Project Description:
The commonly used spermicide nonoxynol-9 gives partial protection against pregnancy, but causes vaginal irritation and increases the likelihood for transmission of some STDs. The architecture of human sperm cells includes several distinctive membrane regions that undergo substantial changes during the life history of the sperm cell. Specific changes must take place within the compartments and membranous surfaces of sperm to enable fertilization. We have previously synthesized and tested several new compounds that may lead to improved spermicides. In preliminary studies, our fluorine-containing surfactants selectively inhibited human sperm cells. Based on those results, we will synthesize a family of additional fluorous compounds, and conduct experiments to identify compounds that give the greatest selectivity against human sperm, efficacy as contraceptives in animals, and acceptable profiles as antimicrobial agents.