Abnorme produzione di Radicali Liberi di Ossigeno originati da bassa leucocitospermia in frazioni purificate del seme di pazienti infertili.

Seminal leucocytes (WBC) play an important role, whereas this is still unknown. Quantitative normal threshold-value for leucocytospermia (Ls) (WBC < or = 1 million/ml) seems not to be a safety predictive marker of male accessory gland infection (MAGI) and/or MAGI-related adverse effects on semen quality and/or fertility because several drawbacks: a) inadequate staining techniques are responsible of an underestimated WBC concentration in spermatic fractions (100%) obtained from high-density Percoli gradient (Pc 100%); b) Ls could be correlated far better to the clinical findings and/or outcomes if some biochemical data on L metabolism are also studied (Radical Oxygen Species-ROS-generation, phagocytosis, leucotoxins). In order to point out importance about an joint morphological/biochemical analysis about Ls, we recruited 76 selected infertile (from 2-7 yrs) patients (aged 32-45 yrs) who, in their 50% Percoli fractions, had previously produced WBC-ROS > 95th percentile values registered from our control group (n = 28, fertile men). In all infertile population we have analysed through Pc100 fraction either the percentage of WBC-negative patient's specimens (group A) and within WBC-positive ones if a significant difference was present in the maximal WBC-ROS production among different subgroups at WBC concentrations (group B:0.01-0.09, group C:1-10, group D: > 10 x 10(4) WBC/10(7) spermatozoa).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)