• PMID: 18930907
• Gene Name: PON1
• Condition: Male subfertility
• Association: Men with abnormal semen parameters have decreased levels of PON-1 activity in their seminal plasma. This may play an important role in the pathogenesis of male-factor subfertility.
• Population size: 90
• Population details: 90 (28 men with idiopathic subfertility, 32 subfertile men with abnormal semen parameters, and 30 fertile male volunteers)
• Sex: Male
• Infertility type: Male infertility
• Associated genes: PON-1
• Other associated phenotypes: Male subfertility

Paraoxonase-1 activity in subfertile men and relationship to sperm parameters

Verit FF, Verit A, Ciftci H, Erel O, Celik H.

Oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of male infertility. Paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) is a high-density lipoprotein-associated antioxidant enzyme that prevents oxidative modification of low-density lipoprotein. Our aims in the study were to investigate 1) seminal PON-1 activity in subfertile men and 2) whether seminal PON-1 activity had any relationship to semen parameters. The study included 28 men with idiopathic subfertility, 32 subfertile men with abnormal semen parameters, and 30 fertile male volunteers. Seminal PON-1 activity was measured spectrophotometrically. Seminal total antioxidant status (TAS) and total oxidant status (TOS) were determined by using colorimetric methods. Oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated as ([TOS/TAS] x 100). TOS and OSI were significantly higher and PON-1 activity and TAS were significantly lower in subfertile men with abnormal semen parameters than in men with idiopathic subfertility and fertile donors. PON-1 activity was also strongly correlated with sperm concentration (r = .68, P < .0001), motility (r = .58, P < .0001), and morphology (r = .62, P < .0001) in the overall group. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed a high diagnostic value for PON-1 activity with respect to male-factor subfertility, with an area under curve of .95 (95% confidence interval = 0.89-1.01), sensitivity = 97%, and specificity = 88%. Men with abnormal semen parameters have decreased levels of PON-1 activity in their seminal plasma. This may play an important role in the pathogenesis of male-factor subfertility. FAU - Verit, Fatma Ferda AU - Verit FF AD - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Harran University, Faculty of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey. fverit@harran.edu.tr FAU - Verit, Ayhan AU - Verit A FAU - Ciftci, Halil AU - Ciftci H FAU - Erel, Ozcan AU - Erel O