The presence of functional luteinizing hormone/chorionic gonadotropin receptors in human sperm.

The functional receptors that bind human CG (hCG) and LH have recently been identified in a number of nongonadal human tissues. The current experiments tested the hypothesis that human ejaculated sperm may also contain them. The data revealed that they, indeed, do as determined by the presence of receptor messenger RNA and receptor protein that can bind (125)I-hCG. The receptors were functional, as indicated by an increase in cyclic AMP levels and activation of sperm protein kinase A following treatment with hCG or LH. Treatment with these hormones, on the other hand, had no effect on sperm protein kinase C activity. Now that the functional LH/hCG receptors are found in human sperm, it is important to determine whether hCG treatment could improve the outcome of infertility procedures.