Increased N6-methyladenosine in Human Sperm RNA as a Risk Factor for Asthenozoospermia

Male infertility is a worldwide medical problem. Asthenozoospermia is a common cause of infertility. Epigenetic modifications of DNA and histones have been shown to influence human infertility, but no research has explored whether N(6)-methyladenosine (m(6)A) level in RNA is associated with asthenozoospermia. Here, we collected a total of 52 semen samples, including 20 asthenozoospermia patients and 32 healthy controls. An LC-ESI-MS/MS method was used to detect m(6)A contents in sperm RNA, and real-time PCR was performed to determine the mRNA expression of demethylase (FTO, ALKBH5), methyltransferase (METTL3, METTL14, WTAP) and an m(6)A-selective-binding protein (YTHDF2). We found that m(6)A content (p = 0.033) and the mRNA expression of METTL3 (p = 0.016) and METTL14 (p = 0.025) in asthenozoospermia patients were significantly higher than those of controls. Increased m(6)A content was a risk factor for asthenozoospermia (odds ratio (OR) 3.229, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.178 - 8.853, p = 0.023). Moreover, m(6)A content was correlated with the expression of METTL3 (r = 0.303, p = 0.032) and with sperm motility (progressive motility: r = -0.288, p = 0.038; non-progressive motility: r = -0.293, p = 0.037; immotility: r = 0.387, p = 0.005). Our data suggest that increased m(6)A content is a risk factor for asthenozoospermia and affects sperm motility. Methyltransferases, particularly METTL3, play key roles in increasing m(6)A contents in sperm RNA.