Age-related changes in seminal polymorphonuclear elastase in men with asymptomatic inflammation of the genital tract  

作　　者：Raft Henkel Gesa Maaβ Andreas Jung Gerhard Haidl Wolf-Bernhard Schill Hans-Christian Schuppe 

机构地区：[1]Department of Medical Biosciences, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535, South Africa [2]Centre for Dermatology and Andrology, Justus Liebig University, 35385 Giessen, Germany [3]Department of Dermatology, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms University, 53105 Bonn, Germany

出　　处：《Asian Journal of Andrology》2007年第3期299-304,共6页亚洲男性学杂志（英文版）

摘　　要：Aim： To investigate age-related inflammatory events in the male genital tract. Methods： In a total of 4 265 randomly collected patients attending the andrological outpatient clinic of the Center for Dermatology and Andrology, University of Giessen, Germany, ejaculate volume, pH-value, sperm concentration, total and progressive sperm motility, concentration of polymorphonuclear （PMN） elastase, number of peroxidase-positive cells and fructose were measured and correlated with patient＇s age. Results： While ejaculate volume, motility and fructose all correlated negatively with age, sperm concentration, PMN elastase and the pH-value showed a positive correlation. The prevalence of male genital tract inflammation （as defined by PMN elastase 〉 250 ng/mL） and its severity increased significantly. PMN elastase did not correlate with sperm motility. Fructose as a marker of seminal vesicle function showed a significant negative relationship with the PMN elastase levels, the number of peroxidase-positive cells and sperm motility. Conclusion： The significant increases of PMN elastase levels as marker of male genital tract inflammation in older men appear to be indicative of age-related changes in local immunoregulatory mechanisms. Because there is no association of PMN elastase with sperm motility, a direct inhibitory effect of this enzyme can be excluded.Aim： To investigate age-related inflammatory events in the male genital tract. Methods： In a total of 4 265 randomly collected patients attending the andrological outpatient clinic of the Center for Dermatology and Andrology, University of Giessen, Germany, ejaculate volume, pH-value, sperm concentration, total and progressive sperm motility, concentration of polymorphonuclear （PMN） elastase, number of peroxidase-positive cells and fructose were measured and correlated with patient＇s age. Results： While ejaculate volume, motility and fructose all correlated negatively with age, sperm concentration, PMN elastase and the pH-value showed a positive correlation. The prevalence of male genital tract inflammation （as defined by PMN elastase 〉 250 ng/mL） and its severity increased significantly. PMN elastase did not correlate with sperm motility. Fructose as a marker of seminal vesicle function showed a significant negative relationship with the PMN elastase levels, the number of peroxidase-positive cells and sperm motility. Conclusion： The significant increases of PMN elastase levels as marker of male genital tract inflammation in older men appear to be indicative of age-related changes in local immunoregulatory mechanisms. Because there is no association of PMN elastase with sperm motility, a direct inhibitory effect of this enzyme can be excluded.

关 键 词：aging men male genital tract inflammation polymorphonuclear elastase leukocytes INFERTILITY human semen 

分 类 号：R698.2[医药卫生—泌尿科学] Q592.9[医药卫生—外科学]