• PMID: 24830311
• Gene Name: IL-6
• Condition: Male infertility
• Association: Semen resistin correlated with IL-6, TNF-?, and sperm quality; in cases of leukocytospermia and smoking habits, resistin concentrations were increased, suggesting that resistin may play a regulatory role in inflammation of the male reproductive system.
• Population size: 110
• Population details: 110 azoospermic men
• Age: 22–49 years
• Sex: Male
• Infertility type: Male infertility
• Associated genes: IL-6, TNF-?
• Other associated phenotypes: Leukocytospermia, varicocele

Resistin, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and human semen parameters in the presence of leukocytospermia, smoking habit, and varicocele

Moretti E, Collodel G, Mazzi L, Campagna M, Iacoponi F, Figura N.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationships between resistin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and semen parameters, sperm apoptosis, and necrosis in infertile patients and in control subjects with unknown reproductive potential with/without smoking habits, leukocytospermia, and varicocele. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Sperm laboratory. PATIENT(S): A total of 110 selected men. INTERVENTION(S): Family history, clinical/physical examination, ELISA determination (resistin, IL-6, TNF-α), semen analysis, annexin V/propidium iodide assay. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Relationships among resistin, IL-6, and TNF-α and semen parameters in the presence of smoking habits, varicocele, leukocytospermia, and in infertile subjects. RESULT(S): Resistin level was higher in semen than in serum. Resistin semen levels showed negative correlations with sperm motility and positive correlations with apoptotic, necrotic sperm and TNF-α and IL-6 levels. Resistin, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels were higher in smokers compared with nonsmokers and in cases with leukocytospermia, in which an increase in necrotic sperm and a decrease in the number of sperm with normal morphology and motility were observed. Cytokine levels were significantly higher in infertile patients compared with control subjects with unknown reproductive potential. A total of 74.5% of infertile patients showed leukocytospermia. CONCLUSION(S): Semen resistin correlated with IL-6, TNF-α, and sperm quality; in cases of leukocytospermia and smoking habits, resistin concentrations were increased, suggesting that resistin may play a regulatory role in inflammation of the male reproductive system. CI - Copyright © 2014 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. FAU - Moretti, Elena AU - Moretti E AD - Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. Electronic address: elena.moretti@unisi.it. FAU - Collodel, Giulia AU - Collodel G AD - Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. FAU - Mazzi, Lucia AU - Mazzi L AD - Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. FAU - Campagna, MariaStella AU - Campagna M AD - Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Siena. FAU - Iacoponi, Francesca AU - Iacoponi F AD - Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-Food and Forest Systems, Università della Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy.