Sticky sperm

Sticky sperm could hold the key to greater success for those undergoing IVF treatment say researchers from the University of Leeds.

A £1.3m trial – the largest clinical trial to date aimed at testing this idea – will be piloting a new IVF method that relies on picking only mature and fertile sperm that stick to a specially coated plate for injection into the egg. This coating is made of hyaluronan, a naturally-occurring substance frequently used as a lubricant in clinical treatments.

“It is fascinating that a substance with such strong lubricating properties should be sticky for some, but not all sperm,” said Dr David Miller of the Faculty of Medicine and Health, who is leading the trial.

“We think that this paradoxical property is what gives only mature and healthy sperm with little or no DNA damage the ability to latch onto the coat the surrounds the egg.”

The trial will test this new selection method in the assisted conception clinic by comparing it with existing methods of sperm selection. Experts – which will also include colleagues from Sheffield and Birmingham Universities and Queen’s University in Belfast – will also be probing whether this new selection method based on sperm stickiness works by minimising the risk of injecting sperm carrying damaged DNA into the egg.

The trial – funded by the National Institute for Health Research Efficiency and Mechanism Evaluation – aims to recruit 3,700 couples across 14 assisted conception units in the UK

“We are always pleased to hear about any new research which might help patients who are struggling to conceive and we look forward to hearing more about the progress of the trial,” said Clare Lewis-Jones, chief executive of Infertility Network UK. “It’s not always easy to have a baby and we welcome new advances which may increase rates of fertility treatment.”