INVESTIGADORES
GONZALEZ FLECHA Francisco Luis
artículos
Título:
Factors involved in the biochemical etiology of human seminal plasma hyperviscosity
Autor/es:
GABRIELA MENDELUK; F. LUIS GONZÁLEZ-FLECHA; PABLO R. CASTELLO; CARLOS BREGNI
Revista:
JOURNAL OF ANDROLOGY
Referencias:
Año: 2000 vol. 21 p. 262 - 267
ISSN:
0196-3635
Resumen:
Semen rheology was studied to elucidate the biochemical basis of
seminal plasma hyperviscosity. Semen proved to fit in with a power law
model, by presenting a pseudoplastic behavior. Apparent viscosity at
230 s(-1) and 25 degrees C (eta(a)) was 4.3 /- 0.2 cp and 5.4 +/- 0.4
cp in normal and high-consistency semen, respectively. The effect of
enzymes and mucolytic agents on human seminal plasma viscosity were
evaluated by incubating normal and hyperviscous semen pool aliquots
with trypsin, dithiothreitol, EDTA, alpha-amylase and deoxyribonuclease
I. After incubation, trypsin treatment reduced eta(a) by 36% in normal
semen and by 44% in hyperviscous semen. There was a decrease in eta(a)
following incubation of hyperviscous samples with dithiothreitol (33%)
and alpha-amylase (44%) that was not observed in the normal consistency
samples. No decrease was observed in eta(a) after EDTA or DNAse
treatment of both groups. Comparison of normal and hyperviscous seminal
plasmas revealed no difference in the concentration of total proteins,
DNA, or in the percentage of water content. These findings indicate
that the primary substances responsible for basic normal semen
rheologic behavior are proteins. A comparison of rheological properties
between normal and hyperviscous semen samples indicates the existence
of a highly organized network in the latter group, in which disulfide
bonds and oligosaccharide chains complexed to the peptide core may play
a key role.