慢性细菌性前列腺炎患者精子中促凋亡蛋白Omi/HtrA2的表达

目的:检测慢性细菌性前列腺炎患者精子中促凋亡蛋白Omi/HtrA2的表达,探讨该疾患影响男性生育的可能机制。方法:采集41例慢性细菌性前列腺炎患者(A组)和12例健康生育男性(B组)的精液后,分别检测精液中炎症细胞因子(TNF-α、IL-1β)的浓度和精子密度、活动力及形态。精液经47.5%、57%、76%和95%Percoll梯度分离法分离后,分别用RT-PCR和Western印迹法检测精子促凋亡蛋白Omi/HtrA2的表达。结果:A组与B组炎症因子TNF-α、IL-1β的浓度分别为:(53.62±27.60)pg/ml、(60.75±32.42)pg/ml和(25.03±5.02)pg/ml、(18.70±7.06)pg/ml,两组相比差异有显著性(P<0.05)。A组中促凋亡蛋白Omi/HtrA2的转录和表达水平亦显著升高(P<0.05)。结论:慢性细菌性前列腺炎患者精子中促凋亡蛋白Omi/HtrA2的表达上调。

Expression of Omi/HtrA2 UP-regulated in the Spermatozoa of Chronic Bacterial Prostatitis Patients

OBJECTIVE: To determine the expression of Omi/HtrA2 in the spermatozoa of chronic bacterial prostatitis patients and explore the potential mechanism of chronic prostatitis inducing male infertility. METHODS: Forty-one patients diagnosed as suffering from chronic prostatitis were included, and so were 12 healthy normal men as controls. Spermatozoa in the semen were purified by Percoll gradient technique to separate the seminal plasma and other round cells. Sperm concentration, motility, morphology, pro-inflammatory cytokines, Omi/HtrA2 mRNA and protein levels in the spermatozoa of the patients were measured. RESULTS: Significantly increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines were observed in the seminal plasma of the prostatitis patients, and so were Omi/HtrA2 mRNA and protein levels as compared with the normal men. CONCLUSION: Chronic prostatitis patients presented important alterations in semen quality parameters and up-regulated expression of Omi/HtrA2 mRNA and proteins in the spermatozoa.