INCREASED LEVELS OF INTERFERON-GAMMA IN SEMINAL PLASMA OF INFERTILE MEN

The role of the cell-mediated immunity in male infertility is still fa r fr om clear. Interferon-gamma (INF-gamma), a secretory product of ac tivated T cells and natural killer cells, has been hypothesized to hav e a toxic effect on sperm function. The presence of INF-gamma was inve stigated in seminal plasma of fertile and infertile subjects, using a specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, in order to study its role in male infertility. Forty-one subjects were studied; 20 had proven f ertility and normal semen quality (fertile group) and 21 showed male i nfertility for at least 2 years and poor semen quality (infertile grou p). INF-gamma was present in significantly higher levels in the semina l plasma of infertile subjects (6.36+/-0.72 fmol ml(-1)) compared to f ertile subjects (3.68+/-0.30 fmol ml(-1)). Moreover, a significant neg ative correlation between INF-gamma levels and sperm count: motility a nd morphology was detected, whereas no correlation between INF-gamma l evels and leukocyte count was found. These findings (i) confirm INF-ga mma to be present in seminal plasma; (ii) show increased InF-gamma sec retion in the infertile group; (iii) demonstrate negative correlations of INF-gamma with the main spermiogram parameters and (iv) no correla tion With leukocyte count. INF-gamma may therefore play an important r ole in male infertility.