Proinflammatory seminal cytokine levels in asymptomatic infertile infected men

Cytokines are immune messengers involved in the host defense against pathogens. In this study we determined tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the search of seminal markers of male chronic genital infection in asymptomatic infertile men. We also investigated their relationship with the number of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN). Forty-nine asymptomatic infertile men without varicocele and 16 fertile donors (C) were evaluated. Infection was detected in 20 patients (I+). In view of two different cytokine levels and PMN found in I+, two subgroups I-1(+) and I-2(+), were defined. Only in I-2(+) the cytokines and PMN/ml were higher than in C. In patients from I-2(+) group, cytokines and the number of PMN were significantly reduced after bacteriological cure. Chronic bacterial infection is not always associated to an inflammatory seminal pattern (high levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha with leukocytospermia) in asymptomatic infected infertile male.