title: The role of epigenetics in idiopathic male infertility.
abstract: Infertility is a complex disorder with multiple genetic and environmental causes. Although some specific mutations have been identified, other factors responsible for sperm defects remain largely unknown. Despite considerable efforts to identify the pathophysiology of the disease, we cannot explain the underlying mechanisms of approximately half of infertility cases. This study reviews current data on epigenetic regulation and idiopathic male infertility. Recent data have shown an association between epigenetic modifications and idiopathic infertility. In this regard, epigenetics has emerged as one of the promising research areas in understanding male infertility. Many studies have indicated that epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation in imprinted and developmental genes, histone tail modifications and short non-coding RNAs in spermatozoa may have a role in idiopathic male infertility.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biology, Ondokuz Mayis University, 55139, Samsun, Turkey. sgunes@omu.edu.tr.|Health Sciences Institute, Department of Multidisciplinary Molecular Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, 55139, Samsun, Turkey. sgunes@omu.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Sezgin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gunes
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biology, Ondokuz Mayis University, 55139, Samsun, Turkey. alpera55@gmail.com.|Health Sciences Institute, Department of Multidisciplinary Molecular Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, 55139, Samsun, Turkey. alpera55@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mehmet Alper
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Arslan
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biology, Ondokuz Mayis University, 55139, Samsun, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gulgez Neslihan Taskurt
authors.initials: GNT
authors.lastname: Hekim
authors.affiliation: Health Sciences Institute, Department of Multidisciplinary Molecular Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, 55139, Samsun, Turkey.|Faculty of Medicine, Department of Urology, Ondokuz Mayis University, 55139, Samsun, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ramazan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Asci
mesh_terms: D000107:Acetylation; D019175:DNA Methylation; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000502:physiology*; D018392:Genomic Imprinting; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000502:physiology; D011479:Protamines / Q000378:metabolism; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006657:Histones; D035683:MicroRNAs; D011479:Protamines
keywords: DNA methylation; Epigenetics; Infertility; miRNA