• PMID: 10856471
• Gene Name: HSPA2
• Condition: Spermatocyte arrest, Sertoli cell-only syndrome
• Association: On competitive RT-PCR analyses for hspA2 mRNA, significant hspA2 expression was observed in group 1, whereas a very low level of hspA2 was expressed in groups 2 and 3.
• PMID: 10856471
• Gene Name: HSPA2
• Condition: Abnormal spermatogenesis
• Association: Associated
• Population size: 15
• Population details: 15 azoospermic patients (5 normal spermatogenesis, 5 patients with spermatocyte arrest, 5 patients with Sertoli cell- only syndrome)
• Sex: Male
• Infertility type: Male infertility
• Associated genes: hspA2
• Other associated phenotypes: Abnormal spermatogenesis

Repression of hspA2 messenger RNA in human testes with abnormal spermatogenesis

Son WY, Han CT, Hwang SH, Lee JH, Kim S, Kim YC.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of hspA2 in testes of infertile men with azoospermia. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Center for Reproduction and Genetics, Pundang Je-Saeng General Hospital, Dae-Jin Medical Center, Korea. PATIENT(S): Azoospermic patients (n = 15) undergoing testicular biopsy for pathologic evaluation were selected. INTERVENTION(S): After pathologic evaluation, testicular biopsy specimens were subdivided into three groups: group 1, normal spermatogenesis (n = 5); group 2, spermatocyte arrest (n = 5); and group 3, Sertoli cell-only syndrome (n = 5). The levels of hspA2 mRNA expression were compared in testes of group 1, group 2, and group 3 with the use of a competitive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Comparison of hspA2 mRNA levels in testes. RESULT(S): On competitive RT-PCR analyses for hspA2 mRNA, significant hspA2 expression was observed in group 1, whereas a very low level of hspA2 was expressed in groups 2 and 3. CONCLUSION(S): This study demonstrates that hspA2 gene expression is down-regulated in human testes with abnormal spermatogenesis, which in turn suggests that the hspA2 gene might play a specific role during meiosis in human testes. FAU - Son, W Y AU - Son WY AD - Pundang Je-Saeng General Hospital, Dae-jin Medical Center, Kyungki-do, Korea, USA. sonyoung@dmc.or.kr FAU - Han, C T AU - Han CT FAU - Hwang, S H AU - Hwang SH FAU - Lee, J H AU - Lee JH FAU - Kim, S AU - Kim S