Authors: HULEIHEL, MAHMOUD; HOROWITZ, SHULAMITH; LEVY, AYELET; LUNENFELD, EITAN; POTASHNIK, GAD; MAZOR, MOSHE; GLEZERMAN, MAREK

Source: American Journal of Reproductive Immunology, Volume 43, Number 1, January 2000 , pp. 41-46(6)

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Abstract:

PROBLEM: To examine the capacity of sperm cells from fertile and infertile men to secrete interleukin (IL)-6, and the involvement of serum factors and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the regulation of IL-6 and IL-1 production by sperm cells. METHODS: Swim-up sperm cells from fertile (donors) and oligoteratoasthenospermic (OTA)-infertile men were incubated with or without 5% fetal calf serum (FCS) and LPS (10 μg/mL) for 2-24 hr. After incubation, IL-6 and IL-1 bioactivities were measured in supernatants and lysates by specific bioassays (B9 cell proliferation assay and 1A-5 system, respectively). RESULTS: IL-6- and IL-1-like activities were observed to be produced by swim-up sperm cells from both study groups. Stimulation of swim-up sperm cells with either LPS or FCS or both together did not affect their capacity to produce IL-1. However, LPS, but not serum increased the secretion levels of IL-6 by swim-up sperm cells. CONCLUSIONS: Swim-up sperm cells from both study groups constitutively produce IL-6 and IL-1, and serum components did not affect this capacity. However, LPS was shown to increase the capacity of swim-up sperm cells of both study groups to secrete IL-6, but not IL-1. Cytokines may be involved in the physiology and pathophysiology of sperm functions and, thus, may affect male fertility.

Keywords: IL-1; IL-6; LPS; male infertility; oligoteratoasthenoazoospermia; serum; sperm cells

Document Type: Original article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1034/j.1600-0897.2000.430108.x

Publication date: 2000-01-01

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• In this Subject: Anatomy & Physiology ,  Allergy & Immunology ,  Obstetrics & Gynecology
• By this author: HULEIHEL, MAHMOUD ;  HOROWITZ, SHULAMITH ;  LEVY, AYELET ;  LUNENFELD, EITAN ;  POTASHNIK, GAD ;  MAZOR, MOSHE ;  GLEZERMAN, MAREK

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