Fibrinolytic parameters in spermatozoas and seminal plasma

Abstract

Urokinase-type (u-PA) and tissue-type plasminogen activator antigen (t-PA) as well as plasminogen activator-inhibitor activity were determined in seminal plasma and lysates of the respective spermatozoas in 67 ejaculate of males in infertile marriage without genito urinary pathology. U-PA was determined by a competition RIA, t-PA by an ELISA and PAI by a spectrophotometric assay. 15 patients showed normozoospermia, 11 azoospermia and 41 oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT-syndrome). In lysates of spermatozoas, significantly higher levels of both plasminogenactivators and PAI were found in patients with OAT syndrome as compared to those exhibiting normozoospermia. Whereas PAI was absent in the seminal plasma of normozoospermic ejaculate, patients with azoospermia (180 +/- 13 mU/ml.) and OAT-syndrome (60 +/- 5 mU/ml.) showed high PAI levels. The similarly high values of t-PA (190.8-227.8 ng./ml.) and u-PA (19.4-32 ng./ml.) in the same compartment confirm their predominantly prostatic origin and seem to have no influence on the quality of the ejaculate.