Abstract
BackgroundZinc in human seminal plasma is divided into three types of ligands which are high (HMW), intermediate (IMW), and low molecular weight ligands (LMW). The present study was aimed to study the effect of Zn supplementation on the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of semen along with Zinc Binding Protein levels in the seminal plasma in asthenozoospermic patients.MethodsSemen samples were obtained from 37 fertile and 37 asthenozoospermic infertile men with matched age. The subfertile group was treated with zinc sulfate, every participant took two capsules per day for three months (each one 220mg). Semen samples were obtained (before and after zinc sulfate supplementation). After liquefaction seminal fluid at room temperature, routine semen analyses were performed. For determination of the amount of zinc binding proteins, the gel filtration of seminal plasma on Sephadex G-75 was performed. All the fractions were investigated for protein and for zinc concentration by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Evaluation of chromatograms was made directly from the zinc concentration in each fraction.ResultsA significant high molecular weight zinc binding ligands percentage (HMW-Zn %) was observed in seminal plasma of fertile males compared with subfertile males. However, seminal low molecular weight ligands (LMW-Zn) have opposite behavior. The mean value of semen volume, progressive sperm motility percentage and total normal sperm count were increased after zinc sulfate supplementation.ConclusionsZinc supplementation restores HMW-Zn% in seminal plasma of asthenozoospermic subjects to normal value. Zinc supplementation elevates LMW-Zn% in seminal plasma of asthenozoospermic subjects to more than normal value.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01612403
Highlights
Zinc in human seminal plasma is divided into three types of ligands which are high (HMW), intermediate (IMW), and low molecular weight ligands (LMW)
There are several causes leading to male infertility, like radiation, cigarette smoking, varicocele, antibacterial drugs, infections, obstructive lesions, therapeutic drugs, trauma, genitourinary infection, environmental agents, oxidative stress, and nutritional deficiency of trace elements like, selenium and zinc [3,4]
All the fractions were investigated for protein (A 280nm) and for zinc concentration by atomic absorption spectrophotometry
Summary
Zinc in human seminal plasma is divided into three types of ligands which are high (HMW), intermediate (IMW), and low molecular weight ligands (LMW). There are several causes leading to male infertility, like radiation, cigarette smoking, varicocele, antibacterial drugs, infections, obstructive lesions, therapeutic drugs, trauma, genitourinary infection, environmental agents, oxidative stress, and nutritional deficiency of trace elements like, selenium and zinc [3,4]. Low seminal Zn levels were coupled with a decrease in fertilizing ability of sperm [11] and decreased the synthesis of testosterone [12,13]. It can cause atrophy of the seminiferous tubules in the rat, and that leads to malfunction in spermatogenesis and impotence [14]
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