• PMID: 29528137
• Gene Name: PGK2
• Condition: Nonobstructive azoospermia
• Association: Associated
• Population size: 21
• Population details: 21 (14 nonobstructive azoospermic men (N = 4; normal FSH and normal testicular volume and N = 10; high FSH and small testicular volume), seven normozoospermic men)
• Sex: Male
• Infertility type: Male infertility
• Other associated phenotypes: Nonobstructive azoospermia

Evaluation of seminal plasma proteomics and relevance of FSH in identification of nonobstructive azoospermia: A preliminary study

Cui Z, Agarwal A, da Silva BF, Sharma R, Sabanegh E.

Nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) patients present with high levels of serum FSH. At the protein level, the aetiology and pathways underlying different subtypes of NOA are unclear. The aim was to evaluate quantitatively differences in proteomic profiles of NOA patients presenting with normal serum FSH and normal testicular volume and high serum FSH and small testicular volume. The study comprised of 14 nonobstructive azoospermic men (N = 4; normal FSH and normal testicular volume and N = 10; high FSH and small testicular volume) and seven normozoospermic men. Proteomic analysis was done using LC-MS. GSTM3 and PGK2 were less abundant in the normal and high FSH group compared to controls. HSPA4L and HSPA4 were exclusively present in control group whereas HSP90AB1, HSPA1B, HSP90AA1 and HSPA2 were less abundant and exclusive to the normal and high FSH group. We have identified six heat-shock proteins that may have a role in the pathology of NOA. FSH and testicular volume by itself are not good markers of NOA. The inverse association of GSTM3 and PGK2 regulation with FSH levels along with 12 proteins exclusively in NOA groups suggests further evaluation of their predictive potential in a larger cohort of patients. CI - © 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH. FAU - Cui, Z AU - Cui Z AUID- ORCID: 0000-0001-9729-5375 AD - American Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA. AD - Institute of Toxicology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China. FAU - Agarwal, A AU - Agarwal A AUID- ORCID: 0000-0003-0585-1026 AD - American Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA. FAU - da Silva, B F AU - da Silva BF AD - Human Reproduction Section, Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, São Paulo Federal University, São Paulo, Brazil. FAU - Sharma, R AU - Sharma R AUID- ORCID: 0000-0002-9664-6978 AD - American Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.