Antisperm protein targets in azoospermia men.
BACKGROUND
The number of couples that meet the definition of infertility at reproductive ages is increasing worldwide. One of the most known conditions of infertility in males is azoospermia, defined as complete absence of spermatozoa in the semen. Azoospermia manifests in two forms, namely obstructive and non-obstructive azoospermia. Although the presence of antisperm antibody (ASA) has been reported in 88% of the patients with obstructive azoospermia (OA), interestingly, there is no data regarding ASA targets in OA individuals.


OBJECTIVE
The present study aimed to identify sperm antibody targets in a group of OA men.


METHODS
The present study was carried out on 27 OA infertile men and 27 healthy fertile age-matched males as cases and controls, respectively.


METHODS
The sperm proteome was separated using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis technique, transferred onto the polyvinylidene fluoride membrane, and blotted with the sera of a group of OA men. Then, it was compared with the membranes blotted with the sera of a group of healthy fertile men. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight/time-of-flight (MALDI TOF/TOF) mass spectrometry was used to identify the different blotted spots and finally the results of the mass analysis were confirmed using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction method.


RESULTS
The results indicated that OA patients might produce antibody against two sperm proteins, Tektin-2 and triose phosphate isomerase. Moreover, the expressions of the two targeted proteins were confirmed at RNA level.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of the present study revealed two functionally important sperm proteins as antibody targets in azoospermic men.
Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Student Research Committee of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Mohammad-Sadegh Soltani
MS
Zangbar
Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Sara
S
Keshtgar
Infertility Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Jaleh
J
Zolghadri
Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Infertility Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Department Reproductive Biology, Proteomics Laboratory, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Behrouz
B
Gharesi-Fard
Azoospermia; Tektin-2; Western blot; triose phosphate isomerase; two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis