• PMID: 8822435
• Gene Name: IL-6
• Condition: Oligozoospermia, Azoospermia, asthenozoospermia, varicocele
• Association: Associated
• Population size: 217
• Population details: 217 (beta-endorphin (28 oligozoospermic, 15 asthenozoospermic, 4 azoospermic, 7 post-vasectomy), IL-6 (46 oligozoospermic, 32 asthenozoospermic, 13 azoospermic, 10 post-vasectomy, 39 normozoospermic))
• Sex: Male
• Infertility type: Male infertility
• Associated genes: beta-endorphin, IL-6
• Other associated phenotypes: Oligozoospermia, Azoospermia, asthenozoospermia, varicocele

Evaluation of beta-endorphin and interleukin-6 in seminal plasma of patients with certain andrological diseases

Zalata A, Hafez T, Van Hoecke MJ, Comhaire F.

Human semen contains large amounts of opioid peptides and cytokines. We have measured the concentrations of interleukin (IL)-6 in 140 semen samples and of beta-endorphin in 77 semen samples. The median concentration of beta-endorphin in seminal plasma from normozoospermic men (n = 23) was 154.7 pg/ml (10th-90th percentiles, 42.0-774.6), and there was no significant difference in the beta-endorphin concentration among normozoospermic, oligozoospermic (n = 28), asthenozoospermic (n = 15), azoospermic (n = 4) and post-vasectomy (n = 7) samples. There was no correlation between beta-endorphin concentration and sperm characteristics, nor with blood hormones. beta-Endorphin concentration was lower in cases with immunological infertility, as revealed by a positive direct mixed antiglobulin reaction test (n = 12) (P < 0.01), than in matched controls. The median concentration of IL-6 in samples with normal sperm concentration, motility and morphology with or without white blood cells (n = 39) was 26.1 pg/ml (10th-90th percentiles, 7.3-172.3), and there was no significant difference in the IL-6 concentration among normozoospermic, oligozoospermic (n = 46), asthenozoospermic (n = 32), azoospermic (n = 13) and post-vasectomy (n = 10) samples. The IL-6 concentration was significantly higher in cases of varicocele (n = 22) without white blood cells in semen (P < 0.001) than in matched controls without varicocele (n = 23). In addition, the IL-6 concentration was elevated (P < 0.0001) in cases with accessory sex gland inflammation (n = 40). IL-6 concentration was positively correlated with white blood cells in semen (n = 60, r = 0.59, P < 0.0001), but there was no correlation with beta-endorphin concentration. The IL-6 concentration chosen to differentiate between cases with and without accessory gland inflammation was 45.3 pg/ml, with a specificity of 80.6% and a sensitivity of 92.5%. It is concluded that beta-endorphin in seminal plasma plays an immune suppressive role, and that increased IL-6 concentration may be related to testicular dysfunction in cases with varicocele. Furthermore, IL-6 is an accurate marker of accessory sex gland inflammation. FAU - Zalata, A AU - Zalata A AD - Biochemistry Department, Mansoura University, Egypt. FAU - Hafez, T AU - Hafez T FAU - Van Hoecke, M J AU - Van Hoecke MJ