Clinical use of redox biomarkers for diagnosis of male infertility

Objectives: The aim of the study was to analyze the activity of antioxidant enzymes (glutathione reductase, catalase, superoxide dismutase) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in a population of men with abnormal semen parameters and in a population of men diagnosed with normozoospermia. Material and methods: This study was performed using data collected at the Infertility Treatment Clinic ,Genesis' , Bydgoszcz, Poland, between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2017. A total number of 455 men meeting the inclusion criteria were selected and divided into the control group (234 men) and the infertility group (221 men). The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione reductase (GR) were measured using ready-made kits; lipid peroxidation intensity was determined by the thiobarbituric acid method. Results: No statistically significant differences were found for activity of SOD, GR, CAT between the groups. MDA values measured in the serum of patients in the healthy group were higher than in the group with semenological disorders. Conclusions: Although our study did not demonstrate the usefulness of the above blood tests, further studies are needed to explore the potential use of assessing redox parameters to develop new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for male infertility.