男性不育患者血清NLRP3和PTEN表达与性激素水平及精液质量的关系

The relationship of serum NLRP3 and PTEN expression with sex hormone level and semen quality in male infertile patients

目的探究男性不育患者血清核苷酸寡聚化结构域样受体蛋白3(NLRP3)和第10号染色体同源丢失性磷酸酶张力蛋白基因(PTEN)表达与性激素水平及精液质量的关系。方法选取2021年5月至2023年4月广州中医药大学东莞医院收治的80例男性不育患者为研究对象,根据精液质量将男性不育患者分为少精子组(n=47)和弱精子组(n=33),另选取同期在该院行健康体检男性50例为对照组。ELISA测定血清NLRP3、PTEN水平,并分析其与性激素及精液质量间的关系。结果与对照组相比,男性不育患者精液质量、睾酮(T)及血清PTEN均显著降低(P<0.05),促卵泡激素(FSH)、黄体生成素(LH)、雌二醇(E_(2))、催乳素(PRL)及血清NLRP3均显著升高(P<0.05);与少精子组相比,弱精子组患者精子浓度、精液体积、FSH、T及血清NLRP3、PTEN水平显著升高(P<0.05),精子活力及前向运动精子率(PR)显著降低(P<0.05),在LH、E_(2)、PRL上无显著性差异(P>0.05);Pearson相关性分析显示,血清NLRP3与精液体积、精子活力、PR、T呈负相关,与FSH、LH、E_(2)、PRL呈正相关(P<0.05);PTEN与精子浓度、精液体积、精子活力、PR、T呈正相关,与FSH、LH、E_(2)、PRL呈负相关(P<0.05)。结论男性不育患者血清NLRP3水平降低,PTEN水平升高,且两者与性激素及精液质量有一定的相关性。

Objective To investigate the relationship of the expression of nucleotide⁃binding oligomerization domain⁃like receptor protein 3(NLRP3)and phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10(PTEN)in the serum of male infertility patients with the levels of sex hormones and semen quality.Methods A total of 80 male infertile patients admitted to our hospital from May 2021 to April 2023 were enrolled as the research subjects,who were divided into oligozoospermia group(n=47)and asthenozoospermia group(n=33)based on semen quality.Meanwhile,50 male healthy patients who underwent health examinations in our hospital during the same period were recruited as the control group.The level of serum NLRP3 and PTEN were determined by ELISA,and their relations with the sex hormone levels and semen quality were analyzed.Results Compared with the control group,the semen quality as well as the levels of testosterone(T)and serum PTEN in the patients were significantly reduced(P<0.05),while the levels of follicle⁃stimulating hormone(FSH),luteinizing hormone(LH),estradiol(E_(2)),prolactin(PRL)and serum NLRP3 were significantly increased(P<0.05).Compared with the oligospermia group,the sperm concentration,semen volume,and the levels of FSH,T,serum NLRP3,and PTEN in the asthenospermia group were significantly increased(P<0.05),the sperm motility and forward motility sperm rate(PR)were significantly decreased(P<0.05),and there were no significant differences in the levels of LH,E_(2),and PRL(P>0.05).Through Pearson correlation analysis,the level of serum NLRP3 was negatively correlated with the semen volume,sperm motility,and the levels of PR and T,and significantly positively correlated with the levels of FSH,LH,E_(2),and PRL(P<0.05);The PTEN expression was significantly positively correlated with the sperm concentration,semen volume,sperm motility and the levels of PR and T,and negatively correlated with the levels of FSH,LH,E_(2),and PRL(P<0.05).Conclusion The level of serum NLRP3 is decreased and the PTEN level is increased in male infertile patients.Both of them are correlated with sex hormones and semen quality.