title: Spermatozoa micro ribonucleic acid-34c level is correlated with intracytoplasmic sperm injection outcomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effects of micro ribonucleic acid (miR)-34b/c expression levels in human spermatozoa on intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  In vitro fertilization center.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 162 patients with idiopathic male infertility who had undergone first ICSI cycles.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  The levels of miR-34b/c in spermatozoa were measured using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Fertilization, early cleavage, day-3 good-quality embryo, pregnancy, implantation, and live birth rate were assessed. A receiver operating characteristic curve was employed to analyze the cutoff values.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No correlation was found between the spermatozoa miR-34b/c levels and the 2 pronuclei early cleavage rate. A correlation was seen between an increased level of miR-34c and a higher percentage of good-quality embryos on day 3. Although miR-34b and miR-34c levels were higher in the pregnancy group, compared with the nonpregnancy group, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that miR-34c levels in spermatozoa were more strongly correlated with ICSI treatment outcomes, compared with miR-34b (area under the curve = 0.75). Patients in the miR-34c-positive group were more likely to exhibit higher rates of good-quality embryos, implantation, pregnancy, and live birth. A multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that miR-34c in spermatozoa (odds ratio: 5.699, with 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.687-12.088) and woman's age (odds ratio: 0.843, with 95% CI: 0.736-0.966) were the 2 parameters that were significantly correlated with pregnancy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results demonstrate that miR-34c levels in spermatozoa are correlated with ICSI outcomes, suggesting that paternal miR-34c may play a role in the early phases of embryonic development. Levels of MiR-34c in human spermatozoa may be used as an indicator for ICSI outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Biwei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Sunquan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: yeyh1999@zju.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yinghui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ye
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate / Q000639:trends*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C522425:MIRN34 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: ICSI outcome; MicroRNA; miR-34c; pregnancy; spermatozoa