title: IL-18 levels in the semen of male infertility: semen analysis.
abstract: This study investigated the relationship between interleukin (IL)-18 levels and male infertility. Semen samples from 57 infertile and normal males were subjected to semen analysis. The pH of the semen samples from normal and abnormal groups showed no significant difference (p>0.05). However, semen volume, density, forward movement percentage, activity, survival rate, and normal morphology rate of the sperms in the normal group were significantly higher than those of the abnormal group (p<0.01). The IL-18 levels of semen in the abnormal group (810.91 pg/mL) were higher than that of the normal group (402.74 pg/mL; p<0.01). Analyses indicate that seminal fluid IL-18 positively correlates with IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor-α. Seminal IL-18 level does not affect bacterial colony count. Results indicate that IL-18 may be important in male reproduction.
authors: Microbiology Laboratory, The Second People's Hospital of Lianyungang, 41 East Hailian Road, Xinpu 222006, China. Electronic address: qianli008@yahoo.com.
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: Qian
authors: Microbiology Laboratory, The Second People's Hospital of Lianyungang, 41 East Hailian Road, Xinpu 222006, China. Electronic address: zhoulygsh@sina.com.
authors: Yan
authors: Y
authors: Zhou
authors: Department of Nursing, The Second People's Hospital of Lianyungang, 41 East Hailian Road, Xinpu 222006, China.
authors: Chunling
authors: C
authors: Du
authors: Microbiology Laboratory, The Second People's Hospital of Lianyungang, 41 East Hailian Road, Xinpu 222006, China.
authors: Jiangtao
authors: J
authors: Wen
authors: Microbiology Laboratory, The Second People's Hospital of Lianyungang, 41 East Hailian Road, Xinpu 222006, China.
authors: Shijie
authors: S
authors: Teng
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, The Second People's Hospital of Lianyungang, 41 East Hailian Road, Xinpu 222006, China.
authors: Zhaolin
authors: Z
authors: Teng
mesh_terms: D002470:Cell Survival; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000378:metabolism*; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D012661:Semen / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000382:microbiology; D055101:Semen Analysis; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D020382:Interleukin-18; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
keywords: Cytokine; IL-18; Semen