title: Soluble Fas and gonadal hormones in infertile men with varicocele.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess gonadal hormones in serum and semen as well as seminal antiapoptotic factor; soluble fibroblast associated (sFas) in infertile men associated with scrotal varicocele.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-eight males: fertile healthy controls (Gr1, n = 12), fertile normozoospermia with varicocele (Gr2, n = 31), and infertile oligoasthenozoospermia with varicocele (Gr3, n = 45).
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum and seminal gonadal hormones: follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin (PRL), and testosterone (T), in addition to seminal sFas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant higher mean levels of serum FSH, serum, and seminal LH with significant lower seminal T levels in cases of Gr3 compared with Gr2. Mean seminal sFas in Gr3 were significantly higher than its levels in Gr1 and 2 (mean +/- SE 8.34 +/- 0.36 vs. 6.8 +/- 0.53 and 6.06 +/- 0.39 ng/mL, respectively). Nonsignificant differences between serum and seminal gonadal hormones were elicited between Gr2 and controls. Seminal sFas in various varicocele grades demonstrated nonsignificant differences. There were significant positive correlations between seminal sFas with serum FSH, serum LH, semen FSH, sperm abnormal forms percentage, and significant negative correlations with sperm concentration and sperm motility.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  sFas could play a role in germ cell apoptosis in varicocele-associated cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Andrology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hatem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zedan
authors.forename: Abdel Wasea M M
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: El-Mekhlafi
authors.forename: Amira M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: El-Noweihi
authors.forename: Nagwa E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Abd El-Azim
authors.forename: Taymour
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mostafa
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D053627:Asthenozoospermia / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D043373:Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Human / Q000032:analysis; D042341:Gonadal Hormones / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011388:Prolactin / Q000032:analysis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012661:Semen / Q000737:chemistry*; D055101:Semen Analysis; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000032:analysis; D014646:Varicocele / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D043373:Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Human; D042341:Gonadal Hormones; D019014:fas Receptor; D013739:Testosterone; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone