Relationship between semen quality and the seminal plasma components carnitine, alpha-glucosidase, fructose, citrate and granulocyte elastase in infertile men compared with a normal population

• Published in: Human reproduction (Oxford) 2000-04, Vol.15 (4), p.840-845
• Main Authors: Zöpfgen, A., Priem, F., Sudhoff, F., Jung, K., Lenk, S., Loening, S.A., Sinha, P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; alpha-Glucosidases - analysis; biochemical markers; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - analysis; carnitine; Carnitine - analysis; Citric Acid - analysis; Fructose - analysis; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Infertility, Male - diagnosis; Infertility, Male - metabolism; Leukocyte Elastase - analysis; Male; Male genital diseases; male infertility; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Non tumoral diseases; Oligospermia - diagnosis; Oligospermia - metabolism; Semen - chemistry; Semen - physiology; seminal plasma; Sperm Motility; Spermatozoa - abnormalities; Vasectomy; α-glucosidase
• ISSN: 0268-1161; 1460-2350; 1460-2350
• DOI: 10.1093/humrep/15.4.840

The seminal plasma components neutral α-glucosidase, carnitine, fructose, citrate, and polymorphonuclear granulocyte (PMN) elastase in 253 men were determined. The seminal plasma of 221 infertile men, a control group with proved fertility and 13 patients after vasectomy were investigated. The concentrations of free carnitine (212 versus 521 μmol/l, n = 219, P < 0.001), total carnitine (437 versus 743 μmol/l, n = 219, P < 0.001), and the activity of neutral α-glucosidase (15.1 versus 23.4 IU/l, n = 236, P < 0.05) were significantly reduced in the infertile patient group as compared to the fertile control group, the concentration of PMN elastase (102 versus 48 μg/l, n = 234, P < 0.05) being significantly increased in the infertile patients. In the patients after vasectomy the activity of neutral α-glucosidase was the only epididymal marker that was significantly reduced (4.3 versus 9.8 IU/l, n = 35, P = 0.002) in comparison with the patients with testicular azoospermia. At a limit of 6 IU/l the sensitivity of the method was 92% and the specificity was 72%. Altogether, the epididymal markers were reduced in subfertile patients compared with the control group. For the differential diagnosis of azoospermia only the determination of the neutral α-glucosidase activity is useful.