Author/Authors :
Haghighat ، Somayeh - Kashan University of Medical Sciences , Tavalaee ، Marziyeh - Royan Institute for Biotechnology , Zakeri ، Zahra - Queens College and Graduate Center of the City University of New York , Noureddini ، Mahdi - Kashan University of Medical Sciences , Shahverdi ، Abdolhossein - Royan Institute for Reproductive Medicine , Nasr Esfahani ، Mohammad Hossein - Royan Institute for Biotechnology
Abstract :
Objective Phospholipase C zeta 1 (PLCζ) is one of the main sperm factor involved in oocyte activation and other factors may assist this factor to induce successful fertilization. Microinjection of recombinant trkit, a truncated form of ckit receptor, into metaphase IIarrested mouse oocytes initiate egg activation. Considering the potential roles of tr KIT during spermiogenesis and fertilization, we aimed to assess expression of trKIT in sperm of men with normal and abnormal parameters and also in infertile men with previous failed fertilization and globozoospermia. Materials and Methods This experimental study was conducted from September 2015 to July 2016 on 30 normozoospermic and 20 abnormozoospermic samples for experiment one, and also was carried out on 10 globozoospermic men, 10 men with a history low or failed fertilization and 13 fertile men for experiment two. Semen parameters and sperm DNA fragmentation were assessed according to WHO protocol, and TUNEL assay. Sperm tr KIT was evaluated by flow cytometry, immunostaining and western blot. Results The results show that trKIT mainly was detected in postacrosomal, equatorial and tail regions. Percentage of trKITpositive spermatozoa in abnormozoospermic men was significantly lower than normozoospermic men. Also significant correlations were observed between sperm trKIT with sperm count (r=0.8, P 0.001), motility (r=0.31, P=0.03) and abnormal morphology (r=0.6, P 0.001). Expression of trKIT protein was significantly lower in infertile men with low/ failed fertilization and globozoospermia compared to fertile men. The significant correlation was also observed between trKIT protein with fertilization rate (r=0.46, P=0.04). In addition, significant correlations were observed between sperm DNA fragmentation with fertilization rate (r=0.56, P=0.019) and trKIT protein (r=0.38, P=0.04). ConclusiontrKIT may play a direct or indirect role in fertilization. Therefore, to increase our insight regarding the role of trKIT in fertilization further research is warranted.
Keywords :
DNA Fragmentation , Fertilization , Globozoospermia , Male Infertility ,
