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Seminal plasma cobalamin significantly correlates with sperm concentration in men undergoing IVF or ICSI procedures

Seminal plasma cobalamin significantly correlates with sperm concentration in men undergoing IVF or ICSI procedures
Seminal plasma cobalamin significantly correlates with sperm concentration in men undergoing IVF or ICSI procedures
Mild hyperhomocysteinemia is caused by B vitamin deficiencies. We hypothesize that these biochemical derangements detrimentally affect spermatogenesis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the folate, cobalamin, pyridoxine, and homocysteine concentrations in blood and seminal plasma and the associations between these biomarkers and semen parameters in men participating in an in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection program. From 73 men (median age [range]: 37 years [28-53]), blood and semen samples were obtained for the determination of serum and red blood cell (RBC) folate, serum total cobalamin, whole-blood pyridoxal-5'-phosphate, plasma total homocysteine (tHcy), and serum total testosterone. Semen analysis included sperm concentration, motility, and morphology according to World Health Organization criteria. The B vitamins and tHcy concentrations were significantly correlated in blood but not in seminal plasma. The serum and RBC folate concentrations were significantly correlated also with the total folate concentration in seminal plasma (r = .44; P < .001 and r = .39; P < .001, respectively). Likewise, the total cobalamin concentration in serum and seminal plasma was significantly correlated (r = .55; P = .001). Of interest is that the total cobalamin concentration in seminal plasma was significantly correlated with the sperm concentration (r = .42; P < .001). This is in contrast to the absence of significant associations between the other vitamins and tHcy in blood and seminal plasma and any of the semen parameters. These findings suggest that folate and cobalamin are transferred from the blood to the male reproductive organs and emphasize the role of cobalamin in spermatogenesis in human.
assisted reproduction, folate, homocysteine, semen analysis
0196-3635
521-527
Boxmeer, Jolanda C.
0c509cdc-e589-45d1-809c-dec6a025ba75
Smit, Marij
ee28e0a5-2f7f-4bfa-80c4-9b7a97ddda41
Weber, Robertus F.
38b36263-2fcd-4420-8656-5a5080fcc276
Lindemans, Jan
2fe464f3-b659-460c-bde3-c54982286c0c
Romijn, Johannes C.
2c6b66f7-3bd5-4b7f-a7bf-ec38136bc982
Eijkemans, Marinus J.
e6fb4070-a233-47c5-bebe-cdf7bdd04f00
Macklon, Nicholas S.
7db1f4fc-a9f6-431f-a1f2-297bb8c9fb7e
Steegers-Theunissen, Regine P.
1f4a48ce-b582-458f-99e1-c38969dc2e62
Boxmeer, Jolanda C.
0c509cdc-e589-45d1-809c-dec6a025ba75
Smit, Marij
ee28e0a5-2f7f-4bfa-80c4-9b7a97ddda41
Weber, Robertus F.
38b36263-2fcd-4420-8656-5a5080fcc276
Lindemans, Jan
2fe464f3-b659-460c-bde3-c54982286c0c
Romijn, Johannes C.
2c6b66f7-3bd5-4b7f-a7bf-ec38136bc982
Eijkemans, Marinus J.
e6fb4070-a233-47c5-bebe-cdf7bdd04f00
Macklon, Nicholas S.
7db1f4fc-a9f6-431f-a1f2-297bb8c9fb7e
Steegers-Theunissen, Regine P.
1f4a48ce-b582-458f-99e1-c38969dc2e62

Boxmeer, Jolanda C., Smit, Marij, Weber, Robertus F., Lindemans, Jan, Romijn, Johannes C., Eijkemans, Marinus J., Macklon, Nicholas S. and Steegers-Theunissen, Regine P. (2007) Seminal plasma cobalamin significantly correlates with sperm concentration in men undergoing IVF or ICSI procedures. Journal of Andrology, 28 (4), 521-527. (doi:10.2164/jandrol.106.001982). (PMID:17287458)

Record type: Article

Abstract

Mild hyperhomocysteinemia is caused by B vitamin deficiencies. We hypothesize that these biochemical derangements detrimentally affect spermatogenesis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the folate, cobalamin, pyridoxine, and homocysteine concentrations in blood and seminal plasma and the associations between these biomarkers and semen parameters in men participating in an in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection program. From 73 men (median age [range]: 37 years [28-53]), blood and semen samples were obtained for the determination of serum and red blood cell (RBC) folate, serum total cobalamin, whole-blood pyridoxal-5'-phosphate, plasma total homocysteine (tHcy), and serum total testosterone. Semen analysis included sperm concentration, motility, and morphology according to World Health Organization criteria. The B vitamins and tHcy concentrations were significantly correlated in blood but not in seminal plasma. The serum and RBC folate concentrations were significantly correlated also with the total folate concentration in seminal plasma (r = .44; P < .001 and r = .39; P < .001, respectively). Likewise, the total cobalamin concentration in serum and seminal plasma was significantly correlated (r = .55; P = .001). Of interest is that the total cobalamin concentration in seminal plasma was significantly correlated with the sperm concentration (r = .42; P < .001). This is in contrast to the absence of significant associations between the other vitamins and tHcy in blood and seminal plasma and any of the semen parameters. These findings suggest that folate and cobalamin are transferred from the blood to the male reproductive organs and emphasize the role of cobalamin in spermatogenesis in human.

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Published date: July 2007
Keywords: assisted reproduction, folate, homocysteine, semen analysis

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Local EPrints ID: 185505
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/185505
ISSN: 0196-3635
PURE UUID: 04c60b5b-ae11-4cea-80dd-ac86b7bc4b80

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Date deposited: 19 May 2011 12:31
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 03:14

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Contributors

Author: Jolanda C. Boxmeer
Author: Marij Smit
Author: Robertus F. Weber
Author: Jan Lindemans
Author: Johannes C. Romijn
Author: Marinus J. Eijkemans
Author: Nicholas S. Macklon
Author: Regine P. Steegers-Theunissen

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