| Title | Serum and seminal plasma ghrelin levels in men with normospermia and dyspermia. | | Author(s) | Panidis D, Goulis DG, Katsikis I, Koliakos G, Georgopoulos NA, Diamanti-Kandarakis E | | Institution | Division of Endocrinology and Human Reproduction, Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece. | | Source | Gynecol Endocrinol 2008 Jun; 24(6):320-5. | | Abstract | Aims. To investigate the existence of ghrelin in seminal plasma and the levels of serum ghrelin in men with normospermia and dyspermia.
Subjects and methods. Ninety-eight men were classified into three groups: Group 1, men with normospermia and proven fertility (n = 26); Group 2, men with idiopathic oligo-astheno-teratozoospermia (n = 62); and Group 3, men with idiopathic azoospermia (n = 10). Spermiograms and determination of ghrelin in serum and seminal plasma were performed in all men.
Results. Ghrelin was present in the seminal plasma of men from all groups at a concentration of 27%, 18% and 30% of the corresponding serum levels (mean +/- standard error: Group 1, 127.7 +/- 14.7 vs. 468.3 +/- 35.5 pmol/l, p = 0.003; Group 2, 117.0 +/- 10.1 vs. 637.0 +/- 29.3 pmol/l, p < 0.001; Group 3, 166.2 +/- 32.5 vs. 557.7 +/- 25.4 pmol/l, p = 0.068). When Group 1 men were compared with men from Groups 2 and 3 combined, there were no significant differences in serum (mean +/- standard error: 468.3 +/- 35.5 vs. 628.0 +/- 26.4 pmol/l, p = not significant) or seminal plasma ghrelin (mean +/- standard error: 127.7 +/- 14.7 vs. 123.9 +/- 9.9 pmol/l, p = not significant). In the total group of studied men (Groups 1 to 3), serum ghrelin was positively correlated with semen volume (r = 0.309, p = 0.037), whereas seminal plasma ghrelin was negatively correlated with age (r = -0.268, p = 0.008) and semen volume (r = -0.385, p < 0.000).
Conclusions. Ghrelin is present in human seminal plasma at lower levels than in serum. There is no difference in seminal plasma ghrelin levels between men with normospermia and dyspermia. | | Language | eng | | Pub Type(s) | Journal Article
| | PubMed ID | 18584411 |
|
