Seminal Plasma Creatine Kinase Activity in Fertility Studies

Abstract

Creatine kinase activity was measured in the seminal fluid of 70 males undergoing fertility studies. The average value obtained at 30°C was 333 f 197 IUil (average ? SD). There was no evidence of a significant correlation between creatine kinase enzymatic activity and density, active lineal motility, or number of normal motile spermatozoa; nor was there any correlation seen between creatine kinase activity and concentration of citric acid, (indicator of prostatic function) or fructose, (indicator of seminal vesicle function). Nonetheless, in two cases of excretory azoospermia, very high values of creatine kinase (2510 and 1280 IU/I) and citric acid levels (4000 and 3000 mg/dl) were observed. These would indicate that the origin of creatine kinase is fundamentally prostatic, in contradiction to previous studies by other authors. In this sense, creatine kinase would be a parameter of prostatic function in studies of male fertility. In two cases of secretory azoospermia due to cryptorchidism and in several very severe oligoasthenozoospermias, low creatine kinase levels were seen, while fructose and citric acid levels were normal. This would give relative value to creatine kinase as an indicator of spermatogenesis.

Creatine as a Promising Component of Paternal Preconception Diet

“…In a preliminary communication published in The Lancet back in 1963, Lehmann and Griffiths [ 23 ] suggested that extremely high concentrations of creatine kinase found in seminal fluid (385–14,000 IU) might be used in tracking azoospermia. This seminal article was followed by a handful of reports describing creatine kinase levels in fertility studies [ 24 , 25 , 26 ], with nearly all suggesting a relative value of the enzyme activity as an indicator of spermatogenesis. Arguably the first study about the seminal concentration of creatine and sperm viability was reported by Srivastava and co-workers [ 27 ].…”

Seminal Plasma Leucine Aminopeptidase in Male Fertility

“…At present, a large number of enzymes have been detected in human semen, with levels, in general, greater to those obtained in other body fluids. We have previously presented data which related the levels of various seminal enzymes with the spermiograms (Gonzalez Buitrago et al -1980;Gonzdez Buitrago et al -1981;Garcia Diez et al -1982). Leucine aminopeptidase (LAP; E.C.…”