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Objective: To investigate the relationship between chronic infections detected in serum and semen quality. The pathogen burden is a concept consisting in the observation that, in patients with heart disease, damaging effects of the coronary arteries increase concomitantly with the number of agents responsible for chronic infections to which patients mounted a serological response. Previous observations that Helicobacter pylori infection may reduce the semen quality prompted us to perform the present study.Methods: Blood and semen samples were collected from 73 selected men, enrolled from January 2014 to January 2015. Semen characteristics were evaluated by light and transmission electron microscopy. Transmission electron microscopy data were quantified with a mathematical formula providing numerical scores, such as fertility index (FI, number of sperm free from ultrastructural defects) and the percentages of sperm apoptosis, immaturity, and necrosis. Serum samples were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the presence of immunoglobulin G to the most common agents of chronic infections such as H. pylori (HP), Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP), Chlamydophila pneumoniae (CP), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), and cytomegalovirus (CMV).Results: The prevalence of infections was as follows: HP 43.8%, CP 46.6%, MP 72.6%, EBV 95.9%, HSV-1 74.0%, and CMV 46.6%. Concomitantly with the increased number of pathogens against which the patients mounted a significant antibody response, sperm concentration (P <.05), sperm motility (P <.001), and fertility index (P <.001) were significantly reduced and the percentage of necrotic sperm was increased (P <.01).Conclusion: The higher the number of pathogens stimulating an immunoglobulin G systemic response, the lower was the semen quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To explore the relationships between seminal interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) with semen parameters, sperm apoptosis, and necrosis in subjects infected by Helicobacter pylori (HP) expressing and not expressing CagA. Methods In 109 selected patients, HP infection and seminal levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Western blotting was used to detect antibodies to CagA. Semen parameters were determined following World Health Organization guidelines and sperm apoptosis and necrosis by annexin V and propidium iodide assay. Results Twenty-eight subjects were infected by HP (HP+); among them, 12 were CagA seropositive (CagA+) and 16 were negative (CagA−). Eighty-one men were HP seronegative (HP−). Semen TNF-α and IL-6 concentrations were increased in HP+ vs HP− groups (TNF-α: 41 pg/mL vs 27 pg/mL; IL-6: 11 pg/mL vs 5 pg/mL; P <.01). In comparison to the HP− group, CagA+ group showed reduced sperm motility (24% vs 32% motile sperm; P <.05), enhanced necrosis (33.5% vs 21% necrotic sperm; P <.05), and increased cytokines levels (TNF-α: 46 pg/mL vs 27 pg/mL; P <.01; IL-6: 17.5 pg/mL vs 5 pg/mL; P <.01). Sperm motility of CagA+ group was lower vs CagA− group (24% vs 36.5% motile sperm; P <.05). Both IL-6 and TNF-α levels positively correlated with the percentage of necrotic sperm ( P <.001). Conclusion CagA+ HP infection increases semen levels of inflammatory cytokines, which may reduce sperm motility and determine sperm damage and contribute to reduce the reproductive potential in men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helicobacter pylori infecting strains may include colony subtypes with different cytotoxin-associated gene (cag) genotypes. We sought to determine whether the cag heterogeneity of infecting strains is related to the clinical outcome of infection. Gastric biopsies for culture and histologic study were taken from 19 patients infected with cagA-positive strains (6 with duodenal ulcer, 8 with atrophic gastritis, and 5 with nonatrophic gastritis). For each biopsy, DNA was extracted from 10 single colonies and from a sweep of colonies. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for cagA and cagE (both located in the right half of cag) and virB11 (located in the left half of cag) was performed. Random amplified polymorphic DNA PCR (RAPD-PCR) and sequencing of glmM PCR product were performed to verify strain identity of colonies with different cag genotypes. In all patients, PCR from sweeps were positive for cagA, showing that all specimens contained cagA-positive H. pylori subtypes. In 11 patients, PCR products from all colonies were positive for cagA, cagE, and virB11, but in 8 patients, PCR products from varying numbers of colonies were negative for 1 or more cag genes. RAPD-PCR and sequencing of glmM PCR product confirmed the strain identities of colonies with different cag genotypes. We detected cag deletions in 6 of 8, 2 of 5, and 0 of 6 patients with atrophic gastritis, nonatrophic gastritis, and duodenal ulcer, respectively (P = .02). In conclusion, changes in cag genotype in single colony isolates from subjects infected with cagA-positive H. pylori strains are more common in atrophic than in nonatrophic gastritis or duodenal ulcer. These findings are consistent with host-induced (acid secretion?) adaptive changes in cag genotype during infection. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective To explore the relationships between resistin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and semen parameters, sperm apoptosis, and necrosis in infertile patients and in control subjects with unknown reproductive potential with/without smoking habits, leukocytospermia, and varicocele. Design Prospective study. Setting Sperm laboratory. Patient(s) A total of 110 selected men. Intervention(s) Family history, clinical/physical examination, ELISA determination (resistin, IL-6, TNF-α), semen analysis, annexin V/propidium iodide assay. Main Outcome Measure(s) Relationships among resistin, IL-6, and TNF-α and semen parameters in the presence of smoking habits, varicocele, leukocytospermia, and in infertile subjects. Result(s) Resistin level was higher in semen than in serum. Resistin semen levels showed negative correlations with sperm motility and positive correlations with apoptotic, necrotic sperm and TNF-α and IL-6 levels. Resistin, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels were higher in smokers compared with nonsmokers and in cases with leukocytospermia, in which an increase in necrotic sperm and a decrease in the number of sperm with normal morphology and motility were observed. Cytokine levels were significantly higher in infertile patients compared with control subjects with unknown reproductive potential. A total of 74.5% of infertile patients showed leukocytospermia. Conclusion(s) Semen resistin correlated with IL-6, TNF-α, and sperm quality; in cases of leukocytospermia and smoking habits, resistin concentrations were increased, suggesting that resistin may play a regulatory role in inflammation of the male reproductive system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the occurrence of ghrelin and obestatin in human semen. Design: Prospective study. Setting: University, center for research and therapy of male infertility. Patient(s): 112 consecutively selected men. Intervention(s): Family history, clinical and physical examination, radioimmunoassay for ghrelin and obestatin determinations, semen analysis, annexinV/propidium iodide assay. Main Outcome Measure(s): Ghrelin and obestatin detected in the semen and relationships with semen parameters and conditions influencing semen quality (smoking, varicocele, ex varicocele, leukocytospermia). Result(s): The levels of both peptides in semen were higher versus serum. Linear correlations between ghrelin and obestatin levels in serum and in semen were observed. Serum ghrelin levels were negatively correlated with the men’s ages. Semen obestatin levels were positively correlated with sperm concentration and motility. Obestatin levels were decreased in the semen of smokers and in the presence of leukocytospermia. Conclusion(s): This is the first study on the presence of obestatin in human semen and its relationship with sperm concentration and motility, suggesting a possible role of the peptide in controlling cell proliferation and survival. Further investigations are required to explore the exact role of obestatin and ghrelin in human semen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]