Involvement of serum and lipopolysaccharide in the production of interleukin-1- and interleukin-6-like molecules by human sperm cells.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the capacity of sperm cells from fertile and infertile men to secrete interleukin (IL)-6, and the involvement of serum factors and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the regulation of IL-6 and IL-1 production by sperm cells.


METHODS
Swim-up sperm cells from fertile (donors) and oligoteratoasthenospermic (OTA)-infertile men were incubated with or without 5% fetal calf serum (FCS) and LPS (10 microg/mL) for 2-24 hr. After incubation, IL-6 and IL-1 bioactivities were measured in supernatants and lysates by specific bioassays (B9 cell proliferation assay and 1A-5 system, respectively).


RESULTS
IL-6- and IL-1-like activities were observed to be produced by swim-up sperm cells from both study groups. Stimulation of swim-up sperm cells with either LPS or FCS or both together did not affect their capacity to produce IL-1. However, LPS, but not serum increased the secretion levels of IL-6 by swim-up sperm cells.


CONCLUSIONS
Swim-up sperm cells from both study groups constitutively produce IL-6 and IL-1, and serum components did not affect this capacity. However, LPS was shown to increase the capacity of swim-up sperm cells of both study groups to secrete IL-6, but not IL-1. Cytokines may be involved in the physiology and pathophysiology of sperm functions and, thus, may affect male fertility.
Huleihel
M
M
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel. huleihel@bgumail.bgu.ac.il
Lunenfeld
E
E
Horowitz
S
S
Levy
A
A
Potashnik
G
G
Mazor
M
M
Glezerman
M
M
D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002417:Cattle; D003470:Culture Media; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000276:immunology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology*
D003470:Culture Media; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides