title: Cytokines in semen of normal men and of patients with andrological diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The potential value of assessment of cytokine concentrations for the diagnosis of certain pathological conditions of male reproduction has not been fully evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  The concentrations of interleukin 6 (IL-6, pg/mL), its soluble receptor (IL-6 sR, ng/mL), and of interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta, pg/mL) have been measured in semen samples of 114 men and 12 corresponding blood sera.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The concentration of IL-6 was unrelated to that of its receptor. Both IL-6 and IL-6 sR were higher in the first (mean: 69 and 31 resp.) than in the second fraction (39 and 13) of split ejaculates, and were within normal limits in vasectomised men. The Interleukin 1 beta concentration presented a strong positive correlated with that of IL-6 (r = 0.74, P < 0.001). The concentrations of IL-6 and IL-1 beta were unrelated to sperm concentration, motility and morphology, and they were within normal limits in immunological cases. Both IL-6 and IL-1 beta were higher (P < 0.01) in cases with accessory gland inflammation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Measurement of in particular IL-6 in semen may contribute to the diagnosis of inflammatory disease of the accessory sex glands (positive predictive value = 98%, sensitivity = 72%, specificity = 94%), but it is not relevant for the diagnosis of immunological disease.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Ghent, Department of Internal Medicine, Belgium.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Comhaire
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bosmans
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ombelet
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Punjabi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schoonjans
mesh_terms: D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000032:analysis*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D012372:ROC Curve; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000032:analysis*; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6; D012016:Reference Values; D012661:Semen / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6