Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have recently received a significant amount of attention due to their remarkable influence on post-transcriptional gene regulation. In this study, we aim to provide a catalogue of miRNAs present in spermatozoa, seminal plasma and testicular tissue. Expression profiles of miRNA in spermatozoa and seminal plasma of 16 proven fertile men and testicular tissue of eight men with morphologically and/or histologically confirmed obstructive azoospermia were determined by microarray and RT-qPCR in combination with bioinformatics analyses. A total of 123, 156 and 133 miRNAs were consistently detected in spermatozoa, seminal plasma and testicular tissue respectively. Sixty-four miRNAs were shared across all sample types. Based on miRNAs expression level present in each group, correlation analysis showed moderate-to-strong correlations within the spermatozoa and seminal plasma samples and a wider range of correlations within the testicular tissue samples. The target genes of known miRNAs appeared to be involved in a wide range of biological processes related to reproduction, development and differentiation of germ cells. Our results suggest that there is a certain similarity between spermatozoa and seminal plasma for the relative miRNA expression changes with respect to testicular tissue and provide an overview of the miRNAs present in each sample type.
Highlights
Reduced male fertility is a complex disease with multifactorial aetiologies, in which genetic and epigenetic factors contribute to disease complexity (Krausz & Giachini, 2007)
Differentially expressed miRNAs were reported in spermatozoa of infertile men with normozoospermic versus. subfertile men with asthenozoospermic and oligoasthenozoospermic (Abu-Halima et al, 2013), in testes of men with normal versus. impaired spermatogenesis (Abu-Halima, Backes, et al, 2014) and in extracellular microvesicles obtained from seminal plasma from normozoospermic versus oligoasthenozoospermic men (AbuHalima et al, 2016)
By using miRNA microarrays along with the bioinformatics analysis, we aim to provide a catalogue of miRNAs present in spermatozoa and seminal plasma of proven fertile men and testicular tissue of men with obstructive azoospermia
Summary
Reduced male fertility is a complex disease with multifactorial aetiologies, in which genetic and epigenetic factors contribute to disease complexity (Krausz & Giachini, 2007). Impaired spermatogenesis (in Sertoli cell only, mixed atrophy and germ cell arrest) (Abu-Halima, Backes, et al, 2014) and in extracellular microvesicles obtained from seminal plasma from normozoospermic versus oligoasthenozoospermic men (AbuHalima et al, 2016). Several miRNAs have been found altered in certain spermatogenic impairments, the exact cellular function and biological mechanism of these miRNAs have been revealed for a very limited number of miRNAs. With this study, by using miRNA microarrays along with the bioinformatics analysis, we aim to provide a catalogue of miRNAs present in spermatozoa and seminal plasma of proven fertile men and testicular tissue of men with obstructive azoospermia
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