Association of Serum and Seminal Afamin and Vitamin E with Hormonal Profiles Across Different Semen Phenotypes in Infertile Men

Abstract

Background: Male infertility is a complex disorder affected by hormonal imbalances, poor quality of semen, and oxidative stress. The defense mechanisms against oxidative damage to spermatozoa require antioxidant defense systems. Afamin is a transport protein of vitamin E, a lipid soluble antioxidant that helps in maintaining the stability of sperm membrane and cell integrity. Nonetheless, the differences in the levels of afamin and vitamin E in various semen phenotypes and reproductive hormones are not well defined.

Objective: Analyzing the levels of association between afamin and vitamin E concentrations in the serum and seminal plasma and the hormonal profile in infertile males.

Method: The study was conducted as a cross-sectional study involving ninety infertile men. Semen analysis was performed. Both serum and seminal afamin and vitamin E were measured. Hormonal profile was also evaluated in serum.

Result: Significant differences between groups were found in seven parameters: FSH (p =0.034), LH (p =0.011), Testosterone (p =0.049), afamin serum (p =0.006), vit-E serum (p =0.002), afamin semen (p =0.001), and E semen (p =0.001). There were strong positive and negative correlations between LH and seminal afamin, LH with seminal vitamin E in asthenozoospermic men (r=0.6032; p-value=0.001; r=-0.6108; p-value=0.012), respectively.

Conclusion: Results indicate that localized seminal biochemical markers have a pivotal diagnostic value of male factor infertility that cannot be fully reflected by serum analysis. The increased levels of gonadotropins in oligozoospermic phenotypes also indicate the existence of compensatory mechanisms of the HPG axis to the disrupted spermatogenesis.