title: Cysteine-rich secretory protein 1 in seminal plasma: potential biomarker for the distinction between obstructive and nonobstructive azoospermia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the presence of cysteine-rich secretory protein 1 (CRISP1) in seminal plasma as a means of distinguishing between obstructive azoospermia (OA) and nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Seminal plasma from normospermic donors (n = 45) and azoospermic donors (n = 80) was examined to determine CRISP1 levels. Neutral alpha-glucosidase (NAG) enzymatic activity was measured for comparison with CRISP1 levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Research unit of an academic medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Normospermic and azoospermic donors from the clinical andrology laboratory of the centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec and from Mount Sinai Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seminal CRISP1 measurement by Western blot analysis. Neutral alpha-glucosidase activity was evaluated by a photometric method.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seminal plasma CRISP1 levels, NAG activity, cutoff value, sensitivity, and specificity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All seminal plasma samples from normospermic and nonobstructive azoospermic donors were CRISP1 positive, whereas CRISP1 was absent or present at low levels in samples from patients with OA. A significant correlation between seminal CRISP1 levels and NAG activity was found in azoospermic semen samples. The cutoff point to distinguish between donors with NOA or OA was established at 0.655 (relative intensity). At this threshold, specificity was 85% and sensitivity was 92%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Seminal CRISP1 combined with NAG activity can potentially distinguish between OA and NOA.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche, Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec, Département Obstétrique, Gynécologie et Reproduction, Québec City, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Légaré
authors.forename: Francine
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cloutier
authors.forename: Sun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Makosso-Kallyth
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Laflamme
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jarvi
authors.forename: Roland R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Tremblay
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sullivan
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D019540:Area Under Curve; D053713:Azoospermia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis*; D009864:Ontario; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011792:Quebec; D012372:ROC Curve; D012661:Semen / Q000737:chemistry*; D000520:alpha-Glucosidases / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C103538:CRISP1 protein, human; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D000520:alpha-Glucosidases
keywords: Azoospermia; CRISP1; male infertility; seminal plasma