COVID-19 Infection Induce miR-371a-3p Upregulation Resulting in Influence on Male Fertility

Area of Science:

• Reproductive biology
• Virology
• Molecular biology

Background:

• Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can infect testicular tissue.
• COVID-19 has been linked to potential male fertility issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on testicular androgen receptor (AR) levels and germ cell changes.
• To analyze the role of miR-371a-3p in SARS-CoV-2-induced testicular dysfunction and infertility.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of Formalin-Fixed-Paraffin-Embedded (FFPE) testicular tissues from COVID-19 deceased patients and controls.
• Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) for miR-371a-3p expression.
• Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis and ELISA to assess miR-371a-3p targeting of AR.
• Serum miR-371a-3p expression analysis in patients with varying COVID-19 severity.

Main Results:

• Significant upregulation of miR-371a-3p in 70% of postmortem testicular tissues from COVID-19 patients.
• Reduced spermatogenesis observed in 75% of analyzed testicular samples.
• Upregulated miR-371a-3p detected in serum samples of COVID-19 patients.
• miR-371a-3p upregulation correlates with androgen receptor (AR) downregulation in SARS-CoV-2 positive patients.

Conclusions:

• SARS-CoV-2 infection leads to miR-371a-3p upregulation, causing AR downregulation and decreased spermatogenesis.
• The observed AR dysregulation is a potential mechanism for COVID-19-associated male infertility.
• Further research is needed to determine if AR dysregulation is reversible after infection clearance.