Testis Expressed Sequence 101, Prostate Specific Antigen Antibodies and Malondialdehyde Acid in Qualitative Assessment of Seminal Plasma in Male Infertility: A Comparative Study

Infertility is a major problem now-a-day and both maleand female factor infertility are rising. Males are solely responsible for around 20-30% ofinfertility cases but contribute to 50% of cases overall. According to WHO theestimated prevalence of primary infertility in India ranges between 3.9 and16.8% with a prevalence of 5% in Andhra Pradesh. Male infertility is multifactorial in origin withenvironmental, genetic, life-style changes, oxidative stress, all contributingin its development. Semen analysis is considered as gold standard test fordiagnosis of male infertility, but it is crude method as seminal fluidcomposition gets affected by environmental factors, infections and otherpathologies, leading to unreliable reports and delay in diagnosis andtreatment.10 Hence, newer tests are being assessed including seminalbiomarkers for better estimation of male infertility and its underlying cause.Human seminal fluid contains highest concentration of molecules derived from malereproductive glands, which can be studied to know cause of male infertility.Some of these seminal plasma biomarkers include Testicular expressedsequence 101 (TEX 101) located on plasma membrane of germ cells during allstages of spermatogenesis. It is essential for sperm maturation, zona bindingand can differentiate between obstructive and non-obstructive azoospermia.Another important biomarker for immuno-infertility is Prostatic specificantigen antibodies. Presence of these antibodies have been identified as animportant cause of male infertility. Furthermore, mammalian spermatozoa are rich inpolyunsaturated fatty acids, which are vulnerable to reactive oxygen speciesattack. One end-product of this sperm lipid peroxidation is malondialdehydeacid (MDA). High levels of seminal MDA cause oxidative damage to the spermmembranes.

Hence, study will be conducted to assess role ofseminal plasma TEX 101, PSA antibodies and MDA levels in patients with maleinfertility, so that newer non-invasive methods can be developed for bettermanagement of male infertility.