RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SEMINAL PARAMETERS AND HEXOSAMINIDASE ACTIVITY IN HUMAN SEMINAL PLASMA

MENÉNDEZ HELMAN R.; SANJURJO C.; MIRANDA P.V.

Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Congreso; IV Jornada Multidisciplinaria de la SAB (Sociedad Argentina de Biología); 2002

SAB

Hexosaminidase (Hex) is the most abundant glycosidase in mammalian sperm, epididymal fluid and seminal plasma (SP). Previous studies from our laboratory suggest a relationship of this enzyme with sperm maturation and binding to the oocyte. In order to analyze the possible use of Hex as an epididymal marker and/or its relationship with fertilizing ability, its activity in SP and correlation with seminal parameters was determined. Aliquots of SP from semen samples characterized as azoospermic (Azo), asthenozoospermic (Ast), teratozoospermic (Ter) or normospermic (Nor) according to WHO parameters, were kept frozen until use. Enzyme activity was measured through the liberation of metylumbeliferone (MU) from metylumbeliferil-N-acetylglucosamine. Hex activity in the whole ejaculate was significantly lower in the Azo group (233±33 vs 413±53 uM MU/min for Nor, p<0.02). The activity of Hex/unit of volume correlated positively with the percentage of motile sperm in Ast (r=0.76, p<0.04) and negatively with the number of round cells in Azo (r=-0.82, p<0.02). These relationships between Hex activity and parameters related to pathology in Azo and Ast, and the positive correlation with the sperm count in the whole group of samples analyzed (r=0.71, p<0.0001) suggest a possible relationship between Hex activity in SP and fertilizing ability.