COENZYME-Q - POTENTIALLY USEFUL INDEX OF BIOENERGETIC AND OXIDATIVE STATUS OF SPERMATOZOA

The concentration of coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ(10)), a key intermediate of t he mitochondrial respiratory chain, was determined in spermatozoa of 1 3 fertile subjects, 8 potentially fertile patients, and 12 infertile p atients. CoQ(10) concentrations were significantly higher (P <0.001) i n infertile patients than in fertile and potentially fertile subjects. The difference between potentially fertile and fertile subjects was a lso significant (P <0.001). We propose that a decrease in consumption of CoQ(10) in both infertile and potentially fertile populations is du e to an autoregulatory mechanism of ATP production.