Afamin Concentration Correlates Inversely with VitaminE Levels and Antioxidant S tatus in Seminal Fluids ofIraqi As thenospermic Patients

Background: Afamin, a plasma glycoprotein, has previouslybeen identified as an alternate carrier protein for vitamin E inextravascular fluids including seminal fluids. Afamin may beinvolved in antiapoptotic cellular processes caused by oxidatives tress. Afamin and vitamin E work together to improve thesurvival of cortical neurons during apoptosis.Materials and Methods: Semen samples were obtained from۶۰ fertile and ۶۰ as thenospermic infertile men of matched age.After liquefaction of seminal fluid at room temperature, routinesemen analyses were performed. The afamin was assessedby Elisa kit. Vitamin E, total antioxidant, total reactive oxygenspecies, and lipid peroxidation levels were measured in seminalplasma samples.Results: Afamin concentration, total reactive oxygen species,and lipid peroxidation levels were significantly higher in subfertilemen than in healthy men; while vitamin E and total antioxidants tatus were decreased in seminal plasma of as thenospermic specimens.Conclusion: Afamin levels are related to oxidant/antioxidantbalance and sperm quality. Afamin was found to be abundantin seminal fluid, where its concentration was found to be highlycorrelated to vitamin E levels, indicating a possible role inseminal quality.