title: Serum and seminal plasma insulin-like growth factor-1 in male infertility.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Growth hormone and its mediator, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), have been suggested to exert gonadotropic actions in both humans and animals. The present study was conducted to assess the relationship between serum IGF-1 concentration, seminal plasma concentration, and sperm parameter abnormalities.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 79 men were enrolled in this study from December 2011 to July 2012 and were prospectively analyzed. Patient parameters analyzed included age, body mass index, smoking status, urological history, and fertility history. Patients were divided into four groups based on their semen parameters: normal (A, n=31), abnormal sperm motility (B, n=12), abnormal sperm morphology (C, n=20), and two or more abnormal parameters (D, n=16). Patient seminal plasma and serum IGF-1 concentrations were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patient baseline characteristics were not significantly different between any of the groups. The serum IGF-1 levels in groups B, C, and D were significantly lower than the levels in group A; however, the seminal plasma IGF-1 levels were not significantly different between any of the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Men with abnormal sperm parameters had significantly lower levels of serum IGF-1 compared with men with normal sperm parameters. Seminal plasma IGF-1 levels, however, did not differ significantly between the groups investigated here. Further investigations will be required to determine the exact mechanisms by which growth hormone and IGF-1 affect sperm quality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Cheil General Hospital and Women's Healthcare Center, Dankook University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyo Serk
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Reproductive Biology and Infertility, Cheil General Hospital and Women's Healthcare Center, Dankook University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong-Seog
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Cheil General Hospital and Women's Healthcare Center, Dankook University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Joong Shik
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Cheil General Hospital and Women's Healthcare Center, Dankook University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ju Tae
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Seo
keywords: Infertility; Insulin-like growth factor-1; Male; Semen; Serum