IGF2 and IGF1R mRNAs Are Detectable in Human Spermatozoa
Purpose: Oligozoospermia is highly prevalent worldwide. Studies have reported a lower methylation rate in the H19 differentially methylated region at the sperm level in oligozoospermic patients than in controls. IGF2/H19 are the best-known pair of imprinted genes. However, no studies have yet eval...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Korean Society for Sexual Medicine and Andrology
2020-10-01
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| Series: | The World Journal of Men's Health |
| Subjects: |
| _version_ | 1811305559058546688 |
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| author | Rossella Cannarella Rosita A. Condorelli Sandro La Vignera Catia Bellucci Giovanni Luca Riccardo Calafiore Aldo E. Calogero |
| author_facet | Rossella Cannarella Rosita A. Condorelli Sandro La Vignera Catia Bellucci Giovanni Luca Riccardo Calafiore Aldo E. Calogero |
| author_sort | Rossella Cannarella |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose: Oligozoospermia is highly prevalent worldwide. Studies have reported a lower methylation rate in the H19 differentially
methylated region at the sperm level in oligozoospermic patients than in controls. IGF2/H19 are the best-known pair
of imprinted genes. However, no studies have yet evaluated whether they are transcribed in human sperm. To assess whether
IGF2 and IGF1R mRNAs are present in human sperm and if their levels are correlated with sperm concentration and total
sperm count.
Materials and Methods: Sperm samples (n=22) underwent reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction using
specific primers to detect IGF2 and IGF1R mRNA levels. They were then correlated with patients’ conventional sperm parameters
using the Spearman (τ) and Kendall (ρ) rank correlation coefficients.
Results: Statistically significant positive correlations were found between IGF2 mRNA levels and sperm concentration (τ=
0.403, p<0.01; ρ=0.587, p<0.005) and total sperm count (τ=0.347, p<0.024; ρ=0.509, p<0.015). IGF1R mRNA levels were
positively correlated with sperm concentration (τ=0.595, p<0.001; ρ=0.774, p<0.001) and total sperm count (τ=0.547, p<
0.001; ρ=0.701, p<0.001). Apart from IGF1R mRNA and sperm morphology (τ=0.325, p<0.05; ρ=0.461, p<0.05), no additional
correlations were found between the levels of these transcripts and other conventional sperm parameters.
Conclusions: IGF2 and IGF1R mRNAs were found to be present in human spermatozoa and their transcription levels were
positively correlated with sperm concentration and total sperm count. Spermatozoa are the only source of IGF2 mRNA since
IGF2 is a paternally-inherited gene. Further studies are needed to evaluate its role in human fertilization. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T08:28:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-12b9790398714098b60ebcfb8e5332f6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2287-4208 2287-4690 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T08:28:38Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | Korean Society for Sexual Medicine and Andrology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The World Journal of Men's Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-12b9790398714098b60ebcfb8e5332f62022-12-22T02:54:20ZengKorean Society for Sexual Medicine and AndrologyThe World Journal of Men's Health2287-42082287-46902020-10-0138454555110.5534/wjmh.190070IGF2 and IGF1R mRNAs Are Detectable in Human SpermatozoaRossella Cannarella0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4599-8487Rosita A. Condorelli1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5217-9343Sandro La Vignera2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7113-2372Catia Bellucci3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3171-3025Giovanni Luca4https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4445-164XRiccardo Calafiore5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7560-0081Aldo E. Calogero6https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6950-335XUniversity of CataniaUniversity of CataniaUniversity of CataniaUniversity of PerugiaUniversity of PerugiaUniversity of PerugiaUniversity of CataniaPurpose: Oligozoospermia is highly prevalent worldwide. Studies have reported a lower methylation rate in the H19 differentially methylated region at the sperm level in oligozoospermic patients than in controls. IGF2/H19 are the best-known pair of imprinted genes. However, no studies have yet evaluated whether they are transcribed in human sperm. To assess whether IGF2 and IGF1R mRNAs are present in human sperm and if their levels are correlated with sperm concentration and total sperm count. Materials and Methods: Sperm samples (n=22) underwent reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction using specific primers to detect IGF2 and IGF1R mRNA levels. They were then correlated with patients’ conventional sperm parameters using the Spearman (τ) and Kendall (ρ) rank correlation coefficients. Results: Statistically significant positive correlations were found between IGF2 mRNA levels and sperm concentration (τ= 0.403, p<0.01; ρ=0.587, p<0.005) and total sperm count (τ=0.347, p<0.024; ρ=0.509, p<0.015). IGF1R mRNA levels were positively correlated with sperm concentration (τ=0.595, p<0.001; ρ=0.774, p<0.001) and total sperm count (τ=0.547, p< 0.001; ρ=0.701, p<0.001). Apart from IGF1R mRNA and sperm morphology (τ=0.325, p<0.05; ρ=0.461, p<0.05), no additional correlations were found between the levels of these transcripts and other conventional sperm parameters. Conclusions: IGF2 and IGF1R mRNAs were found to be present in human spermatozoa and their transcription levels were positively correlated with sperm concentration and total sperm count. Spermatozoa are the only source of IGF2 mRNA since IGF2 is a paternally-inherited gene. Further studies are needed to evaluate its role in human fertilization.h19imprintedigf2igf1rinfertilitymaleoligozoospermiasperm count |
| spellingShingle | Rossella Cannarella Rosita A. Condorelli Sandro La Vignera Catia Bellucci Giovanni Luca Riccardo Calafiore Aldo E. Calogero IGF2 and IGF1R mRNAs Are Detectable in Human Spermatozoa The World Journal of Men's Health h19 imprinted igf2 igf1r infertility male oligozoospermia sperm count |
| title | IGF2 and IGF1R mRNAs Are Detectable in Human Spermatozoa |
| title_full | IGF2 and IGF1R mRNAs Are Detectable in Human Spermatozoa |
| title_fullStr | IGF2 and IGF1R mRNAs Are Detectable in Human Spermatozoa |
| title_full_unstemmed | IGF2 and IGF1R mRNAs Are Detectable in Human Spermatozoa |
| title_short | IGF2 and IGF1R mRNAs Are Detectable in Human Spermatozoa |
| title_sort | igf2 and igf1r mrnas are detectable in human spermatozoa |
| topic | h19 imprinted igf2 igf1r infertility male oligozoospermia sperm count |
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