Human Reproduction, Vol. 17, No. 11, 2904-2911,
November 2002
© 2002 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
The impact of epididymal and accessory sex gland function on sperm motility
1 Scanian Andrology Centre, Fertility Centre, 2 Department of Urology and 3 Department of Clinical Chemistry, Malmö University Hospital, SE 205 02 Malmö, Sweden
BACKGROUND: Little is known about the regulation of sperm motility, which is an important predictor of male fertility. However, both testicular and post-testicular factors may be involved, although the impact of the latter has been relatively poorly investigated. METHODS: In semen samples from 301 young men from the general Swedish population (mean ± SD age 18.2 ± 0.4 years), we assessed sperm motility by use of a manual method as well as computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) and correlated these values to seminal levels of neutral 
-glucosidase (NAG), prostate-specific antigen (PSA), zinc and fructose. RESULTS: There were significant positive correlations between seminal levels of NAG, and PSA and CASA percentage motile sperm (r = 0.158, P = 0.009; r = 0.155, P = 0.01 respectively), and significant negative correlations with CASA percentage immotile sperm (r = –0.206, P = 0.001; r = –0.157, P = 0.009 respectively). In a multiple regression analysis it was found that, apart from sperm concentration, the level of PSA was the most significant and independent parameter in predicting percentage motile sperm (ß = 0.220, P = 0.037). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated the regulatory effect of post-testicular glands on the motility of sperm. This is to our knowledge the first study showing a direct correlation between the seminal PSA levels and sperm motility in a group of men representing the general population. In future investigations and searches for specific treatment modalities in male infertility, more attention should be paid to the epididymis and accessory sex gland function.
Key words: accessory sex glands/epididymis/prostate-specific antigen/seminal plasma/sperm motility
4 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Scanian Andrology Centre, Fertility Centre, Malmö University Hospital, SE 205 02 Malmö, Sweden. E-mail: saad.elzanaty{at}kir.mas.lu.se
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  W. C. Hawkes, Z. Alkan, and K. Wong Selenium Supplementation Does Not Affect Testicular Selenium Status or Semen Quality in North American Men J Androl, September 1, 2009; 30(5): 525 - 533. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 G. A. Sartorius and E. Nieschlag Paternal age and reproduction Hum. Reprod. Update, August 20, 2009; (2009) dmp027v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 B. Anguiano, N. Aranda, G. Delgado, and C. Aceves Epididymis Expresses the Highest 5'-Deiodinase Activity in the Male Reproductive System: Kinetic Characterization, Distribution, and Hormonal Regulation Endocrinology, August 1, 2008; 149(8): 4209 - 4217. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
C. Valtonen-Andre, C. Savblom, P. Fernlund, H. Lilja, A. Giwercman, and A. Lundwall Beta-Microseminoprotein in Serum Correlates With the Levels in Seminal Plasma of Young, Healthy Males J Androl, May 1, 2008; 29(3): 330 - 337. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. Elzanaty and J. Malm Effects of Ejaculation-to-Analysis Delay on Levels of Markers of Epididymal and Accessory Sex Gland Functions and Sperm Motility J Androl, November 1, 2007; 28(6): 847 - 852. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
H.P. Burden, C.H. Holmes, R. Persad, and K. Whittington Prostasomes--their effects on human male reproduction and fertility Hum. Reprod. Update, May 1, 2006; 12(3): 283 - 292. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. Henkel, G. Maass, H.-C. Schuppe, A. Jung, J. Schubert, and W.-B. Schill Seasonal Changes of Neutral {alpha}-Glucosidase Activity in Human Semen J Androl, January 1, 2006; 27(1): 34 - 39. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 N. Pastor-Soler, C. Pietrement, and S. Breton Role of Acid/Base Transporters in the Male Reproductive Tract and Potential Consequences of Their Malfunction Physiology, December 1, 2005; 20(6): 417 - 428. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. Rignell-Hydbom, L. Rylander, S. Elzanaty, A. Giwercman, C.H. Lindh, and L. Hagmar Exposure to persistent organochlorine pollutants and seminal levels of markers of epididymal and accessory sex gland functions in Swedish men Hum. Reprod., July 1, 2005; 20(7): 1910 - 1914. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 G Bidaux, M Roudbaraki, C Merle, A Crepin, P Delcourt, C Slomianny, S Thebault, J-L Bonnal, M Benahmed, F Cabon, et al. Evidence for specific TRPM8 expression in human prostate secretory epithelial cells: functional androgen receptor requirement Endocr. Relat. Cancer, June 1, 2005; 12(2): 367 - 382. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. Elzanaty, J. Malm, and A. Giwercman Duration of sexual abstinence: epididymal and accessory sex gland secretions and their relationship to sperm motility Hum. Reprod., January 1, 2005; 20(1): 221 - 225. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
Y. Ruhayel, K. Lundin, Y. Giwercman, C. Hallden, M. Willen, and A. Giwercman Androgen receptor gene GGN and CAG polymorphisms among severely oligozoospermic and azoospermic Swedish men Hum. Reprod., September 1, 2004; 19(9): 2076 - 2083. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. Lundwall, A. Giwercman, Y. Ruhayel, Y. Giwercman, H. Lilja, C. Hallden, and J. Malm A frequent allele codes for a truncated variant of semenogelin I, the major protein component of human semen coagulum Mol. Hum. Reprod., June 1, 2003; 9(6): 345 - 350. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|