title: Coenzyme Q: potentially useful index of bioenergetic and oxidative status of spermatozoa.
abstract: The concentration of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), a key intermediate of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, was determined in spermatozoa of 13 fertile subjects, 8 potentially fertile patients, and 12 infertile patients. CoQ10 concentrations were significantly higher (P < 0.001) in infertile patients than in fertile and potentially fertile subjects. The difference between potentially fertile and fertile subjects was also significant (P < 0.001). We propose that a decrease in consumption of CoQ10 in both infertile and potentially fertile populations is due to an autoregulatory mechanism of ATP production.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Urologia "U. Bracci", Università degli Studi La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Angelitti
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Colacicco
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Callà
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arizzi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lippa
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D012016:Reference Values; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism*; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014451:Ubiquinone; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate