SEMINAL PLASMA ALPHA-GLUCOSIDASE ACTIVITY AND MALE-INFERTILITY

Measurement of alpha-glucosidase (alpha-GLUC) activity by means of a s imple colorimetric test using a commercial kit (EpiScreen(R); FertiPro , Lotenhulle, Belgium) yielded results that were strongly correlated w ith the values obtained for the neutral iso-enzyme measured by a fluor imetric reference method (r = 0.85, P = 0.003, n = 13), The former met hod was characterized by a low intra-and inter-coefficient of variatio n (6.6 and 4.3% respectively), Vasectomized men with azoospermia (n = 27) had a significantly lower alpha-GLUC activity in semen than vasect omized men with residual spermatozoa present (n = 11, P < 0.01) and me n with azoospermia of primary testicular origin (n = 33, P < 0.01), Re ceiver operating curve (ROC) analysis showed alpha-GLUC measurement to be reasonably accurate in differentiation between cases with obstruct ive versus testicular azoospermia at criterion value 13.5 U/l (sensiti vity = 82%, specificity = 70%), In cases with spermatozoa present, alp ha-GLUC activity and output per ejaculate were positively correlated w ith sperm concentration (r = 0.53 and 0.38, n = 472), linear velocity (r = 0.35 and 0.30, n = 224), curvilinear velocity (r = 0.32 and r = 0 .29, n = 224), semen adenosine triphosphate (r = 0.35 and 0.26, n = 64 ), the concentration of 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (r = 0.31 and 0.29 , n = 74), and gamma-glutamyltransferase activity (r = 0.62 and 0.32, n = 275) in seminal plasma. The activity of alpha-GLUC was inversely c orrelated with ROS generation after 12-myristate, 13-acetate phorbol e ster stimulation (r = -0.27, n = 104), and both alpha-GLUC activity an d total output were inversely correlated with the concentration of per oxidase-positive white blood cells among samples,vith greater than or equal to 1x10(6)/ml of these cells (r = -0.30 and -0.19, n = 165), It is concluded that simple photometric measurement of alpha-GLUC activit y in seminal plasma reflects the functional state of the epididymis an d may be helpful for the differential diagnosis of certain cases with azoospermia.