Simultaneous expression analysis of DAZ-family genes and CDC25A: their potential as a predictor for successful TESE

Abstract

The analysis of single DAZ genes has shown that their dysfunction leads to abnormal spermatogenesis and may cause infertility. They were, however, poorly associated to sperm recovery during assisted reproductive treatments. Whether the simultaneous expression of DAZ genes and its substrates may provide better information of testicular damage and success of sperm recovery in infertile patients has not been yet analyzed. We evaluated eight 8 men (29-38 years-old) presenting idiopathic infertility and non-obstructive azoospermia without infection processes diagnosed by open testicular biopsy. None of these patients presented showed genitourinary infections, varicocele, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, chromosome anomalies abnormalities and obstruction or agenesis of the seminal ducts.We did not observe find an association between the expression levels of DAZ genes family members analyzed by real time PCR with the diagnosis of the testicular pathology. However, a positive correlation between the mRNA transcript ratios of DAZ gene family members and CDC25A were was detected, irrespective of the testicular pathology. Moreover, we found that, irrespective of the testicular pathology, the group of patients with failure in sperm retrieval showed a significantly lower expression levels of DAZ, BOULE and CDC25A compared to the group of patients with successful sperm retrieval.These results suggest that DAZ genes would be collectively rather than individually altered in patients with HS and MA.