Abstract
Objective: To analyze and compare acid β-glucuronidase, α-mannosidase, α-glycosidase, α-galactosidase, β-galactosidase, and β-N-acetylglucosaminidase activities in fertile and infertile patients. Design: An observational, controlled, clinical study. Setting: A university tertiary hospital. Patient(s): Thirty-six fertile controls, 24 infertile oligoasthenoteratozoospermic (OAT) patients, and 10 azoospermic patients, who served as negative controls. Intervention(s): None. Main Outcome Measure(s): Analysis of the six glycosidase activities in seminal plasma and in solubilized spermatozoa. Result(s): α-galactosidase and β-galactosidase activities in spermatozoa were significantly correlated with the serum levels of gonadotropins both in fertile controls and in OAT patients. The relative contribution of α-galactosidase and β-galactosidase from the soluble fraction of spermatozoa to the total activity measured in the ejaculate of OAT patients was significantly lower than in fertile controls. The activities of β-galactosidase and β-N-acetylglucosaminidase in the soluble fraction of spermatozoa from OAT patients were significantly lower than in fertile controls. In seminal plasma, the activity of α-mannosidase from OAT patients was significantly higher than in fertile controls. The activity of β-N-acetylglucosaminidase in the nonsoluble fraction of spermatozoa from OAT patients was three times higher than in fertile controls. Conclusion(s): The abnormalities in the distributions and contents of α-galactosidase, β-galactosidase, and β-N-acetylglucosaminidase in sperm suggest possible functional defects in spermatozoa from OAT infertile patients.
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