[Electrophoretic study of protein secretion by the prostate gland in chronic prostatitis and pathospermia]

Disk electrophoresis of prostatic secretion proteins in polyacrylamide gel has been employed in examinations of 294 normal subjects and sterile patients with oligo- and asthenospermia in the presence of and without chronic prostatitis. The electrophoregrams have been examined visually; the electrophoretic mobility (EPM) of individual fractions relative to the length of the indicator run has been determined. Analysis of the electrophoretic picture, the microscopy findings of examinations of prostatic secretion and the ejaculate, and of the blood levels of sex and gonadotrophic hormones in the patients has revealed that the progress of the inflammatory process in the prostate is associated with a drastic decrease of the concentrations of prostatic secretion proteins with a high molecular mass and an increased level of low-molecular proteins. Abnormal spermatogenesis without prostatic inflammation is linked with a different pattern of prostatic protein levels. A specific electrophoretic picture is characteristic of congestive prostatitis, this helping to differentiate this condition from prostatic inflammations. High informative value and good reproducibility of disk electrophoresis of the prostatic secretion proteins recommend this method for wide use in practical andrology.