Changes in various antioxidant levels in human seminal plasma related to immunoinfertility

The present study was designed (1) to determine levels of antioxidant micronutrients in human seminal plasma, and (2) to evaluate the association between the concentrations of these antioxidants and the antisperm antibody titers in immunoinfertile men. To investigate this, the seminal plasma concentrations of antioxidant beta-carotene, lycopene, retinol, and alpha-tocopherol were measured by high-pressure liquid chromatography in 37 men (22 fertile and 15 immunoinfertile), aged 27 to 35 years. The SIT (sperm-immobilization technique), TAT (tray-agglutination technique), and IBT (indirect immunobead test) were used to evaluate the antisperm antibody titers. The levels of three antioxidants, namely, beta-carotene, lycopene, and retinol, were significantly (p = .01) decreased and the concentration of alpha-tocopherol was significantly (p = .002) increased in seminal plasma of immunoinfertile men as compared to the levels in fertile men. There was a significant linear correlation between the antisperm antibody titer and beta-carotene level measured by IBT (r = .561, p = .002), whereas no significant correlation was found with the other three seminal plasma antioxidants, namely, lycopene, retinol, and alpha-tocopherol levels. These results indicate, for perhaps the first time, the presence of antioxidants in local genital tract secretions of men. Modulation of their concentrations in immunoinfertile men and their correlation with the antisperm antibody titers strongly suggest the involvement of dietary antioxidants in male infertility, especially mediated through immunologic factors.