PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of seminal parameters with the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), which are inflammatory markers, in men with an abnormal semen analysis and men with normozoospermia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-seven men with abnormal semen analyses and 59 men with normozoospermia were included in this cross-sectional study. A complete blood count was recorded, and the NLR and PLR were calculated from the hematologic parameters. RESULTS: The NLR was 1.84±0.78 in the normozoospermic group and 1.80±0.75 in the abnormal semen analysis group. The PLR was 95.32±35.47 in the normozoospermic group and 93.57±28.09 in the abnormal semen analysis group. No significant differences were found between the normozoospermic and the abnormal semen analysis group in the NLR (p=0.828) or the PLR (p=0.768). In addition, no seminal parameters were correlated with the NLR or the PLR (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We do not recommend using the NLR or the PLR as markers to screen for abnormal semen parameters or male infertility.
Blood Cell Count ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Humans ; Infertility ; Infertility, Male ; Lymphocytes ; Male ; Neutrophils ; Semen ; Semen Analysis

OBJECTIVESTo detect the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide dismutase(SOD) and interleukin 8(IL-8) in seminal plasma of infertile patients, and evaluate the possible relationship between those levels.

METHODSSemen was collected from normal donors (15 cases), infertile men without infection (16 cases), and infertile men with infection (leukocytospermia, 11 cases). The routine analysis of semen was accomplished, and then the levels of IL-8, malondialdehyde (MDA), SOD, and white blood cell (WBC) were examined. The correlative analysis between the level of ROS and other parameters in these populations was made.

RESULTSIn leukocytospermic group, the levels of MDA, WBC, and IL-8 were higher than those in the other two groups (P < 0.001). Significantly positive correlation was observed between IL-8 and MDA (r = 0.852, P < 0.001) and between the levels of IL-8 and WBC.

CONCLUSIONSThese findings suggest that increased oxidative stress in patients with leukocytospermia may cause the increase of IL-8(r = 0.818, P < 0.01). The increased oxidative stress may be due to defect in ROS scavenging system.

Adult ; Cytokines ; blood ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; blood ; complications ; Male ; Male Urogenital Diseases ; blood ; complications ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; blood ; Semen

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the possible differences in the inhibin B levels of seminal plasma and serum between fertile and infertile males and to obtain information on the relation between serum inhibin B or seminal plasma inhibin B and spermatogenesis.

METHODSSemen and blood samples were collected from fertile(n = 20), oligospermia(n = 20), asthenospermia(n = 22) and non-obstructive azoospermia(NOA) (n = 20) males at 8:00 am = 10:00 am. Semen parameters were analyzed. Levels of inhibin B in seminal plasma and serum, ACP, Fru, alpha-Glu in seminal plasma, serum levels of FSH, T, LH were determined.

RESULTSBoth levels of serum inhibin B and levels of seminal plasma inhibin B correlated significantly negatively with serum FSH(r = -0.536, P < 0.001 vs r = -0.288, P = 0.01), and statistically positively with sperm concentration(r = 0.49, P < 0.001 vs r = 0.48, P < 0.001). There was positive correlation between levels of seminal plasma inhibin B and activity of alpha-Glu in seminal plasma (r = 0.377, P = 0.001). The difference in levels of seminal plasma inhibin B was found only between fertile males or asthenospermia and NOA (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). However, significant differences in levels of serum inhibin B were found not only between males with normal sperm concentration (including fertile males and asthenospermia) and NOA (P < 0.01), fertile males and oligospermia (P < 0.05), but also between oligospermia and NOA (P < 0.05). There was no correlation between serum inhibin B and seminal plasma inhibin B.

CONCLUSIONSBoth levels of serum inhibin B and seminal plasma inhibin B could reflect testis spermatogenesis status. Levels of seminal plasma inhibin B could also reflect the function of seminiferous duct, but the wide range of values limited its applicability.

