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Cytokines play an important role in intercellular communications. Human sperm contains a wide spectrum of cytokines, such as interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 ) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF- ). Their effects on semen quality are subject to debate. The aim of this study was to determine concentrations of IL-1 and TNF- in normal fertile men and in different groups of male infertility in an attempt to clarify the physiology and suggest possible clinical uses. Sixty-six subfertile male patients with varicocele ( n = 22), infection of accessory genital glands ( n = 14), varicocele plus infection ( n = 4), chronic epididymitis ( n = 8), post-renal transplantation status ( n = 5), idiopathic oligoasthenoteratospermia ( n = 9), cryptorchidism ( n = 1), and homozygous beta-thalassemia ( n = 3) as well as 5 male controls were studied through history, physical examination, spermiograms, plasma basal hormonal levels, and IL-1 and TNF- levels in seminal fluid. There was no significant statistical difference regarding IL-1 and TNF- among fertile men and subfertile patients of any cause. IL-1 and TNF- were in tight positive correlation ( p < .001). Determination of IL-1 and TNF- does not provide useful information in male routine infertility workup. Nevertheless, a better understanding of these mediators in semen of normal men and infertile patients may contribute to a new approach to the management of male infertility.

CD23 is a protein on the surface of certain hemopoietic cells and it is considered to be the low affinity receptor for immunoglobulin IgE, (FcεRll/CD23). The regulation of the expression of CD23 depends on the type of cell on which it is found. Like most of the FcR receptors, it is released in a soluble form (sCD23) in the extracellular fluid. This form is found in increased levels in the serum of allergic patients and in neoplastic diseases. We studied total IgE and sCD23 in the serum of 30 allergic patients undergoing immunotherapy, 15 allergic patients treated only symptomatically for grass pollen (GP) allergy, 15 healthy and subjects. We found that the mean values of total IgE and sCD23 after the course of hyposensitization were decreased compared to those before treatment as well as to those GP allergic patients under conventional therapy and to healthy adults. However, only the CD23 decrease was statistically significant. Therefore, we speculate that determination of sCD23 may be useful for (a) the general evaluation of allergic patients and (b) the immunological monitoring of patients under immunotherapy.