title: Potential biomarkers of nonobstructive azoospermia identified in microarray gene expression analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify potential biomarkers of azoospermia to determine a particular stage of spermatogenetic differentiation.
  
  
  METHODS
  GeneChip Human Gene 1.0 ST microarray with validation at mRNA and protein levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Basic research laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Men with various types of nonobstructive azoospermia (n = 18) and with normal spermatogenesis (n = 4).
  
  
  METHODS
  Obtaining 31 testicular biopsy samples.
  
  
  METHODS
  Gene expression analysis using the Affymetrix Human Gene 1.0 ST microarrays on 14 selected genes according to the highest fold change, verified with quantitative polymerase chain reaction and on independent set of microarray samples. Western blot and immunohistochemistry were additionally performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The comparative analysis of gene expression profiles in the infertile and control groups resulted in the selection of 4,946 differentially expressed genes. AKAP4, UBQLN3, CAPN11, GGN, SPACA4, SPATA3, and FAM71F1 were the most significantly down-regulated genes in infertile patients. Global analysis also led to identification of up-regulated genes-WBSCR28, ADCY10, TMEM225, SPATS1, FSCN3, GTSF1L, and GSG1-in men with late maturation arrest. Moreover, the results from quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot largely confirmed the microarray data.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The set of selected genes can be used to create a molecular diagnostic tool to determine the degree of spermatogenic impairment for men with idiopathic nonobstructive azoospermia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Biology and Stem Cells, Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malcher
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rozwadowska
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stokowy
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kolanowski
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jedrzejczak
authors.forename: Wojmir
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zietkowiak
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurpisz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D053713:Azoospermia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D040081:Protein Array Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins
keywords: Azoospermia; biomarkers; infertility; microarrays