OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between sexual
hormones in
semen and
germ cell apoptosis in male population. METHODS: Sixty-six
infertile patients and thirty
fertile males were
selected randomly. The levels of folicle stimulating
hormone ( FSH),
prolactin (PRL),
luteinizing hormone (LH), and
testosterone (T) in
semen were measured by
ELISA.
Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated UTP nick end labeling (
TUNEL) was used for the detection of
germ cell apoptosis. RESULTS: The levels of FSH, LH, PRL, T in thirty
fertile men were (1.63 +/- 0.15) U/L, (2.18 +/- 0.21) U/L, (6.34 +/- 0.30) nmol/L, (1.85 +/- 0.11) nmol/L, respectively, and
germ cell apoptosis rate was (4.61 +/- 1.23)%. FSH, LH, PRL, T levels in
infertile group were (1.25 +/- 0.18) U/L, (1.76 +/- 0.32) U/L, (5.86 +/- 0.13) nmol/l, (1.45 +/- 0.13) nmol/, respectively, and
germ cell apoptosis rate was (18.36 +/- 2.04)%. There were significant differences in all parameters between
infertile group and
fertile group. The levels of FSH, LH, PRL, T were negatively
correlated with
germ cell apoptosis rates( r = -0.88, -0.93, -0.90, -0.98). The volume of
apoptotic germ cell decreased, and
chromatin was compacted to form cell-membrane
blebs and
apoptotic bodies. CONCLUSION: Low concentration of sexual
hormones may increase the
apoptosis of
germ cells, which can induce
male infertility.
