Abnormal expression of acid glycosidases in seminal plasma and spermatozoa from infertile men with varicocele

significantly higher than those of fertile controls, but not when expressed in U per 108 spermatozoa. The activities of b-glucuronidase, a-mannosidase, b-galactosidase and b-N-acetylglucosaminidase in seminal plasma when expressed in U per 10 8 spermatozoa in varicocele patients with abnormal spermiograms were significantly higher than in those of men of normal fertility. The activity of amannosidase in the soluble fraction of sperm homogenates, expressed as U per 10 8 spermatozoa, was significantly higher in infertile patients with varicocele and abnormal spermiograms than in controls. In the non-soluble fraction of spermatozoa from infertile patients with varicocele, there was an increase in the expression of b-galactosidase and b-N-acetylglucosaminidase activities compared with the fraction of spermatozoa from fertile subjects. In summary, infertile patients with varicocele displayed an overexpression of acid a-mannosidase, b-galactosidase and b-Nacetylglucosaminidase activities in seminal plasma and spermatozoa that may be associated with functional defects in spermatozoa as these glycosidases play an important role in mammalian fertilization.