title: Altered expression of KLC3 may affect semen parameters.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  KLC3 protein as a member of the kinesin light-chain protein family plays an important role in spermatogenesis, during formation of mitochondrial sheath in the mid piece of the sperm tail.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study for the first time aims to compare the expression of the KLC3 gene between fertile and infertile individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semen samples were collected from 19 fertile individuals who were selected from embryo-donor volunteers and 57 infertile individuals who had abnormal sperm parameters according to world health organization criteria. Sperm parameters using computer assisted sperm analysis and the quantitative KLC3-gene expression using the real-time PCR method were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results revealed a significant correlations between sperm concentration with relative expression of KLC3 only in infertile groups (r=0.45, p=0.00). A significant correlation was not found between KLC3 expression and sperm motility; however, the relative expression of KLC3 was significantly higher in asthenozoospermic compared to non-asthenozoospermic individuals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low expression of KLC3 may result in improper function of midpiece, which has important function in sperm motility. The results of this study show that aberrant expression of KLC3 might be associated with phenomena like oligozoospermia and asthenozoospermia. This article is extracted from student's thesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Biotechnology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran.; Cell and Molecular Department, Pharmaceutical Sciences Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Pegah
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kargar-Dastjerdy
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Biotechnology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Marziyeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tavalaee
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Medical School, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mansoor
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salehi
authors.affiliation: Department of Nanotechnology, Pharmaceutical Sciences Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mojtaba
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Falahati
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular Biotechnology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Tayebeh
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Izadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Biotechnology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran.; Department of Cellular Biotechnology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran.; Isfahan Fertility and Infertility Center, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Hossein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Nasr Esfahani
keywords: Asthenozoospermi; Infertility; KLC3; Oligozoospermia; Sperm parameters