Author(s)

Katarzyna Jarzabek^1*, Agnieszka Mikucka-Niczyporuk², Tomasz Bielawski¹, Robert Milewski³, Jacek Z. Kubiak^4,5,6, Slawomir Wolczynski²

¹Department of Biology and Pathology of Human Reproduction in Bialystok, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research in Olsztyn, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland.
²Department of Reproduction and Gynecological Endocrinology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.
³Department of Statistics and Medical Informatics, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.
⁴Institute of Genetics and Development of Rennes, Cell Cycle Group, CNRS, UMR 6290, Rennes, France.
⁵Faculty of Medicine, University Rennes 1, UEB, IFR 140, Rennes, France.
⁶Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Warsaw, Poland.

The study of sperm cellular components at molecular level is crucial for the diagnosis of male unexplained infertility. The aim of the study was to compare the molecular profile of steroid receptors and aromatase in spermatozoa obtained from two normozoospermic groups of patients issued from couples treated for infertility. We investigated 46 male patients from unexplained infertility couples and from men, 38 where female partners presented with tubal infertility. Sperm ERs (estrogen receptors: alpha and beta), GPER (G protein-coupled estrogen receptor), AR (androgen receptor) and aromatase mRNA expression levels by TaqMan qPCR were analyzed. AR transcript level was significantly lower in sperm of men from unexplained infertility couples vs. men from couples with tubal factor infertility (P = 0.04). Although the AR mRNA expression level did not had any effect on embryo development and its implantation, a significant correlation between AR mRNA levels and clinical pregnancy in unexplained infertility patients was observed. Taken together, AR transcript presence in ejaculated spermatozoa could be a potential marker for unexplained infertility.

Androgen Receptor, Unexplained Infertility, Spermatozoa mRNA

Jarzabek, K. , Mikucka-Niczyporuk, A. , Bielawski, T. , Milewski, R. , Kubiak, J. and Wolczynski, S. (2017) Evaluation of Steroid Receptors mRNA Fingerprints in Two Groups of Normozoospermic Patients: Men from Unexplained Infertility Couples vs. Men from Couples with Tubal Factor Infertility. Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 7, 290-302. doi: 10.4236/ojog.2017.73031.