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The antioxidant activity of human semen
153
Clinica Chimica Acra, 192 (1990) 153, 154
Elsevier CCA 04842
Letter
to the Editor
The antioxidant activity of human semen (Received 25 April 1990; revision received and accepted 13 August 1990)
Dear Editor,
Human semen is known to contain antioxidant systems to avoid the destructive effects of free radicals [l-3]. Stocks et al. [4] have proposed an assay to test the antioxidant activity of biological fluids which is based on the spontaneous autoxidation of a standard ox-brain homogenate. In this study, ejaculates from 18 individuals with normal spermiogram ( > 20 x lo6 spermatozoa, motility 40%), from 5 with normal sperm number but low motility and from 8 with azoospermia were obtained. Brain tissue, containing large amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids provides a suitable medium for lipid peroxidation. Thus homogenization of the brain induces autooxidation leading to lipid peroxidation [4,5]. In this study, it was observed that addition of human semen to the supematant of the homogenate inhibited the generation of malondialdehyde. The antioxidant activity in human semen with normal spermiogram and semen with normal sperm number but low motility was similar (Table I). No correlation was found between the antioxidant activity and sperm concentration or sperm motility. In 5 of the individuals with normal spermiogram, antioxidant activity of seminal plasma and of spermatozoa were measured separately. Mean antioxidant activity of seminal plasma was 70.8 f 10.1, whereas antioxidant activity of spermatozoa was 10.7 k 7.6.
TABLE I Antioxidant activity of human semen
Sperm cone ( X 106/mI) Motility Antioxidant activity
Normal (n=18)
Low motility (n=5)
69.9 f 30.8 18.7 + 15.2 79.4+ 15.9
60.8 f 22.3 14.0+ 11.9 74.9 + 19.9
Azoospermia (n = 8) _ 61.5k11.5
Values represent mean f SD. 0009-8981/90/%03.50 0 1990 Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. (Biomedical Division)
154
According characteristic motility.
to these results, antioxidant of seminal plasma being
Taner
activity of human semen appears independent of sperm number
Koqak ‘, Tahsin ’ Department
unal
to be a and/or
* and Necla K. Toker
of Urology and ’ Department
’
of Biochemimy,
Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul
University.
Istanbul (Turkey)
References 1 Mennella MRF, Jones R. Properties of spermatozoa1 superoxide dismutase and lack of involvement of superoxide in metal ion catalyzed lipid peroxidation reactions in semen. Biochem J 1980;191:289-297. 2 Aitken RJ, Clarkson JS, Fishel S. Generation of reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation and human sperm function. Biol Reprod 1989;40:183-197. 3 Alvarez JG, Touchstone JC, Blasco L, et al. Spontaneous lipid peroxidation and production of hydrogen peroxide and superoxide in human spermatozoa. J Androl 1987;8:338-348. 4 Stocks J, Gutteridge JMC, Sharp RJ, et al. Assay using brain homogenate for measuring the antioxidant activity of biological fluids. Clin Sci Mol Med 1974;47:215-222. 5 Dormandy TL. Free-radical oxidation and antioxidants. Lancet 1978;i:647-650.
Correspondence to: Necla K. Toker, Department Istanbul University, 34390 Capa, Istanbul, Turkey.
of Biochemistry,
Istanbul
Faculty
of Medicine,
Clinica Chimica Acra, 192 (1990) 153, 154
Elsevier CCA 04842
Letter
to the Editor
The antioxidant activity of human semen (Received 25 April 1990; revision received and accepted 13 August 1990)
Dear Editor,
Human semen is known to contain antioxidant systems to avoid the destructive effects of free radicals [l-3]. Stocks et al. [4] have proposed an assay to test the antioxidant activity of biological fluids which is based on the spontaneous autoxidation of a standard ox-brain homogenate. In this study, ejaculates from 18 individuals with normal spermiogram ( > 20 x lo6 spermatozoa, motility 40%), from 5 with normal sperm number but low motility and from 8 with azoospermia were obtained. Brain tissue, containing large amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids provides a suitable medium for lipid peroxidation. Thus homogenization of the brain induces autooxidation leading to lipid peroxidation [4,5]. In this study, it was observed that addition of human semen to the supematant of the homogenate inhibited the generation of malondialdehyde. The antioxidant activity in human semen with normal spermiogram and semen with normal sperm number but low motility was similar (Table I). No correlation was found between the antioxidant activity and sperm concentration or sperm motility. In 5 of the individuals with normal spermiogram, antioxidant activity of seminal plasma and of spermatozoa were measured separately. Mean antioxidant activity of seminal plasma was 70.8 f 10.1, whereas antioxidant activity of spermatozoa was 10.7 k 7.6.
TABLE I Antioxidant activity of human semen
Sperm cone ( X 106/mI) Motility Antioxidant activity
Normal (n=18)
Low motility (n=5)
69.9 f 30.8 18.7 + 15.2 79.4+ 15.9
60.8 f 22.3 14.0+ 11.9 74.9 + 19.9
Azoospermia (n = 8) _ 61.5k11.5
Values represent mean f SD. 0009-8981/90/%03.50 0 1990 Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. (Biomedical Division)
154
According characteristic motility.
to these results, antioxidant of seminal plasma being
Taner
activity of human semen appears independent of sperm number
Koqak ‘, Tahsin ’ Department
unal
to be a and/or
* and Necla K. Toker
of Urology and ’ Department
’
of Biochemimy,
Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul
University.
Istanbul (Turkey)
References 1 Mennella MRF, Jones R. Properties of spermatozoa1 superoxide dismutase and lack of involvement of superoxide in metal ion catalyzed lipid peroxidation reactions in semen. Biochem J 1980;191:289-297. 2 Aitken RJ, Clarkson JS, Fishel S. Generation of reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation and human sperm function. Biol Reprod 1989;40:183-197. 3 Alvarez JG, Touchstone JC, Blasco L, et al. Spontaneous lipid peroxidation and production of hydrogen peroxide and superoxide in human spermatozoa. J Androl 1987;8:338-348. 4 Stocks J, Gutteridge JMC, Sharp RJ, et al. Assay using brain homogenate for measuring the antioxidant activity of biological fluids. Clin Sci Mol Med 1974;47:215-222. 5 Dormandy TL. Free-radical oxidation and antioxidants. Lancet 1978;i:647-650.
Correspondence to: Necla K. Toker, Department Istanbul University, 34390 Capa, Istanbul, Turkey.
of Biochemistry,
Istanbul
Faculty
of Medicine,