title: Androgen receptor expression relationship with semen variables in infertile men with varicocele.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Androgen receptor, a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, has important roles in male reproductive function. It is required for sexual differentiation, pubertal development, spermatogenesis regulation, meiosis completion and spermatocyte transition to haploid round spermatids. We assessed the association of androgen receptor expression and semen variables in infertile men with varicocele.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 299 men were grouped into healthy, fertile controls, infertile men without varicocele and men with infertility associated with varicocele. A history was obtained, clinical examination and semen analysis were done and reproductive hormones were estimated. Androgen receptor expression and the acrosome reaction were determined in recovered spermatozoa.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Androgen receptor expression was significantly decreased in infertile men with varicocele more than in infertile men without varicocele compared to fertile controls. Androgen receptor correlated positively with sperm count, motility, normal forms, velocity, linear velocity, acrosome reaction and α-glucosidase. It correlated negatively with serum follicle-stimulating hormone and estradiol. Multiple stepwise regression analysis of androgen receptor expression revealed that the sperm acrosome reaction and linearity index were the most affected independent variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Androgen receptor expression was significantly decreased in infertile men with varicocele more than in infertile men without varicocele compared to fertile men. Androgen receptor expression correlated positively with sperm count, motility, normal forms, velocity, linear velocity and acrosome reaction.
authors.affiliation: Medical Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
authors.forename: Adel A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Zalata
authors.forename: Naglaa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mokhtar
authors.forename: Abd El-Naser
authors.initials: Ael-N
authors.lastname: Badawy
authors.forename: Gamal
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Othman
authors.forename: Moheiddin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alghobary
authors.forename: Taymour
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mostafa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D055101:Semen Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014646:Varicocele / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D011944:Receptors, Androgen