Role and impact of changes of seminal plasma cytokines in male infertility

ABSTRACT

The present study was aimed to measure the levels of seminal plasma cytokines including tumor necrosis factor - alpha [TNF-alpha], interferon- gamma [INF- gamma], interleukin 8 [IL-8] and interleukin 6 [IL-6] in infertile and fertile males. It is aimed also to determine the relationship of seminal cytokines with semen quality. The study was performed upon 10 normal healthy and 30 adult men complaining of primary infertility in spite of regular vaginal coitus with intra-vaginal ejaculation and the duration of marriage was more than one year ago. Cases were classified equally into 4 groups according to history taking, clinical findings and semen examination. Group 1 [control] comprised of fertile adult men with sperm count >20 x 10 6 sperm/cc. Group II was infertile adult men with varicocele and oligospermia. Group III included infertile adult men with genitourinary tract infection with oligospermia. Group IV was infertile adult men with azospermia. TNF-alpha, INF-gamma, IL-8 and IL-6 concentrations in seminal plasma were determined using high sensitivity ELISA kits specific for each cytokine separately. Seminal levels of TNF-alpha, INF-gamma, IL-8 and IL-6 were significantly higher in oligospermia with genitourinary infection than the other groups while the azospermic group showed the lowest seminal levels of cytokines. There are a significant and positive correlation between both TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, IL-8 and some abnormal parameters in semen analysis which actually leads to infertility. These parameters are percentage of immotile sperms, sluggish sperms and abnormal forms of sperms. IL-6 was significantly correlated with leukocytic count/HPF. Seminal plasma cytokines were significantly increased in oligospermic patients with genitourinary infection. They play an important role in male infertility as there are positive correlation between their levels in seminal plasma and different abnormalities in semen analysis. Their measurement in seminal plasma seems to be a sensitive and useful marker for infection/inflammation of the genital tract