Detection of progesterone receptors in human spermatozoa and their correlation with morphological and functional properties

In previous reports, it has been demonstrated that progesterone (P) stimulates capacitation, hyperactivation of human sperm motility and initiates the acrosome reaction (AR). This last effect has been related to the presence of non-genomic receptors for the steroid, localized on the sperm head plasma membrane. These receptors can be detected after treating spermatozoa with the non-permeable conjugate Progesterone - 3-(O-carboxymethyl) oxime: bovine serum albumin-fluorescein isothiocyanate (P-BSA-FITC). In the present study, the presence of progesterone receptors was determined in a selected sperm population with normal morphology and high progressive motility. In addition, other parameters such as the AR, hypo-osmotic swelling test, stability of chromatin and capacitating effect of P were evaluated. The percentage of P-BSA-FITC positive-spermatozoa present in the selected sperm population was higher than in total seminal spermatozoa. Furthermore, spermatozoa incubated with P showed a higher percentage motility and AR than did control spermatozoa. The HOS test indicated that membrane integrity of P-treated spermatozoa was not different to that found in the control sperm suspensions. Unexpectedly, the total sperm population treated with P showed a marked susceptibility to nuclear decondensation with reducing agents. According to these results, the selected sperm population of this study, able to respond to P, may be similar to that with good motility and normal morphology selected in the female reproductive tract, before fertilization.