DNase 1L3 and DNase II as indicators of ejaculate quality

Sperm analysis is the main method of assessing male reproductive function, which is not always informative in cases of infertility. In the literature, a special role in the disturbed male fertility is attributed to oxidative stress which results into damage of male germ cells. Damage of spermatozoa membranes is accompanied by the release of their DNA into the extracellular space, which is an inducer of local inflammatory reaction. In this case, the maintenance of seminal fluid homeostasis will depend on the efficiency of extracellular DNA degradation. In human beings, this function is performed by DNAse enzymes localized in all tissues and body fluids. Their role in the process of fertilization and fragmentation of spermatozoal genetic material was also noted. Excess or deficiency of DNases may lead to the development of different disorders. The aim of the present study was to establish reference intervals for ejaculate DNase 1L3 and DNase II and to search for relationships between the concentration of nucleases and sperm analysis parameters. The seminal fluid of 82 conditionally healthy men aged 18-49 years examined at the Research Institute of Immunology of South Ural State Medical University was used as a material for the study. Exclusion criteria were the presence of urogenital inflammatory disorders and sex-transmitted infections (STI). Sperm analysis was performed according to the WHO laboratory manual. Screening for STI was performed by real-time PCR. DNAse concentration in ejaculate was determined by ELISA method. Descriptive statistics, construction of histograms and reference intervals were performed in the “R” platform. Primarily, we have determined the levels of DNase 1L3 and DNase II in seminal fluid and established appropriate reference intervals. Shifts in DNase 1L3 and DNase II concentrations can most likely be considered as markers of possible pathologic conditions. In particular, an increased concentration of DNase 1L3 is an index of a pathological process associated with low sperm motility, whereas high levels of DNase II may be considered an indicator of a local inflammatory reaction.