自然杀伤T细胞在慢性生殖道炎症患者精液中的表达及其临床意义

Clinic application of natural killer T cells in ejaculates from men with chronic inflammation of genital tract

目的研究自然杀伤T细胞（NK T细胞）在慢性生殖道炎症患者精液中的表达.方法筛选40例罹患生殖道炎症患者精液标本及20例正常精液标本,采用流式细胞术检测NK T细胞在患者精液中的表达.通过酶联免疫吸附试验在患者精浆检测炎性细胞因子：白介素6（IL-6）,IL-17及γ-干扰素（IFN-γ）.运用SPSS软件对NK T细胞百分率和精子密度、活力和存活率分析,同时对精液IL-6、IL-17以及IFN-γ的相关性进行研究.结果 NK T细胞在一部分慢性生殖道炎症患者中数目显著增高（n =20）,而正常组则未能检测到其表达;NK T细胞数目与精子浓度、活力及存活率具有显著负相关性;在NK T细胞高表达组,NK T细胞数量与精浆IL-6、IFN-γ浓度具有显著相关性,但与精浆IL-17不具有显著相关性.结论在慢性生殖道炎症中NK T细胞增殖可伴随对精子的自身免疫反应,其通过释放IL-6、IFN-γ等影响精子质量.

Objective To investigate the number of natural killer T cells （NK T cell） in semen of patients with chronic inflammation of genital tract. Methods Fresh semen from patients with chronic inflammation of genital tract （n=40） and healthy men （n = 20） were collected and analyzed according to the WHO criteria. The amount of NK T cells were detected by the invariant （Vα24-JαQ） TCR chain using flow cytometry. Levels of inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 （IL-6）, IL-17 and IFN-γ in cell-free seminal plasma were detected by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The correlation between the percentage of NK T cells and spermatozoa concentration, motility, vitality, seminal IL-6, IL-17 as well as IFN-γ was investigated respectively by SPSS software. Results The percentages of NK T cells were increased significantly in some samples （n = 20）, but not in all samples. A negative correlation was detected between the percentage of NK T cells and spermatozoa concentration, motility and vitality in high percentage group （n = 20）. Interestingly, a significant correlation of iNK T cells to seminal IL-6, IFN-γ was detected whereas lack of correlation between iNK T cells and IL-17 in High group. Conclusion The proliferation of iNK T cells might produce an autoimmune response to spermatozoa and further affect sperm quality through secretion of IFN-γ not IL-17 under chronic inflammatory