title: Evaluation of beta-endorphin and interleukin-6 in seminal plasma of patients with certain andrological diseases.
abstract: Human semen contains large amounts of opioid peptides and cytokines. We have measured the concentrations of interleukin (IL)-6 in 140 semen samples and of beta-endorphin in 77 semen samples. The median concentration of beta-endorphin in seminal plasma from normozoospermic men (n = 23) was 154.7 pg/ml (10th-90th percentiles, 42.0-774.6), and there was no significant difference in the beta-endorphin concentration among normozoospermic, oligozoospermic (n = 28), asthenozoospermic (n = 15), azoospermic (n = 4) and post-vasectomy (n = 7) samples. There was no correlation between beta-endorphin concentration and sperm characteristics, nor with blood hormones. beta-Endorphin concentration was lower in cases with immunological infertility, as revealed by a positive direct mixed antiglobulin reaction test (n = 12) (P < 0.01), than in matched controls. The median concentration of IL-6 in samples with normal sperm concentration, motility and morphology with or without white blood cells (n = 39) was 26.1 pg/ml (10th-90th percentiles, 7.3-172.3), and there was no significant difference in the IL-6 concentration among normozoospermic, oligozoospermic (n = 46), asthenozoospermic (n = 32), azoospermic (n = 13) and post-vasectomy (n = 10) samples. The IL-6 concentration was significantly higher in cases of varicocele (n = 22) without white blood cells in semen (P < 0.001) than in matched controls without varicocele (n = 23). In addition, the IL-6 concentration was elevated (P < 0.0001) in cases with accessory sex gland inflammation (n = 40). IL-6 concentration was positively correlated with white blood cells in semen (n = 60, r = 0.59, P < 0.0001), but there was no correlation with beta-endorphin concentration. The IL-6 concentration chosen to differentiate between cases with and without accessory gland inflammation was 45.3 pg/ml, with a specificity of 80.6% and a sensitivity of 92.5%. It is concluded that beta-endorphin in seminal plasma plays an immune suppressive role, and that increased IL-6 concentration may be related to testicular dysfunction in cases with varicocele. Furthermore, IL-6 is an accurate marker of accessory sex gland inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Department, Mansoura University, Egypt.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zalata
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hafez
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Van Hoecke
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Comhaire
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014646:Varicocele / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014659:Vasectomy; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D001615:beta-Endorphin