Expression levels of the inhibitor of apoptosis survivin in testes of patients with normal spermatogenesis and spermatogenic failure.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the expression of the inhibitor of apoptosis survivin in men with and without spermatogenic failure.


METHODS
Prospective case study.


METHODS
Two university-based infertility clinics.


METHODS
Forty-nine infertile men presenting with azoospermia.


METHODS
Testicular biopsies for histopathological assessment and analyses of survivin expression levels by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Survivin levels were normalized to expression of the housekeeping porphobilinogen deaminase gene.


METHODS
Correlation of the histological findings with normalized survivin expression levels.


RESULTS
Testicular survivin mRNA expression was highest in normal spermatogenesis (n = 14). Decreased expression was observed in patients with spermatogenesis disorders. The expression level correlated with the degree of spermatogenic failure. While it was reduced in postmeiotic maturation arrest (n = 11), a lack of expression was seen in most specimens (10 of 12) with premeiotic maturation arrest and in all of those with Sertoli cell-only syndrome (n = 12).


CONCLUSIONS
These data indicate that survivin is expressed in human germ cells and might be involved in apoptosis control during spermatogenesis. Decreased survivin expression in spermatogenic disorders may contribute to the accelerated germ cell apoptosis observed in male idiopathic infertility.
Weikert
Steffen
S
Department of Urology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, D-12200 Berlin, Germany. steffen.weikert@charite.de
Schrader
Mark
M
Müller
Markus
M
Schulze
Wolfgang
W
Krause
Hans
H
Miller
Kurt
K
D001284:Atrophy; D001706:Biopsy; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008297:Male; D008540:Meiosis; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D000077022:Survivin; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*
C107489:BIRC5 protein, human; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000077022:Survivin