Cobalt and Copper Levels in the Seminal Plasma of Infertile Men Living in Port Harcourt Metropolis

Donatus Onukwufor Onwuli^1, and Gospel Ajuru²

¹Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Chemical Pathology Unit, Faculty of Science, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, NkpoluOroworukwo, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

²Anatomical Pathology Department, Faculty of Basic medical science, University of Port Harcourt Choba, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Cite this paper:
Donatus Onukwufor Onwuli and Gospel Ajuru. Cobalt and Copper Levels in the Seminal Plasma of Infertile Men Living in Port Harcourt Metropolis. International Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2014; 2(2):27-31. doi: 10.12691/ijcn-2-2-1

Abstract

The seminal plasma levels of cobalt and copper were assessed in men living in Port Harcourt metropolis using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. These subjects were divided into two groups based on accepted criteria for fertility in males. The subjects in group 1 (fertile men) had 67.30 ± 10.52% as the percentage motility; 67.70 ± 18.20 x10⁶ Spermcells/L as cell count, 10.04 ± 2.27μg/Land 4.14 ± 2.60μg/L as seminal plasma cobalt and copper levels respectively. The subjects in group 2 (infertile men) had 30.60 ± 16.60% as percentage motility; 16.80 ± 4.5 x 10⁶ Spermcells/L as cell count, 11.82 ± 2.83μg/l and 7.05 ± 3.27μg/L as seminal plasma cobalt and copper levels respectively. The percentage motility and sperm cell count were significantly higher in the fertile group than the infertile group (P < 0.05). The seminal plasma level of copper was significantly higher in the infertile men than in the fertile men (P < 0.05), while cobalt levels in both groups did not show any significant difference, although there was an increase observed in the non-fertile group. The result of this study shows that men presenting with infertility have higher copper levels in their seminal plasma, a finding that could be useful in the management of male infertility.

Keywords:
copper cobalt fertility

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

References:

