Interleukin (IL)-38 and IL-41 are novel cytokines, but their role in male infertility (MI) is unknown. The purpose of this study was to measure the levels of serum IL-38 and IL-41 in patients with MI and correlate these levels with semen indexes.
Eighty-two patients with MI and 45 healthy controls (HC) were recruited for this study. Semen parameters were detected using computer-aided sperm analysis, Papanicolaou staining, ELISA, flow cytometry, peroxidase staining and enzyme methods. Serum IL-38 and IL-41 levels were determined by ELISA.
Serum IL-38 levels were decreased (P < 0.01) in patients with MI compared with HC. Serum IL-41 levels were significantly higher in patients with MI than in HC (P < 0.0001). In patients with MI, serum IL-38 levels were positively correlated with semen white blood cell counts (r = 0.29, P = 0.009), and there was a positive correlation between semen white blood cell counts and sperm concentration (r = 0.28, P = 0.0100) and seminal plasma elastase (r = 0.67, P < 0.0001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the area under the curve of IL-38 for diagnosing MI was 0.5637 (P > 0.05), and the area under the curve of IL-41 for diagnosing MI was 0.7646 (P < 0.0001).
Serum IL-38 levels were significantly lower, and serum IL-41 levels were higher in patients with MI. These results suggest that IL-38 and IL-41 may be novel biomarkers for the diagnosis of MI.
Immunology letters. 2023 Mar 02 [Epub ahead of print]
Chunhao Rong, Linjie Weng, Mingcai Li, Liming Zhou, Yan Li
Reproductive Medicine Center, Ningbo Women and Children's Hospital, Ningbo 315012, China., Reproductive Medicine Center, Ningbo Women and Children's Hospital, Ningbo 315012, China; Department of Immunology, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Ningbo University School of Medicine, Ningbo 315211, China., Department of Immunology, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Ningbo University School of Medicine, Ningbo 315211, China., Reproductive Medicine Center, Ningbo Women and Children's Hospital, Ningbo 315012, China. Electronic address: ., Department of Immunology, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Ningbo University School of Medicine, Ningbo 315211, China. Electronic address: .