title: Altered microRNA expression profiles of human spermatozoa in patients with different spermatogenic impairments.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether microRNAs are differentially expressed in men with normal versus impaired spermatogenesis, and to find a biomarker for accurate diagnosis of male infertility.
  
  
  METHODS
  Microarray with real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) validation.
  
  
  METHODS
  University research and clinical institutes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male partner of selected couples (n = 27) who were undergoing assisted reproduction techniques for infertility treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  Statistically significantly altered microRNA expression profiles in normozoospermic versus asthenozoospermic and oligoasthenozoospermic men.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 50 miRNAs up-regulated and 27 miRNAs down-regulated in asthenozoospermic males. In oligoasthenozoospermic males, 42 miRNAs were up-regulated and 44 miRNAs down-regulated when compared with normozoospermic males. The miRNAs that exhibited the highest fold changes and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve were miR-34b, miR-122, and miR-1973 in samples from asthenozoospermic men and miR-34b, miR-34b*, miR-15b, miR-34c-5p, miR-122, miR-449a, miR-1973, miR-16, and miR-19a in samples from oligoasthenozoospermic men. Furthermore, quantitative RT-PCR assays on specific miRNAs, including miR-141, miR-200a, miR-122, miR-34b, miR-34c-5p, and miR-16, yielded results that were largely consistent with the microarray data.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results reveal an extended number of miRNAs that were differentially expressed in asthenozoospermic and oligoasthenozoospermic males compared with normozoospermic males. These data provide evidence for analysis of miRNA profiles as a future diagnosing tool for male infertility.
authors: Department of Human Genetics, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany. masood@daad-alumni.de
authors: Masood
authors: M
authors: Abu-Halima
authors: Mohamad
authors: M
authors: Hammadeh
authors: Jana
authors: J
authors: Schmitt
authors: Petra
authors: P
authors: Leidinger
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Keller
authors: Eckart
authors: E
authors: Meese
authors: Christina
authors: C
authors: Backes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D053627:Asthenozoospermia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D005298:Fertility / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D058727:RNA, Small Untranslated / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000235:genetics; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*; D059467:Transcriptome; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D058727:RNA, Small Untranslated