Aim： To access beta-endorphin levels in serum as well as seminal plasma in different infertile male groups. Methods： Beta-endorphin was estimated in the serum and seminal plasma by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ...Aim： To access beta-endorphin levels in serum as well as seminal plasma in different infertile male groups. Methods： Beta-endorphin was estimated in the serum and seminal plasma by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） method in 80 infertile men equally divided into four groups： non-obstructive azoospermia （NOA）, obstructive azoospermia （OA）, congenital bilateral absent vas deferens （CBVAD） and asthenozoospermia. The results were compared to those of 20 normozoospermic proven fertile men. Results： There was a decrease in the mean levels of betaendorphin in the seminal plasma of all successive infertile groups （mean ± SD： NOA 51.30 ± 27.37, OA 51.88 ± 9.47, CBAVD 20.36 ± 13.39, asthenozoospermia 49.26 ± 12.49 pg/mL, respectively） compared to the normozoospermic fertile control （87.23 ± 29.55 pg/mL）. This relation was not present in mean serum level of beta-endorphin between four infertile groups （51.09 ± 14.71, 49.76 ± 12.4, 33.96 ± 7.2, 69.1 ± 16.57 pg/mL, respectively） and the fertile control group （49.26 ± 31.32 pg/mL）. The CBVAD group showed the lowest seminal plasma mean level of beta-endorphin. Testicular contribution of seminal beta-endorphin was estimated to be approximately 40%. Seminal beta-endorphin showed significant correlation with the sperm concentration （r = 0.699, P = 0.0188） and nonsignificant correlation with its serum level （r = 0.375, P = 0.185） or with the sperm motility percentage （r = 0.470, P = 0.899）. Conclusion： The estimation of beta-endorphin alone is not conclusive to evaluate male reproduction as there are many other opiates acting at the hypothalamic pituitary gonadal axis.展开更多
文摘Aim： To access beta-endorphin levels in serum as well as seminal plasma in different infertile male groups. Methods： Beta-endorphin was estimated in the serum and seminal plasma by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） method in 80 infertile men equally divided into four groups： non-obstructive azoospermia （NOA）, obstructive azoospermia （OA）, congenital bilateral absent vas deferens （CBVAD） and asthenozoospermia. The results were compared to those of 20 normozoospermic proven fertile men. Results： There was a decrease in the mean levels of betaendorphin in the seminal plasma of all successive infertile groups （mean ± SD： NOA 51.30 ± 27.37, OA 51.88 ± 9.47, CBAVD 20.36 ± 13.39, asthenozoospermia 49.26 ± 12.49 pg/mL, respectively） compared to the normozoospermic fertile control （87.23 ± 29.55 pg/mL）. This relation was not present in mean serum level of beta-endorphin between four infertile groups （51.09 ± 14.71, 49.76 ± 12.4, 33.96 ± 7.2, 69.1 ± 16.57 pg/mL, respectively） and the fertile control group （49.26 ± 31.32 pg/mL）. The CBVAD group showed the lowest seminal plasma mean level of beta-endorphin. Testicular contribution of seminal beta-endorphin was estimated to be approximately 40%. Seminal beta-endorphin showed significant correlation with the sperm concentration （r = 0.699, P = 0.0188） and nonsignificant correlation with its serum level （r = 0.375, P = 0.185） or with the sperm motility percentage （r = 0.470, P = 0.899）. Conclusion： The estimation of beta-endorphin alone is not conclusive to evaluate male reproduction as there are many other opiates acting at the hypothalamic pituitary gonadal axis.
