Abstract
The rate of infertility is about 10-15% in the world. A male factor can be diagnosed in approximately half of the cases. Spermatogenesis is a complex process of proliferation and differentiation of male germ cells producing sperm and regulated in transcription and post transcription level. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNA molecules about 22 nucleotides in length and act as post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression. They play a key role in biologic processes, through the cell growth, the cell-cycle, the development and apoptosis and also regulation of primordial germ cells (PGCs), early and late spermatogenesis, and reproduction. In addition, reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a main role in the human reproduction. In this study, we investigate the role of MiRNAs, Lipid Peroxidation & Antioxidant Enzymes Activity and DNA Fragmentation on male infertility in our population. The patients were assigned to three groups based on semen analysis, normozoospermic patients (N), and moderate oligoasthenoteratozoospermic (MOAT) and sever oligoasthenoteratozoospermic patients (SOAT). The expression profiles of five miRNAs, 34c, 15b, 184, 122 and 383 were investigated using quantitative RT-PCR, activity of antioxidant enzymes and Lipid Peroxidation also sperm chromatin dispersion test for the assessment of DNA fragmentation in the semen of three groups were examined. In the result, MDA (lipid peroxidation product) levels, SOD (superoxide dismutase) & GPx (glutathione peroxidase) activity and DNA fragmentation index (DFI) were found higher in SOAT patients than MOAT and Normal individuals. In conclusion, the level and activity of the above mentioned factors positively correlated with sperm qualities in our population. We will finalize our MiRNAs qPCR results and will use network analysis based on Common Targets algorithm and Common Regulators algorithm as well as subnetwork discovery based on gene set enrichment to highlight the possible role of these MiRNAs in male infertility treatment.
Keywords: Semen, MiRNAs, Antioxidant Enzymes Activity, DNA Fragmentation