Masood Abu-Halima1, Christina Backes2, Petra Leidinger2, Andreas Keller2, Abdel Monem Lubbad3, Mohamad Hammadeh4, Eckart Meese2. 1. Department of Human Genetics, Saarland University, Saar, Germany; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IVF and Andrology Laboratory, Saarland University, Saar, Germany. Electronic address: masood@daad-alumni.de. 2. Department of Human Genetics, Saarland University, Saar, Germany. 3. Faculty of Medicine, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip, Palestine. 4. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IVF and Andrology Laboratory, Saarland University, Saar, Germany.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression profiles of microRNA (miRNA) in human testes showing different histopathological patterns. DESIGN: Microarray with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) validation. SETTING: University research and clinical institutes. PATIENT(S): Azoospermic men who underwent testicular biopsy for sperm recovery in preparation for intracytoplasmic sperm injection. INTERVENTION(S): Testicular biopsies. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Statistically significantly altered miRNA expression profiles among the testicular histopathologic patterns groups compared with normal pattern group. RESULT(S): According to miRNA array, a total of 197, 68, and 46 miRNAs were found to be differentially expressed when comparing the samples from Sertoli cell only (SCO), mixed atrophy (MA), and germ cell arrest (GA) groups, respectively, with normal spermatogenesis (N). Five miRNAs have been validated using qRT-PCR, and the results were consistent with miRNA array analysis. Bioinformatics analysis showed that five microRNAs (hsa-mir-34b*, hsa-mir-34b, hsa-mir-34c-5p, hsa-mir-449a, and hsa-mir-449b*) were involved in apoptosis, cell proliferation, and differentiation. Notably, potential target genes of these five miRNAs were involved in the spermatogenesis process. CONCLUSION(S): This study provides new insights into specific miRNAs that are expressed in infertile men with different histopathologic patterns, suggesting a role of miRNAs in regulating male germ and somatic cells and that their alteration is associated with reproductive abnormalities.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression profiles of microRNA (miRNA) in human testes showing different histopathological patterns. DESIGN: Microarray with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) validation. SETTING: University research and clinical institutes. PATIENT(S): Azoospermic men who underwent testicular biopsy for sperm recovery in preparation for intracytoplasmic sperm injection. INTERVENTION(S): Testicular biopsies. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Statistically significantly altered miRNA expression profiles among the testicular histopathologic patterns groups compared with normal pattern group. RESULT(S): According to miRNA array, a total of 197, 68, and 46 miRNAs were found to be differentially expressed when comparing the samples from Sertoli cell only (SCO), mixed atrophy (MA), and germ cell arrest (GA) groups, respectively, with normal spermatogenesis (N). Five miRNAs have been validated using qRT-PCR, and the results were consistent with miRNA array analysis. Bioinformatics analysis showed that five microRNAs (hsa-mir-34b*, hsa-mir-34b, hsa-mir-34c-5p, hsa-mir-449a, and hsa-mir-449b*) were involved in apoptosis, cell proliferation, and differentiation. Notably, potential target genes of these five miRNAs were involved in the spermatogenesis process. CONCLUSION(S): This study provides new insights into specific miRNAs that are expressed in infertilemen with different histopathologic patterns, suggesting a role of miRNAs in regulating male germ and somatic cells and that their alteration is associated with reproductive abnormalities.
Authors: Yongjuan Guan; Guanxiang Liang; Penelope A R Hawken; Irek A Malecki; Greg Cozens; Philip E Vercoe; Graeme B Martin; Le Luo Guan Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2015-05-21 Impact factor: 4.379