Altered of microRNA expression level in oligospermic patients

ABSTRACT

MicroRNA [miRNA] is small endogenous, single strand RNA molecules that regulate gene expression at post-transeriptional level through several mechanisms to affect key cellular event including male germ cells differentiation, proliferation, development and apoptosis. Mutation and/or aberrant expression of miRNAs have been associated with progression of various disorders, including infertility. The purpose of this research was to study the estrogen receptor beta [ERbeta], hsa-mir-21 and, hsa-mir-22 expression level in oligospermic infertile and control fertile men and correlation between them. In this study, the change in mir-21, mir-22 expression and their common target gene [ERbeta] expression levels were evaluated in oligospermic infertile men [n= 43] compared with 43 age matched healthy control by Real-Time PCR methods. Expression analysis by qRT-PCR test on miRNA have identified that mir-21, mir-22 levels were significantly higher than those in normal controls [p<0.0001] and ER beta expression level significantly decreased in comparison with the normal group [p<0.0001]. Our study showed that mir-21 and mir-22 are indirectly involved in spermatogenesis by regulating of the estrogen receptor and might have a diagnostic and prognostic value in men infertility