Expressions of miR-15a and its target gene HSPA1B in the spermatozoa of patients with varicocele.
Hyperthermia and oxidative stresses are the two central elements contributing to varicocele-related sperm damage. Growing evidence indicates that microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the regulation of the heat and oxidative stress responses. In this study, we analyzed the expressions of several stress-related miRNAs in the sperm and found that the expression of miR-15a was significantly decreased in patients with varicocele compared with the control. Furthermore, miR-15a repressed the expression of HSPA1B, which is a typical stress-induced chaperone protein, through directly binding its 3'-UTR. The expressions of miR-15a and HSPA1B exhibited an inverse correlation in sperm. Our results provide a valuable insight into the varicocele-related sperm impairment and male infertility, and may help to develop potential therapeutic targets and novel biomarkers for male infertility.
Guangdong and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Male Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Institute of Urology, Shenzhen PKU-HKUST Medical Center, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518036, China.
Ziliang
Z
Ji
Ruijing
R
Lu
Lisha
L
Mou
Yong-Gang
YG
Duan
Qiang
Q
Zhang
Yadong
Y
Wang
Yaoting
Y
Gui
Zhiming
Z
Cai
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014646:Varicocele / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology
D015415:Biomarkers; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; C525621:HSPA1B protein, human; C505361:MIRN15 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs