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Chlamydia trachomatis and sperm lipid peroxidation in infertile men
A Segnini1, M I Camejo, F Proverbio
1Centro de Biofísica y Bioquímica, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Venezuela.
Aim:
To relate the presence of anti-Chlamydial trachomatis IgA in semen with sperm lipid membrane peroxidation and changes in seminal parameters.
Methods:
Semen samples of the male partners of 52 couples assessed for undiagnosed infertility were examined for the presence of IgA antibody against C. trachomatis. The level of sperm membrane lipid peroxidation was estimated by determining the malondialdehyde (MDA) formation.
Results:
Sperm membrane of infertile males with positive IgA antibodies against C. trachomatis showed a higher level of lipid peroxidation than that of infertile males with negative IgA antibody (P<0.05). There was a positive correlation (P<0.01) between the level of C. trachomatis antibody and the magnitude of sperm membrane lipid peroxidation. All the other tested semen parameters were found to be similar in the two groups.
Conclusion:
The activation of immune system by C. trachomatis may promote lipid peroxidation of the sperm membrane. This could be the way by which C. trachomatis affects fertility.