title: Effect of smoking status on seminal parameters and apoptotic markers in infertile men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We assessed semen parameters, sperm apoptotic markers and seminal plasma cotinine in infertile smokers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 160 men were divided into 4 equal groups, including fertile smokers, fertile nonsmokers, infertile smokers and infertile nonsmokers. Smoking was classified as mild--fewer than 10, moderate--10 to 20 or heavy--more than 20 cigarettes daily. All men underwent semen analysis, and assessment of sperm caspase-9, Smac/DIABLO, DNA fragmentation and seminal plasma cotinine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Infertile men, particularly smokers, have significantly lower semen variables and significantly higher sperm Smac/DIABLO, caspase-9 activity, the percent of DNA fragmentation and seminal plasma cotinine. The mean number of cigarettes smoked daily and smoking duration significantly correlated positively with sperm Smac/DIABLO, caspase-9 activity, the percent of DNA fragmentation and seminal plasma cotinine, and significantly correlated negatively with tested semen variables. Heavy smoking was associated with a significant increase in sperm Smac/DIABLO, caspase-9 activity and seminal plasma cotinine, and with a significant decrease in tested semen variables compared with those in moderate or mild smokers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Smoking has a negative impact on semen variables. It is associated with increased sperm caspase-9, Smac/DIABLO and the percent of DNA fragmentation, especially in infertile heavy smokers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Gamil A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Tawadrous
authors.forename: Amal A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Aziz
authors.forename: Taymour
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mostafa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D053453:Caspase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D003367:Cotinine / Q000378:metabolism*; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012661:Semen / Q000378:metabolism*; D055101:Semen Analysis; D012907:Smoking / Q000378:metabolism*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D053453:Caspase 9; D003367:Cotinine