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Leucocyte populations in semen and male accessory gland function: relationship with antisperm antibodies and seminal quality
Author(s) -
Kortebani G.,
Gonzales G. F.,
Barrera C.,
Mazzolli A. B.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
andrologia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.633
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1439-0272
pISSN - 0303-4569
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0272.1992.tb02637.x
Subject(s) - asthenozoospermia , andrology , semen , sperm , sperm motility , male infertility , epididymis , vas deferens , seminal vesicle , azoospermia , oligospermia , biology , motility , infertility , semen analysis , medicine , endocrinology , pregnancy , prostate , genetics , cancer
Summary. Semen samples from 279 infertility patients attending an Immunological Centre were analysed to evaluate the relationship between the populations of leucocytes, seminal quality, antisperm antibodies, and seminal vesicle function. The most frequent finding between leucocytos‐permic samples was asthenozoospermia (57%), whereas in non‐leucocytospermic samples normo‐zoospermia was the most frequent finding (47%). In the samples with asthenozoospermia, granulocytes predominated, whereas in those with oligozoospermia and azoospermia a reduction in the number of macrophages and lymphocytes was observed, suggesting an obstructive process at the level of epididymis and/or vas deferens where these leucocytes are mostly produced. In the case of hypofunction of the seminal vesicles there was a predominance in granulocytes. The increased levels of each type of leucocytes affected seminal quality only when seminal vesicles were affected. Only the elevated granulocytes count was related to a decrease in sperm motility. In those samples with leucocytospermia, positive antisperm antibodies (ASA) were associated with low sperm motility, low sperm normal morphology, and low value of seminal corrected fructose, whereas, in the absence of leucocytospermia, ASA, were more related to low sperm counts. These data suggest that granulocytes were more related to seminal vesicles dysfunction and sperm motility changes, and that ASA may be observed in the presence or absence of leucocytospermia.