title: Expression of IL-12, IL-10, PGE2, sIL-2R and sIL-6R in seminal plasma of fertile and infertile men.
abstract: The involvement of cytokines and other immunoregulatory factors in male infertility is still unclear. In the present study we compared the levels of IL-12, IL-10, PGE2, sIL-2R and sIL-6R in the seminal plasma (SP) of fertile and infertile men. Four groups were included: fertile donors (FERT), infertile men with azoospermia (AZOO), and infertile men with either oligoterato-asthenoazoospermia (OTA), or OTA with genital infection (OTA-INF). Cytokines and cytokine-soluble receptors in semen were evaluated by specific ELISA commercial kits. The levels of IL-12, sIL-2R and sIL-6R were similar in SP of fertile and infertile men. The mean levels of IL-10 in the SP of FERT, OTA and AZOO were 5.6 +/- 0.9, 4 +/- 2.8 and 8 +/- 3.5 pg ml-1, respectively, and did not differ significantly. The mean level of IL-10 in SP from OTA-INF (0.9 +/- 0.5 pg ml-1) was significantly lower than that for FERT (5.6 +/- 1.9 pg ml-1; P = 0.02) and AZOO (8.2 +/- 3.4 pg ml-1; P = 0.05), but not significantly different from that for OTA (3.7 +/- 2.1 pg ml-1). The mean SP level of PGE2 was significantly lower in SP of OTA-INF than FERT (7.67 +/- 2.26 and 19.67 +/- 3.69 micrograms ml-1, respectively; P < 0.02). In conclusion, the seminal plasma from fertile and infertile men contained similar levels of IL-12, sIL-2R and sIL-6R. However, the levels of IL-10 were significantly lower in SP from OTA-INF compared to FERT and AZOO. Our results indicate that specific cytokines and their soluble receptors are involved in the male reproductive system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka Medical Center of Kupat Holim Beer-Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huleihel
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lunenfeld
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Horowitz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Potashnik
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mazor
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Glezerman
mesh_terms: D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000378:metabolism*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000378:metabolism; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012661:Semen / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6; D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12; D015232:Dinoprostone