GLASS WOOL FILTRATION REDUCES REACTIVE OXYGEN SPECIES BY ELIMINATION OF LEUKOCYTES IN OLIGOZOOSPERMIC PATIENTS WITH LEUKOCYTOSPERMIA

Purpose: Two types of glass wool were used to remove leukocytes in sem en for evaluation of reactive oxygen species production by spermatozoa in oligozoospermic patients with leukocytospermia. Methods: Semen sam ples were prepared using fine-structure glass wool (SpermFertil) and c oarse-structure glass wool. In each treatment group, native semen was evaluated for sperm concentration, percentage motility, viability, leu kocyte concentration, and production of reactive oxygen species. Resul ts: Electron microscopically, SpermFertil showed a higher number of le ukocytes attached to the fibers compared to coarse-structure glass woo l. Leukocytes in native semen and after glass wool filtration as deter mined by peroxidase cytochemistry confirmed this observation. Reactive oxygen species decreased from 45.303 counts/10(7) viable cells in nat ive semen to 15.806 counts/10(7) cells in coarse structure wool and 7. 465 counts/10(7) cells in Spermfertil, respectively. Conclusions: Remo val of leukocytes from semen of oligozoospermic patients by means of g lass wool filtration is a useful method to distinguish production of r eactive oxygen species by leukocytes versus sperm cells.