Moderate leukocyte counts could be an indicator of male genital tract inflammation. Seminal pathogens have no influence on cytokine levels and sperm parameters.

No abstract

Purpose: The aims of this study were to associate sperm kinematics and standard semen parameters with sperm DNA damage and to evaluate whether the addition of sperm kinematics improve the multivariable prediction of sperm DNA fragmentation compared to standard semen parameters alone. Materials and Methods: We evaluated sperm kinematics, standard semen parameters, and DNA fragmentation index (DFI) in 122 men. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were fitted to evaluate the association of sperm kinematics and standard semen parameters with pathologically damaged sperm DNA (DFI≥26%), and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves were calculated for these models. Results: On univariate analyses, average velocity, curvilinear velocity, straight-line velocity, straightness (STR), beat-cross frequency (BCF), and the percentage of progressive motile sperm cells (PPMS) were significantly associated with pathologically damaged sperm DNA. Likewise, among standard semen parameters, sperm concentration, progressive motility, normal morphology, and vitality were found to be linked with sperm DNA damage. On the multivariate analysis, vitality was the strongest predictor of pathologically damaged sperm DNA with an area under the ROC curve (AUROC) of 88.3%. Adding STR, BCF, and PPMS to vitality increased the AUROC to the significant extent of 91.5%. Conclusions: Sperm vitality is the most accurate routine-based laboratory test for the prediction of pathologically damaged sperm DNA, but the addition of sperm kinematics increases its accuracy. Both standard semen parameters and sperm kinematics are complementary in predicting pathologically damaged sperm DNA, and might serve as a new tool to screen for fertile men.

No abstract

The effect of seminal leucocytes on sperm DNA integrity has been discussed controversially in literatures. Moreover, the studies investigating the in vivo effect of pro‐inflammatory cytokines interleukin‐6 and interleukin‐8 on sperm DNA fragmentation are scarce and inconsistent. The association of standard sperm parameters with sperm DNA fragmentation is also a matter of ongoing discussion. Hence, the aims of this study were, first, to evaluate the effect of seminal leucocytes, interleukin‐6 and interleukin‐8 on sperm DNA integrity and, second, to examine whether standard semen parameters are associated with sperm DNA fragmentation. Seminal leucocytes, interleukin‐6, interleukin‐8 and standard semen parameters, including total sperm number, sperm concentration, progressive motility, nonprogressive motility, immotility and normal morphology, were determined in 134 consecutive men. The concentrations of seminal leucocytes, interleukin‐6 and interleukin‐8, did not correlate with sperm DNA fragmentation. In contrast, total sperm number, sperm concentration, progressive motility, nonprogressive motility and normal morphology exhibited significant inverse correlations with sperm DNA fragmentation. Immotile spermatozoa were directly correlated with sperm DNA fragmentation. In conclusion, seminal leucocytes, interleukin‐6 and interleukin‐8, are not associated with sperm DNA fragmentation. Poor standard semen parameters are significantly related to the high levels of sperm DNA fragmentation.