Prostatic origin of a zinc binding high molecular weight protein complex in human seminal plasma

The profile of the zinc ligand high molecular weight proteins was investiga ted in the seminal plasma of 55 normozoospermic subjects by size exclusion high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), The proteins were recovered from Sephadex G-75 gel filtration of seminal plasma in three zinc-containin g fractions which were then submitted to HPLC analysis. The results were, t hat in all the samples, the protein profiles showed two peaks with apparent molecular weight of similar to 660 and similar to 250 kDa. Dialysis experi ments revealed that both similar to 660 and similar to 250 kDa proteins wer e able to uptake zinc against gradient indicating their zinc binding capaci ty. The HPLC analysis of the whole seminal plasma evidenced only the simila r to 660 kDa protein complex as a single well quantifying peak, furthermore a positive correlation between its peak area and the seminal zinc values ( P < 0.001) was observed. This suggested a prostatic origin of the similar t o 660 kDa protein complex which was then confirmed by the seminal plasma HP LC analysis of a subject with agenesis of the Wolffian ducts. Finally the s tudy demonstrated the presence of two zinc binding proteins, similar to 660 and similar to 250 kDa respectively, in human seminal plasma and the prost atic origin of the similar to 660 kDa.