[1]	Abou-Sharkra F.R, Ward N. I and Everard D.M, (1989). The Role of Trace Metals in Male Fertility. Fertility Sterility Journal 52:307-310.
[2]	Anderson M B,Pedigo N G, Katz R P,,Genge W J.(1992). Histopathology of Testes from mice chronically treated with cobalt. Reproductive Toxicology 6:140-150.
[3]	Barbara B (2003). Men contribute to and suffer from infertility Family Health International; 23:17-20.
[4]	Blankson, D D.;Kestin, M and Rifai, N (1995). Role of free radicals in cancer and atherosclerosis. Clinical Laboratory medicine. 13 (2) 463-480.
[5]	Brugh V M, Lipshultz L I (2004) Male factor infertility:evaluation and management Medical clinic of North America 88 (2): 367-3855.
[6]	Cheek A O and McLachan J A (1998) Environmental Hormones and the male reproductive system. Journal of Andrology 19:5-10.
[7]	Colburn, T. VomSaac FS Sota A. M (1993). Developmental Effects of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in Wild Life and Humans. Environmental Health pastective (101) 378-384.
[8]	Cooper T G, Nooman E, Von Eckardstein (2010) World Health Organization reference values for human semen characteristics. Human Reproduction Update 16 (3)231-245.
[9]	Carlsen E, Givercman A, Keiding N, Skakkaback N.E. (1992). Evidence of Decreasing Quality of Semen during the past 50 years. British Medical Journal 305: 609-613.
[10]	Cheesbrough.M (1984) Medical Laboratory Manual for Tropical countries.VolumeII.Heinman,Oxford P.186-187.
[11]	Chia S.E, Ong C.E, Lee S.T, Tsakok F. H (1992). Blood Concentrations of Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, zinc, Copper and Human Semen Parameters. Achieves of Andrology 29 (2) 177-183.
[12]	Elbetieba A, Ac-Thani A S, Al-Thani R K,Dorman H, Owais W.(2004)Chronic exposure to Cobaltous chloride caused adverse effects on fertility of male mice. Toxicology and applied Pharmacology 173(3) 351-355.
[13]	Eibensteiner L, Del Carpio SanzA, Frumkin H, Gonzales C, Gonzales G F.(2005) Lead exposure and semen quality among traffic police in Arequipa, Peru. International Journal of Occupational Environmental Health. 11:161-166.
[14]	Eidi M, Eidi A, Pouyan O, Shahmonhammadi P, Fazedi R, Bahar M. (2010) Irenian Journal of Reproductive Medicine 8 (2) 60-65.
[15]	Foglietta L.M, Munoz M G. Alvarado J. (1998). Copper, Chromium, Zinc Content in Human Semen and its positive effects on Sperm Quality of Fertile and infertile man in the city of CarcasVenuelaCiencia6 (1) 31-3.
[16]	Ginsburg J. hardiman P (1992). Decreasing Quality of Semen. BritishMedical Journal 305:1228-1229.
[17]	Grimes, D.A., MD (2007). "Intrauterine Devices (IUDs)" In: Hatcher, RA; Kowal, D". Contraceptive Technology 19th ed.(New York: Ardent Media.
[18]	Heitman, E.; Bartsch, H, Bereziat, J C,; Camus, A M.; McChinton, S and Eremin, O. (1994). Oxidative stress in breast, colon, and Prostate cancer patients, a case study. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 48 (8), 575-586.
[19]	Hirsh A (2003) Male infertility. British Medical Journal 327(7416)669-672.
[20]	Hosie S, Loff S, W.H. K, N Niessen K, Wagg J (2000). Is there a correlation between organchlorine component and undescended testes? European Journal of Pediatrics Surgery 10: 304-309.
[21]	Kayne, F J.,Komer, G.,Laboda, H and Vanderline, R E. (1978). Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry of Chromium in semen and urine with a modified Perkin Elmer 603 Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Clinical Chemistry, 24 (12), 2151-2154.
[22]	kerry L W (2003) Defining Infertility. Family Health International; 23: 4-8.
[23]	Luz M.F., Marma G.M. and Jose A. (1998): Copper, Chromium and Zinc Content in Human Semen and its possible Effect in Sperm Quality of Fertile and Infertile Men in the City of Venezula.Ciencia 6 (1) 31-38.
[24]	Marcus M, Keily J Xu F, Mcgeechm M, Jackson r, Sinks T. (1998). Changing Sex Ratio in the United States, 1969-1995. FertilitySterility. Journal 70:270-273.
[25]	Oritz ME, and Croxatto HB (2007). “Copper-T intrauterine device and levonorgestrel intrauterine system: Biological bases of their mechanism of action”. Contraception 75(6) S16-S30.
[26]	Pant N, Upadhyay G, Pandy S, Mathur N, Saxena D K and Srivastava S P (2003). Lead and Cadmium concentration in seminal plasma of men in general population: correlation with sperm quality. Reproductive toxicology 17: 447-450.
[27]	Skakkeback N E, Negro-Villa A, MichalF, and Fathala M (1991).Impact of the environment on reproductive health. Report and recommendations of a WHO International workshop. Danish medical bulletin 38, 425-426.
[28]	Stanwell Smith R, Thompson S.G., Hairness AP. Ward R.J. Cashmore G Stedronska J.Hendry W.F. (1983). A Comparative Study of Zinc, Copper, Cadmium and lead in fertile and infertile men. Fertility sterility Journal 40 (5) 670-677.
[29]	Umeyama T. Ishikawa H, Takeshima A. (1986). A Comparative Study of Seminal Plasma Trace Elements in Fertile and Infertile Men Fertility Sterility journal 46:494-499.
[30]	Wong, WY, Flike G I, Pascal M W, Tenny H.J. Copius-Peerebouf H M, Merkusa W.M, Steegers – Thuesniffena R P (2001). The Impact of Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, Copper in Blood and Seminal Plasma on Semen Parameters in men. Reproductive toxicology Vol. 15 200(1) 131-176.
[31]	World Health Organization (WHO) (2003). Laboratory Manual for Examination of Human Semen and Semen Cervical Mucus Interaction. Cambridge University press UK.
[32]	Xu B1 Chia S.E, Tsakokm, (1993). Trace Elements in Blood and Seminal Plasma and their Relationship to Sperm Quality. Reproductive Toxicology (7) 613-618.