• PMID: 8150119
• Gene Name: PLAT
• Condition: Oligozoospermia, asthenozoospermia
• Association: Associated
• Population size: 92
• Population details: 92 men attending for assessment because of infertility
• Sex: Male
• Infertility type: Male infertility
• Associated genes: tPA
• Other associated phenotypes: Oligozoospermia, asthenozoospermia

Tissue-type plasminogen activator level is decreased in human seminal plasma with abnormal liquefaction

Arnaud A, Schved JF, Gris JC, Costa P, Navratil H, Humeau C.

OBJECTIVE: To determine plasminogen activators (PAs) and PA inhibitor levels in seminal plasma of patients attending an infertility clinic. DESIGN: Quantification by immunologic method of PAs in seminal plasma. SETTING: Patients of Department of Urology and Andrology, University Hospital, Nimes, France. PATIENTS: Ninety-two men attending for assessment because of infertility. INTERVENTIONS: Semen were collected by masturbation. Usual sperm parameters were determined; immediately after liquefaction, samples were snap-frozen at -85 degrees C until used for immunologic determination. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Tissue-type PA antigen, urokinase-type PA antigen, and type 1 PA inhibitor antigen levels in seminal plasma. RESULTS: Median values of PA were 270 ng/mL (tissue-type PA) and 5.4 ng/mL (urokinase-type PA) in normozoospermia; 290 ng/mL (tissue-type PA) and 5.7 ng/mL (urokinase-type PA) in oligozoospermia; 325 ng/mL (tissue-type PA) and 3.5 ng/mL (urokinase-type PA) in oligoasthenozoospermia. Type 1 PA inhibitor antigen levels were often under detection limit. Tissue-type PA was 173.5 ng/mL in semen with abnormal liquefaction and 290 ng/mL in semen with normal liquefaction. CONCLUSION: The study confirmed the presence of both types of PAs in seminal plasma, tissue-type PA being largely predominant. No difference was found in tissue-type PA, urokinase-type PA, or type 1 PA inhibitor antigen levels between normal and oligozoospermic semen nor between normal and asthenozoospermic semen. On the other hand, semen with abnormal liquefaction had significantly lower tissue-type PA level than normal semen. FAU - Arnaud, A AU - Arnaud A AD - Department of Haematology, University Hospital, Nimes, France. FAU - Schved, J F AU - Schved JF FAU - Gris, J C AU - Gris JC FAU - Costa, P AU - Costa P FAU - Navratil, H AU - Navratil H