Abstract

STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SEMINAL PLASMA HYPER VISCOSITY AND OXIDATIVE STRESS IN INFERTILE MEN

*Dr. Husham Salih Hammood

ABSTRACT

Objective To show the relationship between semen hyper viscosity and oxidative stress in infertile male by measuring MDA as a biomarker of oxidative stress and PON-1 as an antioxidant agent in hyper viscid semen. Patients And Methods: Hyper viscid Semen was collected from 60 infertile patients who attended to outpatient clinic of andrology department in Kasr AL-Ainy hospitals; the samples were subjected to semen fluid analysis according to WHO criteria of 2010 to determine the viscosity and other parameters of semen. Then the samples were centrifuged and seminal plasma was separated and Freezed in a temperature -70 c without preservative for one or two months and then determine the level of oxidative stress in form of malondialdehyde (MDA) and anti-oxidant capacity in form of paraxonase-1 (PON-1). The patients were selected after exclusion criteria such as lukocytospermia, smoking, alcohol intake, chronic diseases and anti-oxidant therapy. Results  The level of MDA showed a highly significant difference between the Azoospermic and Normozoospermic groups (p = 0.006), and again between the Normozoospermic and Oligo and/or Asthenozoospermic groups (p <0.001). Similarly, the level of PON-1 showed a highly significant difference between Azoospermic and Normozoospermic groups (p = 0.001) as showed in table (1).  A significant difference between the three study groups regarding the grade of viscosity was found as showed in table (2).  A significant negative correlation between MDA and PON-1 in the three study groups was found as showed in tables (3, 4, and 5).  A significant inverse relationship was elicited between the levels of PON-1and the percentage of abnormal forms of sperm among Oligo and/or Asthenozoospermic cases as showed in table (5).  Among patients with grade (2) hyper viscosity a highly significant difference was elicited between Normozoospermic and Oligo and/or Asthenozoospermic groups regarding both MDA (p =0.005) and PON-1 (p =0.002) as showed in table (6). Conclusion: MDA level show a highly significant difference between Azoospermic and Normozoospermic groups as well as between Oligo and/or Asthenozoospermic and Normozoospermic cases, There is an elevated MDA concentration in Azoospermic and Oligo and/or Asthenozoospermic cases. There is no significant correlation between MDA level and semen parameters in form of count, motility and morphology whether in Normozoospermic or Oligo and/or Asthenozoospermic cases. In regard to PON-1 also there is a highly significant difference between Azoospermic and Normozoospermic groups in one hand and between Oligoand/or Asthenozoospermic and Normozoospermic groups in another hand. PON-1 levels were low in Azoospermic and Oligo and/or Asthenozoospermic cases when compared with Normozoospermic cases. An inverse relationship between MDA as a biomarker of OS and PON-1 as an indicator of TAC in the three study groups was noted. Also there is a significant negative correlation between PON-1 and abnormal forms percent within Oligo and/or Asthenozoospermic cases. For semen hyper viscosity we demonsted a significant difference between the three study groups regarding the grade of viscosity. A highly significant difference was elicited between Normozoospermic and Oligo and/or Asthenozoospermic groups regarding both MDA and PON-1 among grade (2) hyper viscosity; this may indicate that OS may be a precipitating or a causative factor which may play a role in semen hyper viscosity.

Keywords: Semen hyper viscosity, oxidative stress (OS), anti-oxidant (AO), Azoospermia, Normozoospermia, Oligo and /or Asthenozoospermia, Malondialdehyde (MDA), Paraxonase-1 (PON-1).