Seminal Plasma Soluble forms of Fas, Oxidants and Antioxidants in Infertile Men with Varicocele | ||
| Bulletin of Egyptian Society for Physiological Sciences | ||
| Article 6, Volume 32, Issue 2, December 2012, Pages 71-88 PDF (211.73 K) | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/besps.2012.35825 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Gamil Tawadrous* 1; T Mostafa2; Amal Aziz3 | ||
| 1Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt | ||
| 2Department of Andrology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt | ||
| 3Department of Clinical & Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Varicocele is a common cause of male infertility Recent studies at the molecular level have demonstrated that varicocele can cause testicular nuclear DNA damage, apoptosis, and raised levels of reactive oxygen species. The present study was carried out on 120 men: 60 infertile (30 with varicocele and 30 without) and 60 fertile men (30 with varicocele and 30 without). Varicocele was diagnosed clinically and by ultrasonography. Standard semen analysis (sperm concentration, motility, morphology; and seminal leucocytic counts) was performed according to the criteria presented by World Health Organization in 2010. Then, the seminal plasma was assessed for levels of oxidants [malondialdehyde (MDA)], antioxidants [ascorbic acid, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD)] and seminal antiapoptotic factor; soluble fibroblast associated (sFas) which has been identified in the testis as a key physiological regulator of apoptosis. The results revealed that patients with varicocele had significantly higher seminal oxidants (MDA P< 0.001) and significantly lower seminal antioxidants (SOD, GPx, CAT and ascorbic acid; P < 0.001) and sFas; (P<0.001); as compared to men without varicocele whether fertile or infertile. Patients with grade3 varicocele had significantly higher seminal oxidants, and significantly lower antioxidants and sFas as compared to grade 1 varicoceles (P<0.001). Also, infertile men with or without varicocele had significantly higher seminal oxidants (MDA P<0.001) and significantly lower seminal antioxidants (SOD, GPx, CAT and ascorbic acid; P<0.001) and sFas; (P<0.001); compared to fertile men with or without varicocele. Moreover, sperm concentrations in men with varicocele (fertile and infertile showed significant positive correlations with the levels of ascorbic acid (r=0.882 & 0.626,respectively, P<0.001 for each); with the activity of SOD (r=0.901&0.711 respectively, P<0.001 for each), GPx (r=0.909 &0.703 respectively, P<0.001 for each), CAT (r=0.751&0.679 respectively, P<0.001 for each), and sFas (r=0.750 &0.542, P<0.001& <0.005 respectively), and significant negative correlations with the levels of MDA (r= -0.896 & - 0.732 respectively, P<0.001 for each), In addition, sperm motility showed similar correlations as the sperm concentrations. Conclusions: The present results indicated that varicocele in fertile and infertile men is associated with increased oxidative stress (indicated with significant increase of MDA), and significant decrease in seminal antiapoptotic factor (sFas) and antioxidants (SOD, GPx, CAT and ascorbic acid). These associations were strongly correlated with increased grade of varicocele. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Male infertility; antioxidant; oxidant; Varicocele; apoptosis; sFas | ||
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