PRESENCE AND MODULATION OF INTERLEUKIN-12 IN SEMINAL PLASMA OF FERTILE AND INFERTILE MEN

Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is a unique cytokine that recently has drawn co nsiderable attention because of its immunomodulatory properties and it s possible involvement in several normal physiological and pathophysio logical processes. In the present study, concentrations of IL-12 were determined, in the seminal plasma of fertile (n = 33)1 male-factor-inf ertile (n = 27), and immunoinfertile (n = 14) men, to investigate its role, ii any, in male infertility. Levels of IL-12 were expressed both as picograms per milliliter and as picograms per milligram protein. I L-12 was detected in seminal plasma of fertile men as well as in that of infertile men. The levels of IL-12 in seminal plasma of both male-f actor and immunoinfertile men were significantly (P < 0.05) different from those of fertile men, when levels were expressed as picograms per milligram protein. When expressed as picograms per milliliter, the le vels of IL-12 differed significantly between the immunoinfertile group and the fertile/male-factor-infertile group. There was significant co rrelation between the IL-12 levels and the total sperm count and perce ntage of morphologically normal sperm in the semen, whether groups wer e analyzed together or individually by condition. These findings sugge st that IL-12 may have a role in fertility and that its derangement ma y be involved in male infertility.