Changes in NO, MDA, and SOD in seminal plasma of infertile patients infected with Escherichia coli in the urinary tract.

Objective To explore the changes in NO,MDA,and SOD in seminal plasma of infertile patients infected with Escherichia coli in the urinary tract and its effects on spermatogenic cells.Methods Subjects were 60 infertile patients with seminal plasma infected with E.coli in the urinary tract(A group),30 infertile patients without infection(B group),and 30 fertile men(C group).The concentration of NO was assayed with nitrate reductase,the concentration of MDA was assayed with thiobarbituric acid colorimetry,and the activity of semen superoxide dismutase(SOD) was measured with xanthine oxidase.The experimental group consisted of 30 patients in group A with a concentration of MDA17 umol/L,and the control group consisted of 20 men in group C with a concentration of MDA midway between 7-9 μmol/L;the motion parameters of sperm were evaluated and compared.Results In groups A,B,and C,the NO levels of seminal plasma were 137.64 ±25.87,117.17 ± 27.72,and 66.88 ± 20.51 μmol/L.Similarly,MDA levels were 18.44 ± 4.06,10.50 ± 2.33,and 7.62 ± 1.52 nmol/ml.Similarly,the activity of semen superoxide dismutase(SOD) was 93.93±18.93,126.71±25.63,and 195.66±19.26 μmol/L.There was significant difference between group A and group C(P0.01) and group B and group C(P0.01).The increased concentration of MDA mainly affects the straight-line speed of sperm,their rate of forward movement,mean angle of deviation,amplitude of lateral head displacement,and percent linearity.Correlation analysis revealed that there was a correlation between MDA and NO(r= 0.63) and that there was an inverse correlation between MDA and SOD activity(r=-0.69) in seminal plasma from infertile patients infected with E.coli.Conclusion Abnormal changes in NO and MDA levels and SOD activity in the seminal plasma of infertile patients could be caused by E.coli infection in the urinary tract,which might be a cause of male infertility.