Seminal Homocysteine Levels in Men With Asthenozoospermia: Correlation With Sperm Parameters and Vitamin B₆ Levels

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Biology
• Clinical Chemistry
• Andrology

Background:

• Asthenozoospermia, characterized by impaired sperm motility, is a significant factor in male infertility.
• Homocysteine, an amino acid, has been implicated in various physiological processes, but its role in sperm function requires further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare seminal plasma homocysteine levels in men with asthenozoospermia versus normozoospermic men.
• To investigate the correlation between seminal plasma homocysteine, sperm parameters, and vitamin B6 levels.
• To evaluate the diagnostic potential of seminal homocysteine for asthenozoospermia.

Main Methods:

• Quantification of homocysteine and vitamin B6 in seminal plasma from 108 asthenozoospermic and 64 normozoospermic men.
• High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for homocysteine measurement.
• Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for vitamin B6 quantification.
• Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to assess diagnostic performance.

Main Results:

• Seminal plasma homocysteine levels were significantly higher in asthenozoospermic men (3.08 ± 0.320 μmol/L) compared to normozoospermic men (1.23 ± 0.320 μmol/L).
• ROC analysis indicated high diagnostic accuracy (AUC = 0.999) for seminal homocysteine in distinguishing asthenozoospermic men, with a cutoff >1.87 μmol/L.
• Inverse correlation observed between seminal homocysteine and sperm progressive/total motility in asthenozoospermic men, but not in normozoospermic men.

Conclusions:

• Elevated seminal plasma homocysteine is associated with impaired sperm motility in asthenozoospermia.
• Seminal plasma homocysteine may serve as a valuable biomarker for diagnosing asthenozoospermia.
• Further research is warranted to confirm these findings and explore therapeutic implications.