Peptide and steroid hormone concentrations in human seminal plasma.

Concentrations of peptide (alpha fraction of human chorionic gonadotropin [alpha-hCG], beta fraction of human chorionic gonadotropin [beta-hCG], luteinizing hormone [LH], follicle-stimulating hormone [FSH], and prolactin [PRL] ) and steroid hormones (testosterone [T], dihydrotestosterone [DHT], estrone [E1], estradiol [E2] and delta 4-androstenedione [A] ) were measured in the seminal plasma of 193 men. They were divided into three groups: group 1--patients attending an infertility clinic; group 2--normal volunteers of proven fertility; and group 3--men vasectomized at least 1 year prior to the study. Correlations among concentrations of hormones in seminal plasma and characteristics of the spermogram were studied. Seminal concentrations of alpha-hCG, beta-hCG, LH, T, and DHT were significantly higher in subjects with sperm in their ejaculate than in vasectomized men. No differences were observed among the groups in seminal concentrations of FSH, PRL, A, E1, and E2. Concentrations of beta-hCG and LH were highly correlated with the numbers and motility of sperm in the ejaculates. Testosterone concentrations were significantly correlated with motility of sperm.