Gavella M, Lipovac V
Vuk Vrhovac Institute, Medical Faculty University of Zagreb, Croatia.
Andrologia. 1998 Nov;30(6):317-23. doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0272.1998.tb01177.x.
The in vitro effect of zinc on superoxide anion (O2-) generation and on experimentally induced lipid peroxidation (LPO) in spermatozoa of infertile men was investigated. Washed spermatozoa pre-incubated for 30 min at 37 degrees C in the presence of 1 or 3 mmol l-1 zinc, released less superoxide anions (P < 0.03 and P < 0.02, respectively; n = 9) than the untreated spermatozoa. Similar results were obtained using activated polymorphonuclear leukocytes (1 x 10(6) cells ml-1) in the presence of 1 or 3 mmol l-1 Zn (P < 0.001 and P < 0.0002, respectively; n = 9). The in vitro evidence of the inhibitory effect of zinc on O2- generation by human spermatozoa and leukocytes indicates that zinc may act in vivo as a scavenger of excessive O2- production by defective spermatozoa and/or leukocytes in semen after ejaculation. A significant stimulatory effect of Zn (3 mmol l-1) on iron-induced lipid peroxidation, measured by the formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), was detected in the spermatozoa of 16 normo- and 17 asthenozoospermic males (P < 0.0001 and P < 0.001, respectively). In 11 samples with sperm concentration 20.3 +/- 2.1 x 10(6) ml-1, exhibiting initial TBARS concentration two times higher than in normo- and asthenozoospermic samples (40.5 +/- 2.4 vs. 17.1 +/- 1.1 and 28.5 +/- 4.1 nmoles TBARS 10(-8) spermatozoa), no effect of zinc on the LPO rate was found. The observed inhibitory effect of zinc on superoxide anion regardless of the initial O2- level and stimulatory effect of zinc depending on the initial LPO rate in human spermatozoa suggests that this metal ion participates in the oxidative changes occurring after ejaculation and thus may modulate the properties of germ cells.
研究了锌对不育男性精子中超氧阴离子（O2-）生成及实验诱导的脂质过氧化（LPO）的体外作用。在1或3 mmol l-1锌存在下，于37℃预孵育30分钟的洗涤精子，释放的超氧阴离子比未处理的精子少（分别为P < 0.03和P < 0.02；n = 9）。在1或3 mmol l-1 Zn存在下，使用活化的多形核白细胞（1 x 10(6) 个细胞/ml）也获得了类似结果（分别为P < 0.001和P < 0.0002；n = 9）。锌对人精子和白细胞产生O2-具有抑制作用的体外证据表明，锌在体内可能作为射精后精液中缺陷精子和/或白细胞过度产生O2-的清除剂。通过硫代巴比妥酸反应性物质（TBARS）的形成来测量，在16名正常和17名弱精子症男性的精子中检测到锌（3 mmol l-1）对铁诱导的脂质过氧化有显著刺激作用（分别为P < 0.0001和P < 0.001）。在11个精子浓度为20.3 +/- 2.1 x 10(6) ml-1的样本中，其初始TBARS浓度比正常和弱精子症样本高两倍（40.5 +/- 2.4对17.1 +/- 1.1和28.5 +/- 4.1 nmol TBARS 10(-8)精子），未发现锌对LPO速率有影响。锌对超氧阴离子的抑制作用与初始O2-水平无关，而对人精子中LPO速率的刺激作用则取决于初始LPO速率，这表明这种金属离子参与射精后发生的氧化变化，因此可能调节生殖细胞的特性。
