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Pantoprazole, a proton-pump inhibitor, impairs human sperm motility and capacitation in vitro

Escoffier J, Arnaud B, Kaba M, Hograindleur JP, Le Blévec E, Martinez G, Stévant I, Ray PF et al.

Andrology, 2020

12 citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The effects of PPIs on human sperm fertilizing capacity were poorly investigated although these drugs are widely over-used. Two publications retrospectively studied relationships between any PPI intake and sperm parameters from patients consulting at infertility clinics, but the conclusions of these reports were contradictory. Only two reports investigated the effects of lansoprazole and omeprazole on sperm motility and found lansoprazole to be deleterious and omeprazole to be neutral for sperm motility. The inconsistency of the PPI effect in the previous reports emphasizes the need for more basic research on human spermatozoa, taking into account the hypothesis that the different PPI drugs may have different effects on sperm physiology.

OBJECTIVES: Do PPIs, which are among the most widely sold drug in the word, impact negatively human sperm capacitation and sperm motility?

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effects of PPIs on human sperm maturation and motility were analyzed by CASA, flow cytometry, and Western blot.

RESULTS: We tested the impact of 6 different PPIs on human sperm motility and capacitation. We showed that pantoprazole, but not the other PPIs, decreased sperm progressive motility and capacitation-induced sperm hyperactivation. We therefore investigated further the effects of pantoprazole on sperm capacitation, and we observed that it had a significant deleterious effect on the capacitation-induced hyperpolarization of the membrane potential and…

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Evidence Hub reads this as a cohort study, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence.

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