الفهرس 
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Abstract
The present study was designed to evaluate the role of oxidative stress, heavy metals and hyaluronic acid degrading enzymes in male fertility. Also, to determine their relationship with sperm quality parameters. Furthermore, to differentiate between seminal plasma as well as spermatozoa of fertile men and those of pathological conditions. This study included 70 normospermic males with proven fertility as control and 146 infertile men. The latter group was further classified according to the defects in their semen parameters into asthenozoospermic, oligo-asthenozoospermic, oligo-astheno-teratozoospermic and azoospermic groups. Different biochemical parameters were carried out on seminal plasma as well as on spermatozoal homogenate supernatant of the semen from fertile and infertile men. The values of oxidative stress parameters includes lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde [MDA]) and antioxidants (superoxide dismutase [SOD] and reduced glutathione [GSH]) were assayed. Also, the levels of zinc [Zn], copper [Cu], manganese [Mn], iron [Fe] and cadmium [Cd] were determined. Moreover, the activities of hyaluronic acid degrading enzymes including hyaluronidase [Hase], N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase [NAG] and β-glucuronidase [β-Gluc] were evaluated. In addition, the polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis [PAGE] was done for all groups beside the routine semen analysis test. MDA levels were highly significantly increased in both seminal plasma and spermatozoal homogenate supernatant of infertile groups compared to control. Their increases were inversely associated with semen quality parameters. However GSH level and SOD activity were highly significantly decreased in seminal plasma of infertile groups compared to control. Also, the levels of Zn, Cu and Mn were statistically decreased in both seminal plasma and spermatozoal homogenate supernatant of all infertile groups compared to their corresponding control, except in spermatozoa of GIV. Concerning Fe and Cd, highly significant increases in their levels were found in spermatozoal homogenate supernatant and in seminal plasma of infertile groups compared to their corresponding control. These increases were highly associated with the decrease in sperm quality. The activities of hyaluronic acid degrading enzymes were significantly decreased in spermatozoal homogenate supernatant of infertile groups compared to control. The activity of Hase enzyme in seminal plasma was completely absent in all groups including control while NAG and β-Gluc activities were found. The seminal plasma native-PAGE showed increases of the protein bands in infertile groups than control. On the other hand, the SDS-PAGE of motile and immotile spermatozoa showed absence in a band from immotile spermatozoa compared to motile ones. This study recommend that the treatment of infertile men should include strategies to reduce oxidative stress and improve sperm quality. The supplement of antioxidants such as SOD and GSH should be considered for infertile men as treatment. Also, the evaluation of Hase and NAG activities can provide useful index of sperm fertilizing capacity in man. Additionally, it may be important to search about some agents can chelate Cd & Fe from semen of infertile men to improve the quality and fertilization rate of their spermatozoa. Finally, Gel electrophoresis is useful for the identification of clinically available markers for male infertility.