Evaluation of Protein Carbonyl and Vitamin C in Seminal Plasma of Infertile Male: A Hospital-based Study in Bengali Population

Introduction: Male infertility has been coupled with the imbalance between production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and antioxidant (e.g., vitamin C) level. Elevated concentrations of ROS in the semen can lead to oxidative protein damage as they counter with the amino acids’ side chains in the protein, leading to the production of carbonyl groups.

Aim: To assess if there is any difference of seminal plasma Protein Carbonyl (PC) and vitamin C level in male infertile and fertile subjects in the midst of their correlation with other relevant seminal parameters.

Materials and Methods: This was a hospital-based case-control study of a Bengali population. Semen samples of 124 males (group A; 68 infertile males, group B; 56 fertile males) were tested. Seminal fluid analysis was done with Makler counting chamber. PC and vitamin C were measured by Levin’s and Roe’s photometric methods respectively. To evaluate the differences in the mean ranks of these parameters Mann-Whitney U test was used.

Results: Out of 124 male subjects, 68 infertile (55%) termed as cases and 56 fertile (45%) were termed as controls with mean age of cases (32.81±5.02) and controls (33.29±5.53). Both in group A and group B sperm count was positively correlated with motility and vitamin C but negatively correlated with PC at significant level p<0.05. Statistically significant differences of mean ranks of these parameters (sperm count: 52.82 and 74.26, motility: 52.10 Vs 75.13, PC: 76.57 and 45.41, vitamin C:55.99 and 70.40, Mann-Whitney U:1245, 1197, 947 and 1461, respectively) between the two groups were found. Hence, indicate that in infertile subjects the balance between PC and vitamin C is disturbed.

Conclusion: Assessment of oxidative status may serve the clinician in additional management of idiopathic male infertility.