Baseline expression profile of meiotic-specific genes in healthy fertile males.
OBJECTIVE
To establish the quantitative gene-expression profile of nine meiotic genes involved in synapsis and chromosome cohesion (SYCP1, SPO11, MSH4, MSH5, MLH1, MLH3, PMS2, STAG3, and REC8) in healthy fertile males.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
Research university laboratory and clinical andrology service.


METHODS
Twenty healthy males of proven fertility underwent a vasectomy procedure and four infertile patients with Sertoli cell-only syndrome (SCOS).


METHODS
Analysis of testicular biopsies from 20 fertile males and four SCOS patients.


METHODS
Quantitative gene expression by real-time polymerase chain reaction in testicular biopsies.


RESULTS
Four of the nine genes under study (PMS2, MLH3, MLH1, and REC8) are expressed in both fertile males and SCOS patients. The remaining five genes are only (SYCP1, SPO11, MSH4, and MSH5) or mainly (STAG3) expressed in fertile males, and thus they could be considered meiotic-specific genes. All genes analyzed are expressed at similar levels among fertile individuals


CONCLUSIONS
Gene expression levels reported in this study could be considered the gene expression profile of fertile population, and could be used to compare with the expression pattern of infertile patients. Expression of meiotic-specific genes could be used as a clinical diagnosis tool to ascertain the origin of some cases of idiopathic male infertility and sterility.
Nogués
Carme
C
Departament Biologia Cel.lular, Fisiologia i Immunologia, Universitat Autònoma Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain. carme.nogues@uab.cat
Fernández
Cristina
C
Rajmil
Osvaldo
O
Templado
Cristina
C
D000328:Adult; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005298:Fertility / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008540:Meiosis / Q000235:genetics*; D012016:Reference Values; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins