Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine

The Korean Society for Reproductive Medicine (대한생식의학회)
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Transition nuclear protein 1 as a novel biomarker in patients with fertilization failure

  • Jamileh Sadat Mirsanei (Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences) ;
  • Hadis Gholipour (Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences) ;
  • Zahra Zandieh (Reproductive Sciences and Technology Research Center, Department of Anatomical Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences) ;
  • Masoumeh Golestan Jahromi (Department of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, School of Medicine, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences) ;
  • Mojgan Javedani Masroor (Shahid Akbarabadi Clinical Research Development Unit (ShACRDU), Iran University of Medical Sciences) ;
  • Mehdi Mehdizadeh (Reproductive Sciences and Technology Research Center, Department of Anatomical Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences) ;
  • Fatemehsadat Amjadi (Reproductive Sciences and Technology Research Center, Department of Anatomical Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences)
  • Received : 2023.01.10
  • Accepted : 2023.06.07
  • Published : 2023.09.30
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Abstract

Objective: Although intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is a way to deal with in vitro fertilization failure, 3% of couples still experience repeated fertilization failure after attempted ICSI, despite having sperm within normal parameters. These patients are a challenging group whose sperm cannot fertilize the egg during ICSI. Unfortunately, no test can predict the risk of fertilization failure. Phospholipase C zeta (PLCζ) and transition nuclear proteins (TNPs) are essential factors for chromatin packaging during sperm maturation. This study aimed to assess PLCζ1 and TNP1 expression in the sperm of patients with fertilization failure and the correlations among the DNA fragmentation index, PLCζ1 and TNP1 gene and protein expression, and the risk of fertilization failure. Methods: In this study, 12 infertile couples with low fertilization rates (<25%) and complete failure of fertilization in their prior ICSI cycles despite normal sperm parameters were chosen as the case group. Fifteen individuals who underwent ICSI for the first time served as the control group. After sperm analysis and DNA fragmentation assays, quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot analyses were performed to compare the gene and protein expression of PLCζ and TNP1 in both groups. Results: DNA fragmentation was significantly higher in the fertilization failure group. The qRT-PCR and Western blot results demonstrated significantly lower PLCζ and TNP1 gene and protein expression in these patients than in controls. Conclusion: The present study showed that fertilization failure in normozoospermic men was probably due to deficient DNA packaging and expression of TNP1.

Keywords

References

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