Adult ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; blood ; metabolism ; Inhibins ; analysis ; blood ; Male ; Semen ; chemistry ; Spermatogenesis

Inhibin B, a glycoprotein produced predominantly by Sertoli cells and preferentially suppressing the production and secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in the pituitary, is closely related to spermatogenesis. Varicocele is the abnormal dilatation and tortuosity of the pampiniform plexus veins, which may contribute to spermatogenic dysfunction and male infertility. More and more evidence has shown that the level of serum inhibin B is negatively correlated with the severity of varicocele. Determination of the inhibin B level may help assess the severity of spermatogenic dysfunction of the patient and predict the outcomes of varicocele repair and therefore has a potential application value in the diagnosis and treatment of varicocele.
Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; metabolism ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; blood ; etiology ; Inhibins ; blood ; Male ; Sertoli Cells ; Spermatogenesis ; Varicocele ; blood

Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is a functional marker of fetal Sertoli cells. The germ cell number in adults depends on the number of Sertoli cells produced during perinatal development. Recently, AMH has received increasing attention in research of disorders related to male fertility. This paper reviews and summarizes the articles on the regulation of AMH in males and the serum levels of AMH in male fertility-related disorders. We have determined that follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) promotes AMH transcription in the absence of androgen signaling. Testosterone inhibits the transcriptional activation of AMH. The undetectable levels of serum AMH and testosterone levels indicate a lack of functional testicular tissue, for example, that in patients with anorchia or severe Klinefelter syndrome suffering from impaired spermatogenesis. The normal serum testosterone level and undetectable AMH are highly suggestive of persistent Müllerian duct syndrome (PMDS), combined with clinical manifestations. The levels of both AMH and testosterone are always subnormal in patients with mixed disorders of sex development (DSD). Mixed DSD is an early-onset complete type of disorder with fetal hypogonadism resulting from the dysfunction of both Leydig and Sertoli cells. Serum AMH levels are varying in patients with male fertility-related disorders, including pubertal delay, severe congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, nonobstructive azoospermia, Klinefelter syndrome, varicocele, McCune-Albright syndrome, and male senescence.
Anti-Mullerian Hormone/metabolism* ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone/blood* ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Humans ; Infertility, Male/blood* ; Male ; Testosterone/blood*

OBJECTIVETo detect the anti-FSH antibody using ELISA, and further probe into the role of anti-FSH in infertile patients.

METHODSThe anti-FSH antibody was detected using ELISA in the serum of patients with spermatogenesis dysfunction, of infertile patients with normal sperm density and motility, and of normal fertile males.

RESULTSThe positive rate of anti-FSH antibody in the patients with oligospermia and/or asthenospermia [22.4% (22/98)] was significantly higher than that in the normal fertile [4% (2/50)] (P < 0.05) and that in the infertile patients with normal sperm density and motility [6.7% (2/30)] (P < 0.05). The positive rate of anti-FSH antibody in the patients with oligospermia and/or asthenospermia was lower than that in the patients with azoospermia [54.5% (12/22)] (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the positive rate between the normal control and the sterile males with normal sperm density and motility.

CONCLUSIONThe anti-FSH antibody may be an important factor to cause spermatogenesis dysfunction by combining FSH to form immune compound and depress the activation of FSH.

Antibodies ; blood ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; immunology ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; etiology ; immunology ; Male ; Spermatogenesis

OBJECTIVETo detect the concentrations of melatonin(MLT) in the seminal plasma of fertile and infertile men.

METHODSSerum and semen were collected from 18 fertile men aged 26-36 and 99 infertile men aged 23-36, and the latter were divided into five groups: normozoospermia (13 cases), oligozoospermia (27 cases), asthenozoospermia (31 cases), oligoasthenozoospermia (17 cases) and oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (11 cases). Concentrations of MLT in the serum and seminal plasma of the subjects were detected by ELISA.

RESULTSConcentrations of MLT in the serum showed no significant difference between the fertile and infertile men, and concentrations of MLT in the seminal plasma were lower than in the serum. Concentrations of MLT in the seminal plasma of the fertile men were not significantly different from those of the infertile men. Concentrations of MLT in the seminal plasma of the oligoasthenozoospermic and oligoasthenoteratozoospermic men were relatively lower than the fertile men, but the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSMLT of seminal plasma may have certain effect on sperm function, but it is necessary to further study and clarify its mechanism.

