title: Insight into the serum kisspeptin levels in infertile males.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Regulation of reproduction is now considered to be carried out by the kisspeptin and its receptor, GPR54 or Kiss1r. Mutations of either Kiss1 or Kiss1r in humans and mice result in profound hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. The present study was aimed to determine whether the levels of kisspeptin are associated with male infertility.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study involved 176 male subjects aged 18 - 50 years including 26 fertile and 150 infertile. Infertile subjects were further subdivided according to WHO guidelines of semen analysis into 22 asthenozoospermia, 08 asthenoteratozoospermia, 18 azoospermia, 58 normozoospermia, 06 oligozoospermia, 12 oligoasthenozoospermia and 26 oligoasthenoteratozoospermia. Thorough clinical examinations excluded those suffering from chronic health problems. Serum kisspeptin levels were measured by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone were estimated by chemiluminescence assay (CLIA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of the present study have revealed that kisspeptin levels were significantly lower in all infertile males as compared to the fertile males. Significantly low LH and testosterone levels were observed in all infertile groups as compared to fertile group. FSH levels were significantly lower in normozoospermic and azoospermic as compared to fertile males, while no significant difference was observed between the other infertile and fertile group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study revealed that serum kisspeptin levels were observed significantly lower in the infertile as compared to fertile males, indicating that the kisspeptin might be associated with the fertility problems in males.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan. mohsin_gnu@yahoo.com; mohsin.ibms@kmu.edu.pk.
authors.forename: Muhammad Haris
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ramzan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Peshawar Medical College, Peshawar, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramzan
authors.affiliation: Gomal Centre of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Faiqah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ramzan
authors.affiliation: Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Fazal
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wahab
authors.affiliation: Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Musharraf
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jelani
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, District Headquarter Teaching Hospital, Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Aslam
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Mohsin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shah
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D053627:Asthenozoospermia / Q000097:blood; D053713:Azoospermia / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000097:blood*; D059648:Kisspeptins / Q000097:blood*; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000097:blood; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C106628:KISS1 protein, human; D059648:Kisspeptins; D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone