A260G and A386G single nucleotide polymorphisms of the DAZL gene are not correlated with male infertility in the Chinese population of Zhejiang Province / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the association of the A260G and A386G single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of the DAZL gene with male infertility in the Chinese population of Zhejiang Province.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We collected the peripheral blood samples from 317 idiopathic infertile males with azoospermia or oligozoospermia and 246 normal fertile men, and genotyped the polymorphic loci of the A260G and A386G polymorphisms of the DAZL gene using the SNaPshot technique.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The DAZL gene A260G was found genetically polymorphic in the Chinese population of Zhejiang Province, with the gene frequencies and their distribution consistent to the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The frequencies of the AA, AG and GG genotypes of the A260G polymorphism were 92.3%, 7.3%, and 0.4% respectively in the normal controls and 94.3%, 5.7%, and 0% in the infertile patients, with no statistically significant differences between the two groups (P = 0.43, OR = 0.78, 95% CI 0.413-1.46). Heterozygosis (AG) of A386G was found in 1 of the control males but not in the infertile patients, while homozygosis (GG) of A386G was not observed in either group (P = 0.259, OR = 0.698, 59% CI: 0.374-1.306).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>A260G and A386G SNPs of the DAZL gene are not associated with spermatogenic failure and neither represents a molecular marker for the genetic diagnosis of male infertility in the Chinese population of Zhejiang Province.</p>

Sperm DNA damage and sperm-nucleoprotein transition correlate to acrosin activity and seminal parameters / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the correlation of sperm DNA damage and sperm-nucleoprotein transition with acrosin activity and seminal parameters.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We collected 535 semen samples, assessed sperm DNA damage by sperm chromatin dispersion test, and analyzed the correlation of sperm DNA damage and sperm-nucleoprotein transition with acrosin activity and seminal parameters according to the WHO criteria.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Statistically significant differences were observed in sperm DNA damage among sperm-nucleoprotein transition, acrosin activity, sperm concentration and the percentage of grade a + b sperm (P < 0.01). Sperm DNA damage was positively correlated with age, sperm-nucleoprotein transition, sperm concentration and the percentage of grade d sperm (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), but negatively correlated with acrosin activity (P < 0.001). Stepwise linear regression analysis demonstrated that age, sperm concentration, the percentage of grade d sperm, sperm-nucleoprotein transition and acrosin activity were independent variables related to the DNA fragmentation index (DFI). The abnormality rates of sperm-nucleoprotein transition, acrosin activity, sperm concentration and graded a + b sperm were significantly higher in the sperm DNA damage group (DFI > or = 30%) than in the normal control (DFI < 30%) (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Sperm DNA damage is closely related with sperm-nucleoprotein transition, acrosin activity and seminal parameters, which may become another important independent parameter for the evaluation of sperm quality.</p>

Inhibitory effect of siRNA on bcr-abl gene expression in K562 cell line / 中国实验血液学杂志

To explore a new way to treat CML, inhibitory effect of small interfering RNA (SiRNA) on bcr-abl fusion gene expression of K562 cell line was studied. SiRNA for bcr-abl gene was designed and transfected into K562 cells, bcr-abl gene expression was tested by RT-PCR. The results showed that bcr-abl gene expression was inhibited by using siRNA in dose-dependent manner and reduced to 19.9% and 26.6% of the control at 24 and 48 hours after transfection with 0.2 micro g siRNA respectively. K562 cells proliferation was suppressed finally, but bcr-abl gene expression restored at 72 hours. In conclusion, anti-bcr-abl siRNA can effectively inhibit bcr-abl gene expression of K562 cell line.