Role of Hyaluronidase in Fertilization: The Antifertility Activity of Myocrisin, a Nontoxic Hyaluronidase Inhibitor

¹ Departments of Physiology and Biophysics, and Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at the Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois

Myocrisin, a hyaluronidase inhibitor of low molecular weight, was tested for antifertility activity. In addition, the effect of myocrisin on penetration of the follicle cell layer by spermatozoa was studied. Myocrisin prevented the in vitro fertilization of capacitated mouse spermatozoa when these were added to intact oocytes. The inhibitor had no effect on sperm motility at the concentrations used for the in vitro fertilization tests, and did not inhibit the acrosome reaction of guinea pig spermatozoa. Myocrisin also had no effect on human acrosin. Fertility was not prevented when the myocrisin-treated spermatozoa were added to oocytes from which the follicle cell layer had been removed, showing that sperm hyaluronidase is essential specifically for sperm penetration through this ovum investment, at least in the case of the mouse. Myocrisin is approved for human use by the FDA and is a compound worth further in vivo evaluation as a contraceptive.

     Key words: myocrisin, hyaluronidase inhibitor, fertilization, contraception, acrosome reaction, acrosin

Submitted on June 14, 1979
Revised on July 31, 1979
Accepted on July 31, 1979

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. Chaudhury, A.K. Bhattacharyya, and S.K. Guha Studies on the membrane integrity of human sperm treated with a new injectable male contraceptive Hum. Reprod., August 1, 2004; 19(8): 1826 - 1830. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]