Infertility comes at a cost to the couples/spouses as the associated trauma ranges from depression to rejection,

emotional imbalance to mention a few. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) plays very significant function in sperm

function. Any disruption in ATP production or action contribute significantly to male infertility. The aim of this

study was to determine the contributory effects of ATP on fertilization by the spermatozoa. This was a cross-

sectional study that randomly selected 45 male partners of infertile couples as test participants and 45 male

partners of fertile couples as controls all aged between 30 years and 55 years. Semen samples were received

from the participants immediately after production through masturbation for semen analysis which was done on

the day of ejaculation. ATP value in the semen samples were estimated using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent

74.77 nmol/L), p<0.0001). The mean ± SD ATP value in male partners of infertile couples with abnormal sperm

motility (559.62 ± 57.38 nmol/L)) was significantly lower than the mean ± SD ATP value in male partners of

fertile couples with normal motility (638.68 ± 53.52 nmol/L), p<0.0001). On ANOVA statistics, the mean ± SD

ATP value in male partners of infertile couples with zero sperm count was significantly lower than mean ± SD

ATP value in male partners of infertile couples with sperm count greater than 20 sperm cells/ml (p = 0.043).

However, there were no significant differences in the mean values of ATP in male partners of infertile couples

with sperm count less than 10 sperm cells/ml, less than 20 sperm cells per ml and sperm count greater than 20

sperm cells/ml (p>0.05). This study observed that adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentration in male partners

of fertile couples was higher than ATP concentration in male partners of infertile couples and male partners of

infertile couples with abnormal motility of spermatozoa had lower concentration of ATP than those who had

Infertility comes at a cost to the couples/spouses as the trauma associated with couples that are experiencing

infertility is unimaginable. The psychological effect or response on its own is a disruptor of reproductive

functions. This is much frustrating when there is no known cause and therefore no solution for the cause of the

challenge. Several conditions or stressors have been implicated in cases of infertile couples in previous studies.

Such stressors as hypothyroidism

, academic examination

, HIV/AIDS

and biochemical alterations

been reported previously. There have been well documented reports on diseases and endocrine disruptors causing

infertility in both male and female individuals but there has been less attention to possible contribution of lack

of energy to infertility. However, a rare area that has not been populated with reports is the contribution of energy

progressive motility

infertility. Just as all synthesis or catabolism in the human eco-system requires energy with lack or insufficient

energy aborting any process, unavailability of ATP can significantly affect fertilization ability of the

spermatozoa.

The aim of this study was to determine the contributory effects of ATP on fertilization by the spermatozoa.

This was a cross-sectional study that was done among male partners of infertile couples visiting Federal Medical

Centre, Asaba, Delta State.

after production through masturbation in universal bottles and an aliquot was transferred into plain sample bottle

after mixing to homogenize the samples for ATP assay. All samples for ATP assay were stored at -40

until day

of analysis. All assays were done within 3 three weeks of sample collection. However, semen analysis was done

on the day of ejaculation according to World Health Organisation protocol for semen analysis

indicating the

period of abstinence (between 3 and 5 days), date and time of sample collection as well as ejaculate volume.

Upon receipt, sample was place in the incubator at 37

C for 30 minutes to allow for liquefaction. The volume of

each sample was measured using 20 ml micro measuring cylinder. Macroscopic evaluation of the semen was

observing the even spread of spermatozoa across the fields so as to ensure that to spermatozoa are evenly

distributed in the preparation void of any visible mucus strands and sperm aggregation or agglutination.

Microscopy was continues with higher magnification using a x40 objective lens to assess sperm motility, to

such as epithelial cells, red blood cells or pus cells. Commercially prepared semen diluting fluid containing

0.595M sodium bicarbonate and approximately 0.14M formalin was used to make 1 in 20 dilution of the well

mixed semen sample by adding 50µl of sample to 950µl of semen diluting fluid and thoroughly mixed. The

haemocytometer was loaded and left in a humid chamber to allow the spermatozoa to settle onto the bottom of

the counting chamber. The number of spermatozoa in two large squares were promptly counted after removal

from the humid chamber. The concentration of spermatozoa per ml was calculated.

male partners of fertile couples as well ATP values in male partners of infertile couples with normal and

abnormal sperm motility. ANOVA was used to determine the differences in ATP values among male partners

of infertile couples with sperm count greater than or equal to 20million sperm cells/ml, male partners of infertile

couples with zero sperm low sperm count of greater or equal to 10 million sperm cells/ml, male partners of

infertile couples with less than 10 million sperm cells/ml and male partners of infertile couples with zero sperm

cell. P value less than 0.05 was considered significant.

than the mean ± SD ATP value in male partners of fertile couples (838.86± 74.77 nmol/L, p<0.0001). The mean

± SD ATP value in male partners of infertile couples with abnormal sperm motility (559.62 ± 57.38 nmol/L)

was significantly lower than the mean ± SD ATP value in male partners of fertile couples with normal motility

(638.68 ± 53.52 nmol/L, p<0.0001). On ANOVA statistics, the mean ± SD ATP value in male partners of

of infertile couples with abnormal motility of spermatozoa had lower concentration of ATP than those who had

sperm counts and observed that ATP values in the men azoospermia was very low compared with ATP values

in men with sperm count greater than 20million cells/ml. However, ATP values in male partners of infertile

couples were generally similar. ATP has been proven to play very important roles in fertilization ability by

spermatozoa, particularly by supplying the required energy for the stages of fertilization including movement of

the spermatozoa towards the oocyte, capacitation, acrosome reaction, and fusion with the oocyte. ATP is the

primary source of energy required for spermatozoa to move within the female reproductive tract toward the

oocyte. Also, ATP energizes the biochemical changes that occur during capacitation stage of fertilization. ATP

increases intracellular calcium ion concentration in over 45% of individual spermatozoa, which in turn leads to

a sperm-head volume increase, likely involving acrosomal swelling resulting in acrosome reaction

observation from this study is similar to the findings from another study

ATP levels had better sperm morphology, higher concentration and motility and lower semen viscosity. This

the impression that good ATP levels are related to good motility. Spermatozoa rely heavily on mitochondrial

ATP for movement. This means that, the higher the ATP concentration, the better the motility which increases

the fertilizing potential of the spermatozoa. In another research carried out to observe the contributory effect of

ATP to fertilization, the result demonstrated that ATP induces a significant increase of sperm fertilizing

potential, and suggested the administration of exogenous ATP during in vitro fertilization procedures can

enhance fertilization thereby improving success rate