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AB202. Altered micro RNA expression in patients with non-obstructive azoospermia

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 prof...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Zhang, Xiansheng, Liang, Chaozhao
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: AME Publishing Company 2014
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4708376/
http://dx.doi.org/10.3978/j.issn.2223-4683.2014.s202
Descripción
Sumario: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. CONCLUSIONS: 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.