Seminal plasma transferrin concentration in normozoospermic fertile men and oligozoospermic men associated with varicocele.

Seminal plasma transferrin concentration has been reported a useful clinical marker for Sertoli cell function. In the present study, to investigate if transferrin production in the testis is decreased in oligozoospermic men associated with visible varicocele, seminal plasma transferrin concentrations in two groups -12 normozoospermic fertile men and 14 oligozoospermic varicocele patients--were measured and the values compared. Seminal plasma transferrin concentration in the oligozoospermic varicocele group was 29.9 +/- 6.8 micrograms/mL, and the concentration in the normozoospermic fertile group was 75.5 +/- 39.3 micrograms/mL. There was a significant difference between the two groups (P less than .001). The results indicate that transferrin production in the testis of oligozoospermic varicocele patients must be decreased, and also suggest that decreased transferrin production may be related to disturbed spermatogenesis in varicocele patients.