2010
Soucek, Karel; Slabáková, Eva; Ovesná, Petra; Malenovská, Alice; Kozubík, Alois; Hampl, Ales
Growth/differentiation factor-15 is an abundant cytokine in human seminal plasma. Journal Article
In: Human reproduction (Oxford, England), vol. 25, no. 12, pp. 2962–2971, 2010, ISSN: 1460-2350 0268-1161, (Place: England).
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Adult, Apoptosis/drug effects, CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/metabolism, Cell Proliferation/drug effects, Cell Survival/drug effects, Epithelial Cells/metabolism, Female, Forkhead Transcription Factors/biosynthesis, Growth Differentiation Factor 15/*physiology, Humans, Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit/metabolism, Leukocytes, Male, Middle Aged, Mononuclear/drug effects, Semen Analysis, Semen/*metabolism, Spermatozoa
@article{soucek_growthdifferentiation_2010,
title = {Growth/differentiation factor-15 is an abundant cytokine in human seminal plasma.},
author = {Karel Soucek and Eva Slabáková and Petra Ovesná and Alice Malenovská and Alois Kozubík and Ales Hampl},
doi = {10.1093/humrep/deq264},
issn = {1460-2350 0268-1161},
year = {2010},
date = {2010-12-01},
journal = {Human reproduction (Oxford, England)},
volume = {25},
number = {12},
pages = {2962–2971},
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Transforming growth factor-β cytokines have various biological effects in female reproductive tissue, including modulation of inflammatory response and induction of immune tolerance to seminal antigens in the reproductive tract. However, no studies have analyzed the presence of growth/differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15/macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1) in seminal fluid or demonstrated the quantity and form of GDF-15, its possible role or the relationship between its concentration and semen quality. METHODS: The form and the concentration of GDF-15 were determined in 53 seminal plasma samples of both fertile and infertile men by ELISA and western blot. The sperm cells of three volunteers were treated with recombinant GDF-15, and cell viability and apoptosis were assessed by flow cytometry. The effect of GDF-15 on vaginal epithelial cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR. RESULTS: The GDF-15 concentration in seminal plasma ranged from 0.2 to 6.6 μg/ml as determined by ELISA. Western blot analysis revealed that GDF-15 is present in the active form. In vitro cultivation of sperm cells with GDF-15 did not affect their viability or rates of apoptosis; however, it did inhibit proliferation of PBMCs and induce expression of FOXP3 in CD4+CD25+ cells. CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration that GDF-15 is an abundant cytokine in seminal plasma, although its concentration is not associated with semen quality or the fertility/infertility status of the donors. Moreover, our data show that GDF-15 displays immunosuppressive characteristics.},
note = {Place: England},
keywords = {Adult, Apoptosis/drug effects, CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/metabolism, Cell Proliferation/drug effects, Cell Survival/drug effects, Epithelial Cells/metabolism, Female, Forkhead Transcription Factors/biosynthesis, Growth Differentiation Factor 15/*physiology, Humans, Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit/metabolism, Leukocytes, Male, Middle Aged, Mononuclear/drug effects, Semen Analysis, Semen/*metabolism, Spermatozoa},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
BACKGROUND: Transforming growth factor-β cytokines have various biological effects in female reproductive tissue, including modulation of inflammatory response and induction of immune tolerance to seminal antigens in the reproductive tract. However, no studies have analyzed the presence of growth/differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15/macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1) in seminal fluid or demonstrated the quantity and form of GDF-15, its possible role or the relationship between its concentration and semen quality. METHODS: The form and the concentration of GDF-15 were determined in 53 seminal plasma samples of both fertile and infertile men by ELISA and western blot. The sperm cells of three volunteers were treated with recombinant GDF-15, and cell viability and apoptosis were assessed by flow cytometry. The effect of GDF-15 on vaginal epithelial cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR. RESULTS: The GDF-15 concentration in seminal plasma ranged from 0.2 to 6.6 μg/ml as determined by ELISA. Western blot analysis revealed that GDF-15 is present in the active form. In vitro cultivation of sperm cells with GDF-15 did not affect their viability or rates of apoptosis; however, it did inhibit proliferation of PBMCs and induce expression of FOXP3 in CD4+CD25+ cells. CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration that GDF-15 is an abundant cytokine in seminal plasma, although its concentration is not associated with semen quality or the fertility/infertility status of the donors. Moreover, our data show that GDF-15 displays immunosuppressive characteristics.