Alteration in autophagy gene expression profile correlates with low sperm quality

Area of Science:

• Reproductive biology
• Molecular genetics
• Cellular processes

Background:

• Male infertility is a growing global health concern, often linked to low sperm quality.
• Autophagy, a cellular degradation process, is vital for male reproductive system function.
• The precise role of autophagy dysregulation in low sperm quality remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between autophagy-associated genes and low sperm quality.
• To identify potential molecular mechanisms underlying male infertility related to autophagy.

Main Methods:

• Microarray analysis identified differentially expressed (DE) genes in sperm from low sperm quality cases versus controls.
• Quantitative validation of four key autophagy genes (CXCR4, ESR1, PTEN, LC3B) in 104 cases and 250 controls.
• Gene Ontology and pathway analyses were performed on identified DE genes.

Main Results:

• Microarray analysis revealed 18 DE genes with decreased expression in low sperm quality cases (P < 0.05).
• The expression of ESR1, an autophagy-related gene, was significantly decreased in cases compared to controls (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Down-regulated expression of autophagy regulating and associated genes is associated with low sperm quality.
• Impaired autophagy may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of low sperm quality.
• These findings suggest autophagy-related genes as potential therapeutic targets for male infertility.