Human Reproduction, Vol. 14, No. 6, 1534-1539,
June 1999
© 1999 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
Seminal transforming growth factor-ß in normal and infertile men
1 Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, INSERM U407, Faculté de Médecine Lyon-Sud, B.P. 12, F-69961 Oullins cedex, 2 Institut Rhône-Alpin, F-69400 Bron and 3 Laboratoire de Biologie Andrologique, CHU Bicêtre, F-94275 Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
Transforming growth factor-ß (TGFß) is a cytokine with autocrine and paracrine action in the testis and potent immunoregulatory and anti-inflammatory activities. In the present study, we examined the concentration of latent (acid-activatable) and free (active) TGFß in seminal plasma from normal subjects (n = 23) and infertile (n = 40) patients, by using a TGFß specific immunoenzymological assay, and a bioassay (CCL64 cell line growth inhibition) detecting any form of TGFß. Free TGFß1 was present in normal subjects at a concentration (1.82 ± 1.06 ng/ml) close to that known to give maximal stimulation in vitro. In pathological groups, the mean concentrations were not significantly different from the normal ones. Latent TGFß1 was present in normal seminal plasma at a high concentration (92.4 ± 29.2 ng/ml). In subjects with pathologies of both testis and genital apparatus, or with epididymal occlusion, mean latent TGFß1 concentrations were normal, whereas transferrin concentrations were lower. The concentrations found in the epididymal occlusion group indicate that TGFß1 is, for a large part, secreted by the genital tract. In the testicular pathology group, TGFß1 concentrations were 130.7 ± 61.2 ng/ml, a mean not statistically different from normal, although higher. No differences were found between patients with high and normal blood plasma follicle stimulating hormone, and this is consistent with the notion that most TGFß1 in seminal plasma is not of testicular origin. The TGFß bioassay ensured that immunologically detected TGFß was present in a bioactive or bioactivatable form. Furthermore, the values found in normal and pathological seminal plasmas were usually higher than those detected by the immunoassay, suggesting that other forms of TGFß might be present. Together, the present data show that very large amounts of TGFß are present in human seminal plasma. The TGFß ligand assay in the seminal plasma appears to indicate no differences between normal and infertile subjects.
Key words: human/infertility/seminal plasma/TGFß
4 To whom correspondence should be addressed
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  J. A. Politch, L. Tucker, F. P. Bowman, and D. J. Anderson Concentrations and significance of cytokines and other immunologic factors in semen of healthy fertile men Hum. Reprod., November 1, 2007; 22(11): 2928 - 2935. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. K. O'Bryan, O. Gerdprasert, D. J. Nikolic-Paterson, A. Meinhardt, J. A. Muir, L. M. Foulds, D. J. Phillips, D. M. de Kretser, and M. P. Hedger Cytokine profiles in the testes of rats treated with lipopolysaccharide reveal localized suppression of inflammatory responses Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, June 1, 2005; 288(6): R1744 - R1755. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. Basu, T. C. Aballa, S. M. Ferrell, C. M. Lynne, and N. L. Brackett Inflammatory Cytokine Concentrations Are Elevated in Seminal Plasma of Men With Spinal Cord Injuries J Androl, March 1, 2004; 25(2): 250 - 254. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. Gutsche, M. von Wolff, T. Strowitzki, and C.J. Thaler Seminal plasma induces mRNA expression of IL-1{beta}, IL-6 and LIF in endometrial epithelial cells in vitro Mol. Hum. Reprod., December 1, 2003; 9(12): 785 - 791. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|