Acrosome reaction of sperm/binding of peanut agglutinin in sperm of varicocele patients

Percentages of acrosome-reacted sperm after acrosome-reaction-inducing treatment were estimated in 99 varicocele patients, 46 patients after varicocele correction and 69 controls. In patients with varicocele, grades I, II, III and bilateral, proportions of acrosome reacted sperm were significantly lower than in controls (24 ± 8%, 28 ± 17%, 23 ± 8%, 21 ± 11%, versus 39 ± 22%, correspondingly). The respective p values accounted for < 0.02, < 0.01, < 0.01 and < 0.001. Mean value after varicocele correction was 24 ± 11% and also significantly lower than in controls (p < 0.001). Binding of galactose-specific lectin, peanut agglutinin to sperm from patients with left varicocele grades I, II, III, after varicocele correction and controls was also examined. Differences between proportions of non-agglutinated sperm in varicocele patients and after varicocele correction were similar and comparison with controls lacked statistical significance. Decreased proportions of acrosome-reacted sperm may be due to substantial alterations of the plasma and/or the acrosome membranes, possibly as a result of increased intrascrotal temperature and/or inadequate cooling of testis. However, these alterations did not affect binding to peanut agglutinin.