title: Apolipoprotein E genotypes of fertile and infertile men.
abstract: Lipid components of spermatozoa have an important role in the functional activity of this cell. The protein, apolipoprotein E (apoE), has a central role in lipid transport. The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of APOE genotypes, ϵ3ϵ3, ϵ3ϵ4, and ϵ2ϵ3, and the corresponding alleles in fertile and infertile males, and to assess the semen parameters from the patients carrying the different alleles. In addition, the levels of cholesterol, phospholipid, and triacylglycerol in spermatozoa, isolated by PureSperm gradient and from seminal plasma in samples from infertile males was compared with respect to the APOE genotype. APOE genotypes were determined by PCR-RFLP on DNA extracted from peripheral blood leucocytes in 108 fertile and 107 infertile men. There was a significant difference between the distribution of APOE genotypes in fertile as compared to infertile males (χ(2) = 9.1, df = 2, p = 0.011). The presence of genotype ϵ3ϵ4 conferred a 3.82 risk factor for male infertility {Odds ratio = 3.82 (1.46-10, p = 0.006)}. Our findings showed that the distribution of APOE genotypes and alleles differed between fertile and infertile individuals and may be a risk factor for male infertility. We suggest that the effects of APOE genotypes may be linked to differences in the efficacy of the expressed apoE isoforms in promoting sperm maturation during epididymal transit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Medical School, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Rohollah
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Setarehbadi
authors.forename: Akram
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vatannejad
authors.forename: Asad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vaisi-Raygani
authors.forename: Iraj
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Amiri
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Esfahani
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fattahi
authors.forename: Heidar
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tavilani
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D053329:Apolipoprotein E2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D053318:Apolipoprotein E3 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D005298:Fertility / Q000235:genetics*; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010641:Phenotype; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D053329:Apolipoprotein E2; D053318:Apolipoprotein E3; D010743:Phospholipids; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol