title: Association of Smoking With Semen Quality and µ-Calpain Level in Normospermia: A Case-Control Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Calpains are a family of Ca(2+) dependent proteases. There is some evidence that calpains involved in fusion process that occurs between spermatozoa and the oocyte. The current study aimed to investigate the association of smoking with semen quality and µ-calpain level.
  
  
  METHODS
  This case-control study was conducted on 117 normospermia males between June 2013 and march 2014 in Jahad Laboratory in ahvaz, Iran. The semen samples were collected from male smokers (n = 50) and non-smokers (n = 67). We divided these participants as light, moderate, or heavy smokers based on their cigarettes per day (CPD). ELISA assays were used to measure µ-calpain concentration. All semen samples were analyzed according to World Health Organization guidelines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analysis of semen showed the volume, concentration, motility and morphology of semen were significantly lower among the smoker men than the non-smoker men. Also this significant difference was observed based on the number (light, moderate and heavy smokers) and duration (short term and long term smoker) of smoking. Although, showed no significant difference between µ-calpain of smoker men and non-smoker men. CPD showed negatively correlation with semen volume, concentration, motility and morphology of sperm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sperm quality was negatively correlated with CPD and duration of smoking. However, there is no significant correlation between smoking and µ-calpain concentration.
authors.affiliation: Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran; Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran; Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Damoon
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ashtary-Larky
authors.affiliation: Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ghaffari
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mozhgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noorbehbahani
authors.affiliation: Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran; Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Meysam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alipour
keywords: Calpain; Case-Control Study; Semen; Smoking