title: Impact of Cu and Fe concentrations on oxidative damage in male infertility.
abstract: Oxidative stress in the reproductive system is thought to have an effect on the fertilizing ability of sperm. The purpose of this study was to assess the interaction of iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) ions in suspected subfertile and fertile male groups and to find out the relationships of the semen parameters (sperm count, motility, and abnormal morphology), glutathione, malondialdehyde, and reactive oxygen species with these variables. Semen and blood obtained from 60 subfertile men and from 40 fertile volunteers were examined. The sperm count and motility in the subfertile male group were found lower than those in fertile male group (p < 0.001). Cu levels in serum and seminal plasma in the subfertile male group were significantly higher than those in the fertile male group (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively). There was also a significant increase in the Fe level of seminal plasma in the subfertile male group (p < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in the Fe level of serum in the subfertile male group. In conclusion, these findings suggest that Cu and Fe might be mediators of the effects of oxidative damage and play an essential role in spermatogenesis and male infertility; the determination of Fe and Cu levels in serum and seminal plasma during infertility investigation is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Birsen
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aydemir
authors.forename: Ali Riza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Kiziler
authors.forename: Ilhan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Onaran
authors.forename: Bulent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alici
authors.forename: Hamdi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ozkara
authors.forename: Mehmet Can
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Akyolcu
mesh_terms: D003300:Copper / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D012661:Semen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D003300:Copper; D007501:Iron