ArticleReproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E2011
Decreased levels of genuine large free hCG alpha in men presenting with abnormal semen analysis.
Article in Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E, 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 15 citations in OpenAlex.
- Developing glycoproteomics reveals the role of posttranslational glycosylation in the physiological and pathological processes of male reproduction.iMetaOmics · 2024Article
- Comparison of the effect of combined therapy of HCG ampule and letrozole tablet with each method separately on the spermogram parameters in the obese men with idiopathic infertility: a clinical trial.American journal of clinical and experimental urology · 2022Article
- Unconventional Actions of Glycoprotein Hormone Subunits: A Comprehensive Review.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2021Review
- Peptides in seminal fluid and their role in infertility: a potential role for opiorphin inhibition of neutral endopeptidase activity as a clinically relevant modulator of sperm motility: a review.Reproductive sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) · 2014Review
- MicroRNA-122 influences the development of sperm abnormalities from human induced pluripotent stem cells by regulating TNP2 expression.Stem cells and development · 2013Article
- Glycoprotein fucosylation is increased in seminal plasma of subfertile men.Asian journal of andrologyArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and its free subunits (hCG alpha, hCG beta) are produced in the male reproductive tract and found in high concentrations in seminal fluid, in particular hCG alpha. This study aimed to elucidate changes in peptide hormone profiles in patients showing abnormal semen analyses and to determine the genuineness of the highly abundant hCG alpha.
methodsSeminal plasma was obtained from 45 male patients undergoing semen analysis during infertility workups. Comprehensive peptide hormone profiles were established by a panel of immunofluorometric assays for hCG, hCG alpha, hCG beta and its metabolite hCG beta core fragment, placental lactogen, growth hormone and prolactin in seminal plasma of patients with abnormal semen analysis results (n = 29) versus normozoospermic men (n = 16). The molecular identity of large hyperglycosylated hCG alpha was analyzed by mass-spectrometry and selective deglycosylation.
resultshCG alpha levels were found to be significantly lower in men with impaired semen quality (1346 +/- 191 vs. 2753 +/- 533 ng/ml, P = 0.022). Moreover, patients with reduced sperm count had reduced intact hCG levels compared with normozoospermic men (0.097 +/- 0.022 vs. 0.203 +/- 0.040 ng/ml, P = 0.028). Using mass-spectrometry, the biochemical identity of hCG alpha purified from seminal plasma was verified. Under non-reducing conditions in SDS-PAGE, hCG alpha isolated from seminal plasma migrated in a manner comparable with large free hCG alpha with an apparent molecular mass (Mr, app) of 24 kDa, while hCG alpha dissociated from pregnancy-derived holo-hCG migrated at approximately 22 kDa. After deglycosylation with PNGase F under denaturing conditions, all hCG alpha variants showed an Mr, app of 15 kDa, indicating identical amino acid backbones.
conclusionsThe findings indicate a pathophysiological relevance of hCG, particularly its free alpha subunit, in spermatogenesis. The alternative glycosylation pattern on the free large hCG alpha in seminal plasma might reflect a modified function of this subunit in the male reproductive tract.
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