title: [Ureaplasma urealyticum infection affects sperm plasma membrane integrity in infertile men].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the impact of Ureaplasma urealyticum (Uu) infection on the integrity of sperm plasma membrane in infertile males.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-three semen samples were divided into a Uu infection group (n = 32) and a normal control group (n = 31). Conventional semen analyses were performed by computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA) and Uu detected by the culture method. The semen samples were washed with PBS and dyed by SYBR-14/PI double fluorescent staining, followed by detection of the integrity of sperm plasma membrane by flow cytometry. The percentage of the sperm with intact plasma membrane was indicated as the percentage of sperm emitting green fluorescence (SYBR-14+/PI-%).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Uu infection group showed a significantly decreased integrity of sperm plasma membrane ([45.14 +/- 10.69]%) and reduced percentage of grade a + b sperm ([23.29 +/- 8.81]%) as compared with the normal control group ([72.68 +/- 9.91]% and [46.32 +/- 9.54]%) (P < 0.01). But there were no significant differences in the semen volume, pH value, and sperm concentration between the two groups (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Uu infection decreases the integrity of sperm plasma membrane, which might be an important factor of male infertility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Andrology, Nanjing General Hospital of Nanjing Military Region, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210002, China. xiaxy@androl.cn
authors.forename: Xin-Yi
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Li-Mei
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Wei-Wei
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Xue-Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Ying-Xia
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Yu-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000473:pathology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D055101:Semen Analysis / Q000379:methods; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D016869:Ureaplasma Infections / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016990:Ureaplasma urealyticum; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D009930:Organic Chemicals; C093207:SYBR-14