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Branko Zorn, Alenka Se?ek-Bri?ki, Jo?ko Osredkar, Helena Meden-Vrtovec
Semen Polymorphonuclear Neutrophil Leukocyte Elastase as a Diagnostic and Prognostic Marker of Genital Tract Inflammation – A Review
Elastase is a protease released by polymorphonuclear
neutrophils (PMN) during the inflammatory process.
Since 1987, seminal elastase-inhibitor complex (Ela/?1-PI) has been proposed as a marker of male silent
genital tract inflammation. Measured by immunoassay
in seminal plasma, Ela/?1-PI at a cut-off level of
?230 ?g/l, is useful in the detection of genital tract inflammation.
The prevalence of increased seminal
Ela/?1-PI in infertile men is significantly higher than
that observed in fertile men. The Ela/?1-PI level is positively
correlated with other seminal fluid markers of
male genital tract inflammation: reduced semen volume,
citric acid, fructose, and increased albumin, complement
component C3, caeruloplasmin, immunoglobulins
IgG and IgA, and cytokines interleukins-8 and -6.
A higher seminal Ela/?1-PI level is significantly associated
with tubal damage in female partners. After antibiotic
therapy, a decrease of Ela/?1-PI level is observed.
The presence of tubal damage in the partner
may negatively affect the response to antibiotic treatment.
A higher seminal Ela/?1-PI is associated with
lower percentage of sperm with single-stranded deoxyribonucleic
acid (DNA) and better fertilization rate
in
Clinical Chemical Laboratory Medicine, Walter de Gruyter
Print ISSN: 1434-6621
Volume: 41, 01/2003
Pages: 2 - 12