Clinical significance of elastase detection in seminal plasma of infertility patient

Objective To study the clinical significance and the change of neutrophil elastase concentration in seminal plasma of infertility patient.To investigate the role of elastase for diagnosis and prognosis of silent genital tract inflammation,and a protective role for the elastase towards sperm DNA integrity.Methods 140 seminal plasma samples of out-patient(study group) with infertility were collected,including 80 cases of asthenospermia men and 60 cases of normozoospermic men.None of the patients had clinical signs or symptoms of a genital tract infection.None had been treated by antibiotics within 3 months before enrolment into the study.All patients had given their informed consent for participation.Elastase concentration in seminal plasma was measured by ELISA method.The control group consisted of 20 fertile men who fathered children spontaneously within the study period.Nitric oxide in seminal plasma was detected by the method of nitrate reductase.The percentage of sperm containing single-stranded DNA was calculated by acridine orange staining to evaluate sperm DNA integrity.Results ①The prevalence of increased seminal elastase,nitric oxide and he percentage of spermatozoa with single-stranded DNA in 140 infertile men was significantly higher as compared with that observed in 20 fertile men(P0.01).②A significant positive correlation was found between elastase concentration and patient age(r=0.255,P0.01) and the number of leukocytes(r=0.569,P0.01).③A negative correlation was found between elastase concentration and semen volume(r=-0.537,P0.01) and the percentage of spermatozoa with single-stranded DNA(r=-0.436,P0.01),but there was no correlation between elastase and nitrio oxide(r=0.083,P=0.331).Conclusion Seminal granulocyte elastase is a reliable screening test for silent genital tract inflammation of the couple.Moreover,the elastase may have a protective effect in reducing sperm DNA denaturation.