pathways in asthenozoospermia. Eur J Clin Invest. 2024;54(11):e14289.
• 11. Ateş A, Özsoy Ç, Tuzcu A. Metabolik sendrom ve erkek infertilitesi. Androl Bul. 2024;26:67-74.
• 12. Dasgupta M, Kumaresan A, Saraf KK, Nag P, Sinha MK, Aslam M K M, et al. Deep metabolomic profiling reveals alterations in fatty acid synthesis and ketone body degradations in spermatozoa and seminal plasma of astheno-oligozoospermic bulls. Front Vet Sci. 2022;8:755560.
• 13. Mai Z, Yang D, Wang D, Zhang J, Zhou Q, Han B, et al. A narrative review of mitochondrial dysfunction and male infertility. Transl Androl Urol. 2024;13(9):2134-45.
• 14. Peña FJ, Ortiz-Rodríguez JM, Gaitskell-Phillips GL, Gil MC, Ortega-Ferrusola C, Martín-Cano FE. An integrated overview on the regulation of sperm metabolism (glycolysis-Krebs cycle-oxidative phosphorylation). Laboratory of Equine Reproduction and Equine Spermatology, University of Extremadura.
• 15. Chan SY, Wang C. Correlation between semen adenosine triphosphate and sperm fertilizing capacity. Fertil Steril. 1987;47(4):717-9.
• 16. Wilson JM. Response to discrepancies in publications related to HMB-FA and ATP supplementation. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2017;14:74.
• 17. Miki K. Energy metabolism and sperm function. Soc Reprod Fertil Suppl. 2007;65:309-25.
• 18. Sansegundo E, Tourmente M, Roldan ERS. Energy metabolism and hyperactivation of spermatozoa from three mouse species under capacitating conditions. Cells. 2022;11(2):220.
• 19. Vahedi Raad M, Firouzabadi AM, Tofighi Niaki M, Henkel R, Fesahat F. The impact of mitochondrial impairments on sperm function and male fertility: a systematic review. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2024;22(1):83.
• 20. Harper ME, Green K, Brand MD. The efficiency of cellular energy transduction and its implications for obesity. Annu Rev Nutr. 2008;28:13-33.
• 21. Nury H, Dahout-Gonzalez C, Trézéguet V, Lauquin GJ, Brandolin G, Pebay- Peyroula E. Relations between structure and function of the mitochondrial ADP/ATP carrier. Annu Rev Biochem. 2006;75:713-41.
• 22. Hartree EF. Determination of protein: a modification of the Lowry method that gives a linear photometric response. Anal Biochem. 1972; 2:422-7.
• 23. Lowry OH, Rosebrough NJ, Farr AL, Randall RJ. Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem. 1951;1:265-75.