OBJECTIVETo analyze the spectrometric semen protein profiling of oligospermia patients and healthy controls by surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS), and to establish a semen marker pattern for the diagnosis of oligospermia.

METHODSSemen samples of 33 oligospermia patients and 31 healthy controls were collected on the CM01O proteinchip. The spectrometric protein profiling was detected by SELDI-TOF-MS and the data analyzed by Biomarker Pattern Software provided by Ciphergen Corp. A primary diagnostic model of oligospermia was established and evaluated by blind test with the 33 patients and 31 healthy controls.

RESULTSA total of 185 protein peaks were detected at the molecular range of 2000-20,000, among which 23 showed significant differences between oligospermia patients and healthy controls (P < 0.05). The diagnostic model consisted of 3 protein peaks, with a sensitivity of 90.9% (30/33) and a specificity of 93.6% (29/31). And the double-blind test generated a sensitivity of 87.8% (29/33) and a specificity of 90.3% (28/31).

CONCLUSIONThe diagnostic model was successfully established by SELDI-TOF-MS, which could be applied to the differentiation of the spectrometric protein profiling patterns of oligospermia patients and healthy controls.