• PMID: 28886318
• Gene Name: MIR34C
• Condition: Moderate oligoasthenoteratozoospermic, non-obstructive azoospermia, Male infertility
• Association: Associated
• Sex: Male
• Infertility type: Male infertility
• Other associated phenotypes: Moderate oligoasthenoteratozoospermic, non-obstructive azoospermia, Male infertility

New insights into the expression profile of MicroRNA-34c and P53 in infertile men spermatozoa and testicular tissue

Rahbar S, Novin MG, Alizadeh E, Shahnazi V, Pashaei-Asl F, AsrBadr YA, Farzadi L, Ebrahimie E, Pashaiasl M.

Spermatogenesis is proliferation and differentiation processes of stem spermatogonia into mature spermatozoa controlled by the genes responsible for transcription and post transcription levels. MicroRNAs (miRNA) are  the key factors during gene expression in RNA silencing and post-transcriptional regulation. They play main roles in regulation of early and late spermatogenesis, and reproduction. In this study, we investigate the role of miRNAs in infertile males.The patients were assigned to five groups based on semen analysis (n=55), including normozoospermic (N), moderate oligoasthenoteratozoospermic (MOAT), severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermic (SOAT), obstructive azoospermia (OA) and non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA). Quantitative RT-PCR was recruited to study the expression of miR-34c and tumor suppressor p53 gene. In addition, malondialdehyde (MDA) and DNA fragmentation was measured. Network analysis was performed using Pathway Studio web tool (Elsevier). Our results revealed statistically significant increased expression of miR-34c in moderate oligoasthenoteratozoospermic, non-obstructive azoospermia and an increased expression of p53 in MOAT, SOAT and NOA males. Also, the percentage of DNA fragmentation and oxidative stress was significantly higher in infertile groups (MOAT and SOAT) than other groups. These findings provide a novel molecular mechanism of gene regulation during cell-cycle and apoptosis in sperm, which gives a new regulatory insight into male infertility in terms of molecular diagnosis. FAU - Rahbar, S AU - Rahbar S AD - Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. FAU - Novin, M G AU - Novin MG AD - Department of Reproductive Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. FAU - Alizadeh, E AU - Alizadeh E AD - Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Medical Science, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran. FAU - Shahnazi, V AU - Shahnazi V AD - Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Tabriz, Iran. FAU - Pashaei-Asl, F AU - Pashaei-Asl F AD - Molecular Biology Laboratory, Biotechnology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences,Tabriz, Iran. FAU - AsrBadr, Y A AU - AsrBadr YA AD - Urology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. FAU - Farzadi, L AU - Farzadi L AD - Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Tabriz, Iran. FAU - Ebrahimie, E AU - Ebrahimie E AD - Department of Genetics and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, the University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.