Section of Endocrinology, Andrology and Internal Medicine and Master in Andrological, Human Reproduction and Biotechnology Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Catania, Italy.
J Endocrinol Invest. 2012 Feb;35(2):219-23. doi: 10.3275/7924. Epub 2011 Sep 23.
Male accessory gland infections (MAGI) represent a major cause of male infertility mainly through the secretory dysfunction of the prostate, seminal vesicles, and epididymis. This study was undertaken to evaluate conventional and nonconventional sperm parameters in these patients, therefore 150 patients with MAGI were selected. Each of them underwent to two sperm analyses and evaluation of DNA fragmentation mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization, chromatin compactness, by flow cytometry. Results showed that patients with MAGI had a lower sperm progressive motility (11.4 ± 5.0 vs 34.0 ± 7.0%), and percentage of normal forms (9.0 ± 3.7 vs 33.0 ± 13.0%) compared to controls, instead, these patients showed higher number of seminal white blood cells (2.2 ± 1.0 vs 0.4 ± 0.6 106/ml). Patients with MAGI showed a higher number of spermatozoa with DNA fragmentation compared to controls (8.2 ± 3.0 vs 1.0 ± 1.0%). In addition, they have also a higher percentage of spermatozoa with low MMP (28.0 ± 4.0 vs 2.0 ± 2.0%). Patients with MAGI, showed a higher percentage of spermatozoa with PS externalization (8.0 ± 4.0 vs 3.0 ± 3.0%), an early sign of apoptosis, and lower percentage of viable spermatozoa (64.5 ± 12.0 vs 88.0 ± 10.0%). An increased percentage of spermatozoa with abnormal chromatin compactness (18.0 ± 4.0 vs 5.0 ± 3.0%) was found in patients with MAGI. In conclusion, patients with MAGI show alterations of conventional and biofunctional sperm parameters compared to controls. These results suggest to consider the flow cytometry evaluation among the diagnostic tools for male infertility.
男性附属腺感染（MAGI）是男性不育的主要原因，主要通过前列腺、精囊和附睾的分泌功能障碍引起。本研究旨在评估这些患者的常规和非常规精子参数，因此选择了 150 名 MAGI 患者。他们每个人都接受了两次精子分析和 DNA 碎片、线粒体膜电位（MMP）、磷脂酰丝氨酸（PS）外翻、染色质致密性的流式细胞术评估。结果显示，与对照组相比，MAGI 患者的精子前向运动能力（11.4±5.0 对 34.0±7.0%）和正常形态百分比（9.0±3.7 对 33.0±13.0%）较低，而这些患者的精液白细胞数量较高（2.2±1.0 对 0.4±0.6×106/ml）。MAGI 患者的精子碎片数量高于对照组（8.2±3.0 对 1.0±1.0%）。此外，他们的精子 MMP 较低的比例也较高（28.0±4.0 对 2.0±2.0%）。MAGI 患者的精子 PS 外翻百分比（8.0±4.0 对 3.0±3.0%）较高，这是凋亡的早期迹象，活精子的百分比较低（64.5±12.0 对 88.0±10.0%）。MAGI 患者的精子染色质致密性异常比例（18.0±4.0 对 5.0±3.0%）增加。总之，与对照组相比，MAGI 患者的常规和生物功能精子参数发生了改变。这些结果表明，应将流式细胞术评估纳入男性不育的诊断工具。
