[Expression of Omi/HtrA2 UP-regulated in the spermatozoa of chronic bacterial prostatitis patients].

OBJECTIVE:To determine the expression of Omi/HtrA2 in the spermatozoa of chronic bacterial prostatitis patients and explore the potential mechanism of chronic prostatitis inducing male infertility. METHODS:Forty-one patients diagnosed as suffering from chronic prostatitis were included, and so were 12 healthy normal men as controls. Spermatozoa in the semen were purified by Percoll gradient technique to separate the seminal plasma and other round cells. Sperm concentration, motility, morphology, pro-inflammatory cytokines, Omi/HtrA2 mRNA and protein levels in the spermatozoa of the patients were measured. RESULTS:Significantly increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines were observed in the seminal plasma of the prostatitis patients, and so were Omi/HtrA2 mRNA and protein levels as compared with the normal men. CONCLUSION:Chronic prostatitis patients presented important alterations in semen quality parameters and up-regulated expression of Omi/HtrA2 mRNA and proteins in the spermatozoa.