A Novel Method for Improving Sperm Motility in Infertile Men
Nancy L. Brackett, Charles M. Lynne, Sarmitha Basu and Daniel R. Cohen
Problem
Male infertility due to low sperm mobility occurs in up to 15% of the population. If there was a simple way to increase sperm motility it would be an extraordinary help to achieve pregnancy in couples with this problem.
Solution
The motility of sperm is significantly increased by inactivating or reducing the biological activity of inflammatory cytokines present in the sample.
Competitive Advantage
A potentially safe and non-invasive medication that can be taken orally to inhibit cytokine activity and improve sperm motility.
Applications
(1) Medications taken orally to inhibit cytokine activity and improve sperm motility;
(2) Medications applied in vitro to the semen to inhibit cytokine activity and improve sperm motility;
(3) Methods of processing semen that inhibit cytokine activity and improve sperm motility;
(4) An internally implanted device which inhibits cytokine activity in the male accessory glands.
Patent Status
Patent application No. US20040171144 A1 titled "INCREASING SPERM MOTILITY" was published on September 2, 2004.
Licensing Opportunity
The University of Miami is seeking collaborative research and licensing options.
About the Inventors
Nancy L. Brackett, Ph.D., HCLD, is a Research Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery and Urology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL.
Charles M. Lynne, M.D., is a Professor of Urology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL.
Sarmistha Basu, Ph.D., is a Program Manager at Dow Pharmaceutical Sciences, Petaluma, California.
Daniel R. Cohen, M.D. is the Medical Director of the South American Division of www.graciasdoctor.org.
Selected References
Brackett NL, Lynne CM, Attia GR, Carmack AJK, Cava A, Goodman K: Treatment of infertility in men with spinal cord injury: medical progress and ethical considerations. Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil 2008;13(4);120-133.
Brackett NL, Ibrahim E, Grotas JA, Aballa TC, Lynne CM: Higher sperm DNA damage in semen from men with spinal cord injuries compared to controls. J Androl, 2008; 29(1):93-9; Epub 2007 Sep 5.
Editorial Commentary by Robert E. Brannigan, J Androl 2008; 29(1);100-101.
Brackett NL, Ibrahim E, Krassioukov A, Lynne CM: Systemic naloxone infusion may trigger spasticity in patients with spinal cord injury: case series. J Sp Cord Med, 2007:30(3); 272-275.
Brackett NL, Cohen DR, Ibrahim E, Aballa TC, Lynne CM: Neutralization of cytokine activity at the receptor level improves sperm motility in men with spinal cord injuries. J Androl 2007:28(5); 717-721.
Alexander MS, Bodner D, Brackett NL, Elliott S, Jackson AB, Sonksen J: Development of international standards to document sexual and reproductive functions after spinal cord injury: Preliminary report. J Rehabil Res Dev 2007:44(1); 83-90.
Brackett NL, Kafetsoulis A, Ibrahim E, Aballa TC, Lynne CM: Application of two vibrators salvages ejaculatory failures to one vibrator during penile vibratory stimulation of men with spinal cord injuries. J Urol 2007;177:660-663.
Reviewed in: Fertility Weekly, April 2, 2007, pages 9-10.
Kafetsoulis A, Brackett NL, Ibrahim E, Attia GR, Lynne CM: Current trends in the treatment of infertility in men with spinal cord injury. Fertil Steril 2006;86:781-789.
Reviewed in: Fertility Weekly, October 30, 2006, pages 1-2.
Highlighted as a Modern Trends article: Oct 2006 issue of Fertil Steril
Kafetsoulis A, Ibrahim E, Aballa TC, Goetz LL, Lynne CM, Brackett NL: Abdominal electrical stimulation rescues failures to penile vibratory stimulation in men with spinal cord injury: a report of two cases. Urology. 2006; 68: 204.e9 - 204.e11.
Zhu J, Brackett NL, Aballa TC, Lynne CM, Witt MA, Kort HI, Roudebush WE: High seminal platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase activity in men with spinal cord injuries. J Androl 2006;27:429-433.
Cohen DR, Basu S, Randall JM, Aballa TC, Lynne CM, Brackett NL: Sperm motility in men with spinal cord injuries is enhanced by inactivating cytokines in the seminal plasma. J Androl 2004;25:922-925.
Reviewed in: Nature Clinical Practice January 2005 Vol 1, No.2, page 5.
Basu S, Aballa TC, Ferrell SM, Lynne CM, Brackett NL: Inflammatory cytokine concentrations are elevated in seminal plasma of men with spinal cord injuries J Androl 2004;25:250-254.
Randall JM, Evans DH, Bird VG, Aballa TC, Lynne CM, Brackett NL: Leukocytospermia in spinal cord injured patients is not related to histological inflammatory changes in the prostate. J Urol 2003;170:897-900.
Basu S, Lynne CM, Ruiz P, Aballa TC, Ferrell SM, Brackett NL: Cytofluorographic identification of activated T cell subpopulations in the semen of men with spinal cord injuries. J Androl 2002:23:551-556.
Brackett NL, Ead DN, Aballa TC, Ferrell SM, Lynne CM: Semen retrieval in men with spinal cord injury is improved by interrupting current delivery during electroejaculation. J Urol 2002;167:201-203.
Reviewed in: Fertility Weekly, February 11, 2003 pages 2-3.
Bird VD, Brackett NL, Lynne CM, Aballa TC, Ferrell SM: Reflexes and somatic responses as predictors of ejaculation by penile vibratory stimulation in men with spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord 2001;39:514-519.
Brackett NL, Lynne CM, Aballa TC, Ferrell SM. Sperm motility from the vas deferens of spinal cord injured men is higher than from their ejaculates. J Urol 2000;164:712-715.
Reviewed in: Fertility Weekly, January 8, 2001, pages 2-3.
Wieder JA, Brackett NL, Lynne CM, Green JT, Aballa TC: Anesthetic block of the dorsal penile nerve inhibits vibratory-induced ejaculation in men with spinal cord injuries. Urology 55:915-917, 2000. Continuing Medical Education Article
Reviewed in: Fertility Weekly, July 17, 2000, pages 2-3.
Brackett NL and Lynne CM: Semen retrieval and semen quality in men with spinal cord injury: a review. J Hellenic Soc Androl 2000;4:177-183.
Brackett NL and Lynne CM: The method of assisted ejaculation affects the outcome of semen quality studies in men with spinal cord injury: a review. Neurorehab 2000;15:89-100.
