• PMID: 12801565
• Gene Name: ITGA6
• Condition: Sperm quality
• Association: alpha6beta1 Integrin may be used as a clinical marker to evaluate sperm quality.
• Population size: 82
• Population details: 82 (62 men with infertility, 20 healthy, proven-fertile controls)
• Sex: Male
• Infertility type: Male infertility
• Other associated phenotypes: Sperm quality

Alpha 6 beta 1 Integrin is a potential clinical marker for evaluating sperm quality in men

Reddy VR, Rajeev SK, Gupta V.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the clinical significance of alpha6beta1 integrin in human spermatozoa. DESIGN: Prospective case-controlled study. SETTINGS: Hospital infertility clinic in India. PATIENT(S): Sixty-two men undergoing evaluation for infertility and 20 healthy, proven-fertile controls were selected. INTERVENTION(S): Role of alpha6beta1integrin in sperm quality evaluation was determined using semen analysis, cell ELISA, flow cytometry, and in vitro sperm-egg binding. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Determination of sperm-associated alpha6beta1 integrin may help in assessing the quality of the human spermatozoa. RESULT(S): Expression of alpha6beta1 integrin was significantly low in the spermatozoa obtained from subfertile men. Only 35%-40% of spermatozoa from fertile men showed a positive reaction to alpha6beta1 antibody. The samples with high rate of acrosomal reaction showed a good expression of alpha6beta1 and maximum binding to oocyte in an in vitro binding assay. CONCLUSION(S): alpha6beta1 Integrin may be used as a clinical marker to evaluate sperm quality. FAU - Reddy, Venkata Rami K AU - Reddy VR AD - Immunology Laboratory, National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, Indian Council of Medical Research, Parel, Mumbai, India. shrichi@rediffmail.com FAU - Rajeev, Shrimali K AU - Rajeev SK