Effect of recombinant β-defensin 1 protein on human sperm motility and viability

The reduction of sperm motility and subsequently reduced ability to undergo capacitation and acrosome reaction are considered as common causes of male infertility. The beta-defensin family is a group of well-known secretory proteins with antimicrobial activity that contribute to the process of "sperm maturation" during the passage of spermatozoa in the epididymis when spermatozoa attain its motility. One member of this family is "beta-defensin 1" which is present in seminal plasma and spermatozoa. The aim of this study was the incubation of human processed spermatozoa with recombinant beta-defensin 1 (500 ng/ml) for 1, 2 and 3 hr at 37 degrees C under 5% CO2 atmosphere and assessment of sperm viability and motility in 59 semen samples. The analysis of semen samples such as sperm concentration, motility, viability, morphology and semen volume was performed according to the World Health Organization (2010; World health organization laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen (p. 287). Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization) criteria. The result of the current study shows that the incubation of spermatozoa with recombinant beta-defensin significantly maintained percentage of sperm viability and motility compared to processed spermatozoa incubate in the absence of beta-defensin in the studied time intervals (p < .05). Therefore, we concluded that recombinant beta-defensin 1 protein as an agent with antimicrobial activity can maintain sperm viability and motility in in vitro condition.