ABSTRACT
Background: Adiponectin and its receptors [AdipoRl and AdipoR2], known as adiponectin system, have some proven roles in the fat and glucose metabolisms. Several studies have shown that adiponectin can be considered as a candidate in linking metabolism to testicular function. In this regard, we evaluated the correlation between sperm mRNA abundance of adiponectin and its receptors, with sperm motility indices in the present study
Materials and Methods: In this completely randomized design study, semen samples from 6 adult rams were fractionated on a two layer discontinuous percoll gradient into high and low motile sperm cells, then quantitative parameters of sperm motility were determined by computer-assisted sperm analyzer [CASA]. The mRNA abundance levels of Adiponectin, AdipoRl and AdipoR2 were measured quantitatively using real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction [qRT-PCR] in the high and low motile groups
Results: Firstly, we showed that adiponectin and its receptors [AdipoRl and AdipoR2] were transcriptionally expressed in the ram sperm cells. Using Pfaff based method qRT-PCR, these levels of transcription were significantly higher in the high motile rather than low motile samples. This increase was 3.5, 3.6 and 2.5 fold change rate for Adiponectin, AdipoRl ar/dAdipoR2, respectively. Some of sperm motility indices [curvilinear velocity [VCL], straight-line velocity [VSL], average path velocity [VAP], linearity [LIN], wobble [WOB] and straightness [STR]] were also significantly correlated with Adiponectin and AdipoRl relative expression. The correlation of AdipoR2 was also significant with the mentioned parameters, although this correlation was not comparable with adiponectin and AdipoRl
Conclusion: This study revealed the novel association of adiponectin system with sperm motility. The results of our study suggested that adiponectin is one of the possible factors which can be evaluated and studied in male infertility disorders