Monocyte chemotactic factor content in normal sperm and in samples of ejaculate with diminished fertility

Abstract

Aim. To study the dynamics of monocyte chemotactic factor (MCP-1) content in the ejaculate of healthy men and men with diminished spermatozoid concentration.
 Material and methods.Sixty-four men were examined. The main group included 16 patients with azoospermia. The comparison group – 24 patients with oligozooasthenospermia (spermatozoid concentration lower than 15 mln/ml). The control group was presented by ejaculate samples of 24 healthy men, characterized by normal parameters. The MCP-1 concentration was determined with the method of solid phase enzyme immunoassay using the assay kit “MCP-1-EIA-BEST” (A8784) (CJSC Vector-Best, Russia).
 Results. The mean MCP-1 concentration in the samples of undiluted seminal plasma was 2242.8 ± 672.0 pg/ml versus the blood serum, where MCP-1 content was 18.9 times lower and was 118.8 ± 22.9 pg/ml. No reliable differences were revealed when comparing the mean values of MCP-1 in the studied groups in ejaculates; there were also no statistically significant difference between the indices in MCP-1 groups in the blood serum.
 Conclusions. Male seminal plasma is characterized by unusually high MCP-1 content, exceeding more than tenfold the concentration of this protein in the blood serum. High MCP-1 concentration in sperm and the absence of its dependence on the concentration of this protein in blood serum indicates local production of this protein into the seminal plasma by male reproductive organs. Further studies are needed to find out a concrete localization of the sites of production of this protein in male genital organs and to study its probable role in reproductive processes in male and female organisms.