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Depression of HspA2 in human testis is associated with spermatogenic impairment and fertilization rate in ICSI treatment for azoospermic individuals

  • Gamete Biology
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

Heat shock protein A2 (HspA2) expression was quantitatively measured in human testis and its relationship with the spermatogenetic status and laboratory outcomes of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) was investigated.

Methods

Testicular tissues of azoospermia men were divided into four groups according to histopahtology: normal spermatogenesiss, hypospermatogenesis, maturation arrest and Sertoli cell-only syndrome (SCOS). HspA2 immunostaining was measured by Image Pro-Plus (IPP) and laboratory outcomes were calculated. The regression analysis between HspA2 expression and Johnsen score of as well as fertilization, cleavage and high quality embryo rate was performed.

Results

HspA2 was strongly present in the cytoplasm of spermatocytes and spermatides in normal testis. However, hypospermatogenesis and maturation arrest testicular tissues demonstrated light staining and no staining for SCOS. Quantitative image analysis showed that there were significant differences among groups (P = 0.000 & P = 0.001). HspA2 exspression was founded significantly correlated spermatogenetic status (R2 = 0.726, P = 0.000) as well as fertilization rate in ICSI (R2 = 0.569, P = 0.000).

Conclusions

The fertilization rate with ICSI is associated with HspA2 expression in the testis from which sperm retrieved and the alteration of HspA2 expression has been involved in spermatogenic impairment.

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Acknowledgments

Grant sponsor: National Natural Science Foundation, grant number: 30901493; National Key Technology Support Program, grant number: 2012BAI32B04 and the Ph.D. Programs Foundation of Ministry of Education of China, grant number: 200803351041.

Conflict of interest

No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310006, China

    Yonghong Tian, Fengbin Zhang, Lejun Li, Liquang Wang, Biwei Shi & Jian Xu

  2. Zhejiang Institute of Planned Parenthood Research and Zhejiang Human Sperm Bank, Hangzhou, 310012, China

    Xinzong Zhang

Authors
  1. Yonghong Tian
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  2. Fengbin Zhang
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  3. Xinzong Zhang
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  4. Lejun Li
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  5. Liquang Wang
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  6. Biwei Shi
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  7. Jian Xu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jian Xu.

Additional information

Capsule Testicular HspA2 is related with spermatogenesis and fertilization.

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Supplement fig 1

Western blotting analysis of hsp70-2 protein in normal spermatogenesis, hypospermatogenesis and Sertoli cell only sydrome human testicular tissues. NS:normal spermatogenesis; HYPO: hypospermatogenesis; SCOS: Sertoli cell only sydrome. (GIF 38 kb)

High Resolution (TIFF 2079 kb)

Supplement fig 2

There was no significant correlation between HSPA2 immunostaining intensity and oocyte cleavage rate. Solid line indicates the regression line for immunostaining intensity and fertilization rate, while the two dotted curves depict the 95% confidence limits for the population regression line. (GIF 57 kb)

High Resolution (TIFF 49 kb)

Supplement fig 3

There was no significant correlation between HSPA2 immunostaining intensity and high quality embryo rate. Solid line indicates the regression line for immunostaining intensity and fertilization rate, while the two dotted curves depict the 95% confidence limits for the population regression line. (GIF 56 kb)

High Resolution (TIFF 48 kb)

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Tian, Y., Zhang, F., Zhang, X. et al. Depression of HspA2 in human testis is associated with spermatogenic impairment and fertilization rate in ICSI treatment for azoospermic individuals. J Assist Reprod Genet 31, 1687–1693 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-014-0360-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-014-0360-7

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