Spinal cord injury and male infertility: Effect of the inflammasome proteins on semen quality.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate seminal plasma levels of Biglycan, Cystatin-S, β-2 microglobulin and inflammasome proteins and to investigate their role in seminal toxicity in men with spinal cord injury (SCI).

STUDY

DESIGN

cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Miami Project to Cure Paralysis - University of Miami / Miller School of Medicine and Federal University of Sao Paulo.

PARTICIPANTS

Eight men with spinal cord injury and eight men without spinal cord injury (controls).

INTERVENTION: none. Outcome measures: semen analysis as per WHO 2010 guidelines; seminal plasma ELISA for IL-1β, IL-18 and caspase-1; and Western blotting for Biglycan, β-2microglobulin and Cystatin-S proteins.

RESULTS

Proteins from the inflammasome complex are elevated in men with SCI, as previously described. In addition, β-2-microgobulin, Cystatin-S and two different isoforms of Byglican are elevated in men with SCI.

CONCLUSION

a different pathway to activate the inflammasome complex is present in men with spinal cord injury. This pathway can be a potential target for new interventions in the future.