| Objective: To study the clinical significance and the change ofneutrophil elastase concentration in seminal plasma of infertilitypatient.To investigate the role of elastase .for diagnosis and prognosis ofsilent genital tract inflammation, and a protective role for theelastase-inhibitor complex towards sperm DNA integrity.Methods: 140 seminal plasma samples of out-patient (study group)with infertility were collected, including 80 cases of asthenospermia menand 60 cases of normozoospermic men. None of the patients had clinicalsigns or symptoms of a genital tract infection. None had been treated byantibiotics within 3 months before enrolment into the study. All patientshad given their informed consent for participation. Elastase concentrationin seminal plasma was measured by ELISA method. The control groupconsisted of 20 fertile men who fathered children spontaneously withinthe study period. Nitric oxide in seminal plasma was detected by themethod of nitrate reductase.The percentage of sperm containingsingle-stranded DNA was calculated by acridine orange staining toevaluate sperm DNA integrity.Results:1,The prevalence of increased seminal elastase, nitric oxide and hepercentage of spermatozoa with single-stranded DNA in 140 infertile men was significantly higher as compared with that observed in 20 fertile men(P＜0.01).2,A significant positive correlation was found between elastaseconcentration and patient age (r=0.255, P＜0.01) and the number ofleukocytes (r=0.569, P＜0.01).3,A negative correlation was found between elastase concentrationand semen volume (r=-0.537, P＜0.01) and the percentage ofspermatozoa with single-stranded DNA (r=-0.43 6, P＜0.01), but therewas no correlation between elastase and nitrio oxide (r=0.083, P=0.331).Conclusion: Seminal granulocyte elastase is a reliable screening testfor silent genital tract inflammation of the couple. Moreover, theelastase-inhibitor complex may have a protective effect in reducingsperm DNA denaturation. |
PDF Full Text Request