title: Tissue-type plasminogen activator level is decreased in human seminal plasma with abnormal liquefaction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine plasminogen activators (PAs) and PA inhibitor levels in seminal plasma of patients attending an infertility clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quantification by immunologic method of PAs in seminal plasma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients of Department of Urology and Andrology, University Hospital, Nimes, France.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-two men attending for assessment because of infertility.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semen were collected by masturbation. Usual sperm parameters were determined; immediately after liquefaction, samples were snap-frozen at -85 degrees C until used for immunologic determination.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tissue-type PA antigen, urokinase-type PA antigen, and type 1 PA inhibitor antigen levels in seminal plasma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median values of PA were 270 ng/mL (tissue-type PA) and 5.4 ng/mL (urokinase-type PA) in normozoospermia; 290 ng/mL (tissue-type PA) and 5.7 ng/mL (urokinase-type PA) in oligozoospermia; 325 ng/mL (tissue-type PA) and 3.5 ng/mL (urokinase-type PA) in oligoasthenozoospermia. Type 1 PA inhibitor antigen levels were often under detection limit. Tissue-type PA was 173.5 ng/mL in semen with abnormal liquefaction and 290 ng/mL in semen with normal liquefaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study confirmed the presence of both types of PAs in seminal plasma, tissue-type PA being largely predominant. No difference was found in tissue-type PA, urokinase-type PA, or type 1 PA inhibitor antigen levels between normal and oligozoospermic semen nor between normal and asthenozoospermic semen. On the other hand, semen with abnormal liquefaction had significantly lower tissue-type PA level than normal semen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, University Hospital, Nimes, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arnaud
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Schved
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Gris
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Navratil
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Humeau
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D012016:Reference Values; D012661:Semen / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000378:metabolism*; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator