Presence of the vitamin D inactivating enzyme CYP24A1 in human sperm and prediction of the success of intrauterine insemination: A prospective study.

Male fertility is routinely evaluated by semen analysis, although semen quality variables such as; sperm count, motility and morphology have low predictive value for spontaneous pregnancies and fertility treatment outcomes. Vitamin D has been suggested to be beneficial for male reproduction. The vitamin D receptor and the vitamin D inactivating enzyme CYP24A1 are co-expressed in high quality sperm. Presence of CYP24A1 at the annulus of human sperm can distinguish between sperm from healthy and infertile men with high specificity and is positively correlated with semen quality. The high expression level in the testis of FAM57B2, which is activated by 24,25OH2D3, indicates an uncharacterized biological role for CYP24A1 in male reproduction. Moreover, activated vitamin D has been shown to induce sperm motility and promote fertilization in vitro. Here, we prospectively investigated whether the fraction of CYP24A1 positive sperm was a better predictor of clinical pregnancy than semen analysis by including 240 fertility treatments (169 couples) from a single fertility centre in Denmark. ROC-curve based analysis showed that the percentage of sperm expressing CYP24A1 was a better predictor of successful pregnancy outcome after intrauterine inseminations (IUI) than both sperm concentration and motility (p < 0.05). Interestingly, samples with CYP24A1 staining >67% of the sperm increased the likelihood of achieving pregnancy 4-fold after IUI compared with samples having fewer sperm with detectable CYP24A1 (p < 0.05). Neither CYP24A1 nor any of the other assessed semen quality variables were predictive for the treatment outcome of the more invasive assisted reproductive techniques (IVF and ICSI). In conclusion, our results provide proof of principle for a CYP24A1-based sperm test to improve fertility outcome for infertile patients referred for IUI and supports a role for vitamin D metabolites during fertilization.

Selection of High-Quality Spermatozoa May Be Promoted by Activated Vitamin D in the Woman.

Context: The vitamin D receptor (VDR) and enzymes involved in activation (CYP2R1, CYP27B1) and inactivation (CYP24A1) of vitamin D are expressed in ovary, testes, and spermatozoa. Objective: Determine responsiveness to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] in spermatozoa from normal and infertile men, and identify the site of exposure and how 1,25(OH)2D3 influences sperm function. Design: Spermatozoa expressing VDR, CYP2R1, CYP27B1, and CYP24A1 were analyzed in normal and infertile men. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD), 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [24,25(OH)2D3], and 1,25(OH)2D3 were measured in serum, seminal fluid, cervical secretions, and ovarian follicular fluid. 1,25(OH)2D3 was tested on human spermatozoa. Setting: Tertiary center for fertility. Participants: Protein expression in spermatozoa and semen quality were assessed in 230 infertile and 114 healthy men. Vitamin D metabolites were measured in fluids from 245 men and 13 women, while 74 oocytes and 17 semen donors were used for sperm-function tests. Main Outcome Measures: VDR and CYP24A1 expressions in spermatozoa, fluid concentrations of 25-OHD, 24,25(OH)2D3, and 1,25(OH)2D3, and 1,25(OH)2D3-induced effects on intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) and sperm-oocyte binding in vitro. Results: VDR and CYP24A1 were expressed in a >2-fold higher fraction of spermatozoa from normal than infertile men (P < 0.01). Concentrations of 25-OHD, 24,25(OH)2D, and 1,25(OH)2D3 were undetectable in seminal fluid but high in ovarian follicular fluid. Follicular concentrations of 1,25(OH)2D3 induced a modest increase in [Ca2+]i and sperm-oocyte binding in vitro (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Presence of VDR and CYP24A1 mainly in spermatozoa of higher quality supports that 1,25(OH)2D3 available in the female reproductive tract may promote selection of the best gametes for fertilization.