Sel sperma manusia memproduksi reactive oxygen species (ROS) selama respirasi mitokondria dalam jumlah rendah yang dapat membantu berbagai jalur persinyalan. Produksi ROS fisiologis pada sel sperma dapat mengatur karakteristik fungsional yang penting seperti motilitas, kapasitasi, reaksi akrosom, hiperaktivasi, dan fusi sperma-oosit. Namun ROS yang terlalu banyak justru akan menyebabkan efek sebaliknya. Pada penelitian sebelumnya, dilaporkan bahwa α-tokoferol mampu meningkatkan motilitas dan melindungi sperma dari efek buruk stres oksidatif. Namun mekanisme molekuler efek tersebut masih belum jelas. Pada penelitian ini, dilakukan suplementasi α-tokoferol pada sel sperma untuk dianalisis terhadap beberapa parameter diantaranya, kadar MDA, motilitas, integritas membran, kapasitasi melalui ekspresi fosforilasi tirosin, ketahanan hidup melalui ekspresi Akt pada sel sperma, dan apoptosis melalui ekspresi caspase 3. Hasil dari penelitian ini menujukkan bahwa penambahan α-tokoferol tidak dapat menurunkan kadar MDA sel sperma. Namun pada parameter lain, penambahan α-tokoferol dapat meningkatkan motilitas, integritas membran sel, ekspresi fosforilasi tirosin, ekspresi fosforilasi Akt, dan menurunkan ekspresi caspase 3 pada sel sperma.

---

The sperm cells of humans produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) during mitochondrial respiration in low amounts that can aid various signaling pathways. Physiological ROS production in sperm cells can regulate important functional characteristics such as motility, capacitation, acrosome reaction, hyperactivation, and sperm-oocyte fusion. However, an excess of ROS can have adverse effects. In previous studies, it has been reported that α-tocopherol can enhance motility and protect sperm from the harmful effects of oxidative stress. However, the molecular mechanisms of these effects are still unclear. In this study, α-tocopherol supplementation was performed on sperm cells to analyze several parameters, including MDA levels, motility, membrane integrity, capacitation through tyrosine phosphorylation expression, survival through Akt expression in sperm cells, and apoptosis through caspase 3 expression. The results of this study indicate that the addition of α-tocopherol cannot reduce MDA levels in sperm cells. However, in the other parameters, the addition of α-tocopherol can increase motility, membrane integrity, tyrosine phosphorylation expression, Akt phosphorylation expression, and decrease caspase 3 expression in sperm cells.