Fertility and Sterility
Volume 91, Issue 6 , Pages 2471-2476 , June 2009

Cannabinoids inhibit the respiration of human sperm

  • Zaki S. Badawy, B.A.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York
    • ,
  • Kazim R. Chohan, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pathology, State University of New York, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York
    • ,
  • Donna A. Whyte, M.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York
    • ,
  • Harvey S. Penefsky, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Biochemistry, Public Health Research Institute, Newark, New Jersey
    • ,
  • Oliver M. Brown, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pharmacology, State University of New York, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests: Oliver M. Brown, Ph.D., Department of Pharmacology, State University of New York, Upstate Medical University, 750 East Adams Street, Syracuse, NY 13210 (FAX: 315-464-8002)
    • ,
  • Abdul-Kader Souid, M.D., Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York
    • Corresponding Author InformationAbdul-Kader Souid, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York, Upstate Medical University, 750 East Adams Street, Syracuse, NY 13210 (FAX: 315-464-7238).

Received 24 January 2008 ,Revised 28 March 2008 ,Accepted 28 March 2008.

References 

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  3. Pertwee RG. Cannabinoid receptor ligands: clinical and neuropharmacological considerations, relevant to future drug discovery and development. Exp Opin Invest Drugs. 2000;9:1553–1571
  4. Park B, McPartland JM, Glass M. Cannabis, cannabinoids and reproduction. Prostaglandins Leukotrienes Essential Fatty Acids. 2003;70:189–197
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  9. Zimmerman AM, Zimmerman S, Raj AY. Effects of cannabinoids on spermatogenesis in mice. Adv Biosci. 1978;22:407–418
  10. Gérard CM, Mollereau C, Vassart G, Parmentier M. Molecular cloning of a human cannabinoid receptor which is also expressed in testis. Biochem J. 1991;279:129–134
  11. Chang MC, Berkery D, Schuel R. Evidence for a cannabinoid receptor in sea urchin sperm and its role in blockade of the acrosome reaction. Mol Reprod. 1993;36:507–516
  12. Rossato M, Popa FI, Ferigo M, Clari G, Foresta C. Human sperm express cannabinoid receptor Cb1, the activation of which inhibits motility, acrosome reaction, and mitochondrial function. J Clin Endocrinol Metabol. 2005;90:984–999
  13. Green DR, Kroemer G. The pathophysiology of mitochondrial cell death. Science. 2004;305:626–629
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  16. McKallip RJ, Lombard C, Martin BR, Nagarkatti M, Nagarkatti PS. Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol-induced apoptosis in the thymus and spleen as a mechanism of immunosuppression in vitro and in vivo. J Pharmacol Experim Therap. 2002;302:451–465
  17. Sarafian TA, Kouyoumjian S, Khoshaghideh F, Tashkin DP, Roth MD. Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol disrupts mitochondrial function and cell energetics. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2003;284:L298–L306
  18. Zhu W, Friedman H, Klein TW. Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol induces apoptosis in macrophages and lymphocytes: involvement of Bcl-2 and caspase-1. J Pharmacol Experim Therap. 1998;286:1103–1109
  19. Chohan KR, Souid A-K, Badawy SZA. Respiration of human spermatozoa. Androl Update. 2007;1:123–130
  20. Badawy ZS, Souid A-K. Inhibition of human sperm respiration by 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide and protection by mesna and WR-1065. Fertil Steril, in press.
  21. Tao Z, Withers HG, Penefsky HS, Goodisman J, Souid A-K. Inhibition of cellular respiration by doxorubicin. Chem Res Toxicol. 2006;19:1051–1058
  22. World Health Organization. WHO laboratory manual for the examination of human semen and sperm-cervical mucus interaction. 4th ed.. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press; 1999;
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  24. Mahoney JM, Harris RA. Effect of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol on mitochondrial processes. Biochem Pharmacol. 1972;21:1217–1226

 Badawy and Chohan contributed equally to this work.

 Supported by Paige's Butterfly Run, Syracuse, New York.

 Z.S.B. has nothing to disclose. K.R.C. has nothing to disclose. D.A.W. has nothing to disclose. H.S.P. has nothing to disclose. O.M.B. has nothing to disclose. A.-K.S. has nothing to disclose.

PII: S0015-0282(08)00750-4

doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2008.03.075

Fertility and Sterility
Volume 91, Issue 6 , Pages 2471-2476 , June 2009

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