Cyclin A1 and gametogenesis in fertile and infertile patients: a potential new molecular diagnostic marker.
BACKGROUND
The study aim was to evaluate cyclin A1 mRNA expression levels as a potential molecular diagnostic parameter in the work-up of testicular tissue from fertile versus infertile patients.


METHODS
Cyclin A1 expression was quantified in 55 cryopreserved testicular tissue specimens by fluorescence real-time RT-PCR. A conventional histological work-up was performed concomitantly in all tissue specimens with additional semi-thin sectioning in all cases of non-obstructive azoospermia (n = 12), maturation arrest (n = 17) and Sertoli cell-only syndrome (SCOS; n = 9).


RESULTS
The mean (+/- SD) normalized cyclin A1 expression (N(CyclinA1)) was 3.82 +/- 2.23 relative gene expression (RGE) in tissue specimens with normal spermatogenesis, and 0.625 +/- 0.221 RGE in those with maturation arrest at the level of early spermatids. Only minimal N(CyclinA1) was detected in tissue specimens with spermatogonia only or maturation arrest at the level of primary spermatocytes (0.005 +/- 0.008). Cyclin A1 expression was absent in the majority of SCOS specimens (0.002 +/- 0.002).


CONCLUSIONS
These investigations suggested that cyclin A1 expression is altered in cases of spermatogenic disorders. Moreover, the level of cyclin A1 mRNA expression correlates with gametogenic disorders and seems well suited for a molecular-diagnostic classification supplementing the histopathological evaluation of spermatogenic disorders.
Schrader
Mark
M
Department of Urology, Universitätsklinikum Benjamin Franklin, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany. schrader@medizin.fu-berlin.edu
Müller-Tidow
Carsten
C
Ravnik
Stuart
S
Müller
Markus
M
Schulze
Wolfgang
W
Diederichs
Sven
S
Serve
Hubert
H
Miller
Kurt
K
D015415:Biomarkers; D019925:Cyclin A / Q000235:genetics*; D056750:Cyclin A1; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D005298:Fertility / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology
D015415:Biomarkers; C503745:CCNA1 protein, human; D019925:Cyclin A; D056750:Cyclin A1; D012333:RNA, Messenger