• PMID: 18206953
• Gene Name: PGDS
• Condition: Nonobstructive azoospermia
• Association: Associated
• Population size: 53
• Population details: 53 (10 patients with normal semen parameters, 9 with obstructive azoospermia, 20 after vasectomy, 14 with nonobstructive azoospermia)
• Sex: Male
• Infertility type: Male infertility
• Associated genes: PGDS
• Other associated phenotypes: Nonobstructive azoospermia

Seminal plasma lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase: a potential new marker for the diagnosis of obstructive azoospermia

Heshmat SM, Mullen JB, Jarvi KA, Soosaipillai A, Diamandis EP, Hamilton RJ, Lo KC.

PURPOSE: We examined the relationship between L-PGDS (lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase) levels in seminal plasma and the presence or absence of obstruction in the male seminal tract. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Semen samples were collected and analyzed from 1) 10 patients with normal semen parameters, 2) 9 with obstructive azoospermia, 3) 20 after vasectomy and 4) 14 with nonobstructive azoospermia. Seminal L-PGDS was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. RESULTS: We found that seminal plasma L-PGDS in the groups with obstruction was significantly lower than in any of the other groups (p <0.001). Using a cutoff of 100 microg/l all men with obstructive azoospermia had L-PGDS less than 100 microg/l, while none with normal sperm parameters did. Men with nonobstructive azoospermia had less homogeneity of L-PGDS levels, including 29.6% with L-PGDS more than 100 microg/l. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that seminal L-PGDS level can potentially be a biomarker for assessing patency in the seminal tract in men with azoospermia. In men with azoospermia and high seminal L-PGDS (more than 100 microg/l) the diagnosis of nonobstructive azoospermia can be potentially made without biopsy. Our study shows that using semen L-PGDS levels provides a diagnosis of nonobstructive azoospermia in almost 30% of these men. FAU - Heshmat, Samy M AU - Heshmat SM AD - Department of Surgery (Division of Urology), Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. FAU - Mullen, J Brendan AU - Mullen JB FAU - Jarvi, Keith A AU - Jarvi KA FAU - Soosaipillai, Antoninus AU - Soosaipillai A FAU - Diamandis, Eleftherios P AU - Diamandis EP FAU - Hamilton, Robert J AU - Hamilton RJ