title: [Expression of RhoGDI alpha in human testes and sperm and its correlation with the success rate of IVF].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expression of RhoGDIalpha in human testes and spermatozoa, and compare the expression of RhoGDIalpha in the ejaculated spermatozoa from normozoospermic me and infertile patients men receiving in vitro fertilization (IVF).
  
  
  METHODS
  The localization of RhoGDIalpha in the human testis was determined by immunohistochemistry, and that in the pre-capacitated, capacitated and acrosome-reacted sperm by immunofluorescence. Western blot was used to detect the expression of RhoGDIalpha in the semen samples obtained from normozoospermic males (n = 10), IVF patients with high fertilization rates (> or = 60%, n = 12) and those with low fertilization rates (< 60%, n = 13).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immunohistochemistry showed that the RhoGDIalpha protein was located in all spermatogenic cells and highly expressed in the elongated spermatids. Immunofluorescence exhibited a high expression of RhoGDIalpha in the acrosome and flagellum of human sperm, which decreased in the acrosome after capacitation and disappeared after acrosome reaction. Western blot revealed an obviously decreased expression of RhoGDIalpha in the spermatozoa of the IVF patients with low fertilization rates (0.66 +/- 0.18), with statistically significant difference from those with high fertilization rates (0.97 +/- 0.17) and the normozoospermic men (1.13 +/- 0.21).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The RhoGDIalpha protein is located in the acrosome and flagellum of human sperm, and might be involved in sperm movement, capacitation and acrosome reaction. The significantly reduced expression of RhoGDIalpha in the sperm of low-fertilization patients suggests that it may be a new diagnostic biomarker for male infertility, and has a potential application value in sperm selection for IVF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210004, China.
authors.forename: Zhong-Hua
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Chun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Xiao-Mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D020730:Guanine Nucleotide Dissociation Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male; D008297:Male; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism*; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism*; D062948:rho Guanine Nucleotide Dissociation Inhibitor alpha; D062947:rho-Specific Guanine Nucleotide Dissociation Inhibitors
chemical_list: C569638:ARHGDIA protein, human; D020730:Guanine Nucleotide Dissociation Inhibitors; D062948:rho Guanine Nucleotide Dissociation Inhibitor alpha; D062947:rho-Specific Guanine Nucleotide Dissociation Inhibitors