Reduced semen quality in chronic prostatitis patients that have cellular autoimmune response to prostate antigens

MOTRICH, RD; MACCIONI, M; MOLINA, R; TISSERA, A; OLMEDO, JJ; RIERA, CM; RIVERO, VE

Teheran, Iran

Congreso; Royan International Twin Congress: 7th Congress on Reproductive Biomedicine and 2nd Congress on Stem Cell Biology & Technology; 2005

The Royan Institute (Theran, Iran), European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE), Middle East Fertility Society (MEFS) y The British Andrology Society (BAS)

BACKGROUND: The relationship between chronic prostatitis and fertility has been controversial for many years.We have previously shown the presence of a cellular autoimmune response against prostate antigens in a group ofchronic prostatitis patients. Our main goal was to investigate whether chronic prostatitis (either caused by aninfection or an autoimmune response to the prostate gland) could have a deleterious effect on semen quality.METHODS: Forty-four patients diagnosed as suffering from chronic prostatitis were included and divided intogroups according to the presence of infection and/or cellular autoimmune response against prostate antigens.Healthy normal individuals were included as controls. Measurements for sperm concentration, motility, morphology,prostate and seminal vesicle markers, antisperm antibodies, white blood cells and pro-inflammatory cytokineswere performed accordingly. RESULTS: The most severe abnormalities were seen in patients with noevident infection and an autoimmune response against prostate antigens. Moreover, significantly increased levels ofpro-inflammatory cytokines were detected in seminal plasma from these patients. CONCLUSIONS: This studyshows that chronic prostatitis patients with cellular autoimmune response to prostate antigens present importantalterations in their semen quality parameters. We speculate that an autoimmune response against prostate antigensand the inflammatory process involved may affect male fertility.