Adult ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; metabolism ; Male ; Melatonin ; analysis ; blood ; Semen ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between the TCM-type of male infertility and the laboratory results of sex hormone.

METHODSNinety-eight patients with male infertility were divided into 5 groups: Shenyangxu, Shenyinxu, Tanshineiyu, Ganyuxieyu and Jianjiaheng. Semen and blood samples were taken from each patient. Then both semen routine and serum hormone tests were performed, in which CLIA was used with sex hormone.

RESULTSThe routine test of semen showed that Shengyangxu group had a lower semen count (P < 0.01) and a lower survival ratio (P < 0.01) than shenyinxu group. Ganyuxieyu group had a lower survival ratio (P < 0.01) and inferior motility (P < 0.01). While the sex hormone test, showed that the Shenyinxu, Tanshineiyu, and Ganyuxueyu group had a higher level of testosterone (P < 0.05) than Shenyangxu group, and Shenyinxu group had a lower level of LH, FSH than Shenyanxu group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSSome relationship does exist between the TCM-type of male infertility and semen count, survival ratio and serum T, LH, FSH concentration.

Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Hormones ; blood ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; blood ; diagnosis ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Semen ; cytology ; Sperm Motility ; Testosterone ; blood

OBJECTIVETo test anti-Sp17 antibodies in the serum of AsAb positive infertile patients, to investigate the proportion of anti-Spl7 antibodies in AsAb and their potential application to the serologic diagnosis of immune infertility and immunocontraception.

METHODSWith human recombinant Sp17 as the antigen, the ELISA method was used to detect the positive rate, antibody titre and content of anti-Sp17 antibodies in the AsAb positive serum.

RESULTSThe positive rate of anti-Sp17 antibodies in the AsAb positive serum was 56.5%, with no significant difference in the gender aspect. The percentage of anti-Sp17 antibodies in AsAb was (10.09 +/-7.45) %, with statistical significance (P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONSp17 is an important sperm antigen. Anti-Sp17 antibodies in the serum can be taken as auxiliary diagnostic index of infertility, and Sp17 is shown to be a potential candidate immunocontraception vaccine.

Adult ; Antigens, Surface ; immunology ; Autoantibodies ; blood ; Carrier Proteins ; immunology ; Contraception, Immunologic ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; blood ; immunology ; Male ; Spermatozoa ; immunology

OBJECTIVEThis study is in an attempt to evaluate the diagnostic significance to predict the spermatogenesis of azoospermic men in examination of serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) combination with serum inhibin B (INHB).

METHODSQuantitative examination of serum FSH and INHB was performed in 95 case of azoospermic men. According to their classifications of testicular biopsy with histopathological examination, there were 20 patients of Sertoli cell only, 25 of hypospermatogenesis, 18 of spermatogenic maturation arrest (complete or incomplete), and 32 of normal spermatogenesis. The association of serum FSH and INHB levels with histopathological classifications were analyzed by using statistical software.

RESULTSSerum FSH, INHB and INHB/FSH levels of Sertoli cell only differed with statistical significance from hypospermatogenesis, spermatogenic maturation arrest and normal spermatogenesis (P<0.05). FSH, in which there were no statistical significance among the latter three classifications (P>0.05). Serum FSH, INHB and INHB/FSH levels were no relationship with maturation arrest (P>0.05), but were negatively related to the other classifications (P<0.05). INHB level less than 28.55 pg/ml predicted Sertoli cell only in a sensitivity of 97% and a specificity of 85%.

CONCLUSIONSerum FSH and INHB levels is ineffective to distinguish the spermatogenic classifications from azoospermic men, but they are available to confirm the disease of Sertoli cell only. The other abnormalities of azoospermic men is also dependent on bioptic histopathology to confirm the subtypes.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Azoospermia ; blood ; diagnosis ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; blood ; diagnosis ; Inhibins ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oligospermia ; Spermatogenesis ; Testis ; physiology ; Young Adult