MicroRNA-targeting in Male Infertility: Sperm MicroRNA-19a/b-3p and Its Spermatogenesis Related Transcripts Content in Men with Oligoasthenozoospermia

Overview

Journal Front Cell Dev Biol

Specialty Cell Biology

Date 2022 Oct 10

PMID 36211460

Authors

Masood Abu-Halima

Lea Simone Becker

Basim M Ayesh

Eckart Meese

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

To elucidate and validate the potential regulatory function of miR-19a/b-3p and its spermatogenesis-related transcripts content in sperm samples collected from men with oligoasthenozoospermia. Men presenting at an infertility clinic were enrolled. MicroRNA (miRNA) and target genes evaluation were carried out using prediction analysis, Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) validation, and Western blot confirmation. The expression levels of miRNA-19a/b-3p were significantly up-regulated and 51 target genes were significantly down-regulated in oligoasthenozoospermic men compared with age-matched normozoospermic men as determined by RT-qPCR. Correlation analysis highlighted that sperm count, motility, and morphology were negatively correlated with miRNA-19a/b-3p and positively correlated with the lower expression level of 51 significantly identified target genes. Furthermore, an inverse correlation between higher expression levels of miRNA-19a/b-3p and lower expression levels of 51 target genes was observed. Consistent with the results of the RT-qPCR, reduced expression levels of STK33 and DNAI1 protein levels were identified in an independent cohort of sperm samples collected from men with oligoasthenozoospermia. Findings suggest that the higher expression of miRNA-19a/b-3p or the lower expression of target genes are associated with oligoasthenozoospermia and male infertility, probably through influencing basic semen parameters. This study lay the groundwork for future studies focused on investigating therapies for male infertility.

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