• PMID: 19210773
• Gene Name: miR-491-3p
• Condition: Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA)
• Association: Associated
• Sex: Male
• Infertility type: Male infertility
• Associated genes: miR-302a, miR-491-3p, miR-520d-3p and miR-383
• Other associated phenotypes: Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA)

Altered microRNA expression in patients with non-obstructive azoospermia

Lian J, Zhang X, Tian H, Liang N, Wang Y, Liang C, Li X, Sun F.

BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small non-coding RNA molecules, are indicated to play essential roles in spermatogenesis. However, little is known about the expression patterns or function of miRNAs in human testes involved in infertility. METHODS: In this study, the miRNA expression profiles of testes of patients with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) and normal controls were performed by using microarray technologies. RESULTS: Altered microRNA expression in NOA patients was found, with 154 differentially down-regulated and 19 up-regulated miRNAs. These findings have been confirmed by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays on select miRNAs, including miR-302a, miR-491-3p, miR-520d-3p and miR-383. Several down-regulated miRNA clusters in patients with NOA were identified, such as the oncogenic potential of the mir-17-92 cluster and mir-371,2,3 cluster. CONCLUSION: This is the first report that the expression of miRNAs is altered in testicular tissues of patients with NOA, suggesting a role of miRNAs in regulating spermatogenesis in human males. FAU - Lian, Jie AU - Lian J AD - Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale and School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, PR China. lianjie@mail.ustc.edu.cn FAU - Zhang, Xiansheng AU - Zhang X FAU - Tian, Hui AU - Tian H FAU - Liang, Ning AU - Liang N FAU - Wang, Yong AU - Wang Y FAU - Liang, Chaozhao AU - Liang C FAU - Li, Xin AU - Li X