DNAH5 gene and its correlation with linc02220 expression and sperm characteristics

Numerous pieces of evidence show that many environmental and genetic factors can cause male infertility. Much research in recent years has investigated the function of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in fertility. The main objective of the current study was to investigate the expression of Dynein Axonemal Heavy Chain 5 (DNAH5) as a gene that plays an essential role in sperm motility in individuals with asthenozoospermia and terato-asthenozoospermia. Alterations in linc02220 expression (located close to the DNAH5 gene), its action potential in DNAH5 regulating, and the correlation between their expression and normal sperm morphology and motility were also examined.

This study examined the semen of 31 asthenozoospermia individuals (AZ), 33 terato-asthenozoospermia (TAZ) individuals, and 33 normospermia (NZ) individuals with normal sperm as a control group. The expression levels of DNAH5 and linc02220 in the sperm samples were analyzed by real-time PCR.

Gene expression analysis revealed a significant association between DNAH5 expression and sperm motility and morphology (p < 0.0001). The DNAH5 expression levels in the TAZ and AZ groups were also significantly reduced; however, linc02220 was significantly upregulated in both TAZ and AZ groups compared to the NZ group (p < 0.0001). DNAH5 expression in the TAZ and AZ groups was negatively correlated with linc02220 expression, thus, DNAH5 downregulation was associated with linc02220 overexpression (p < 0.05).

The gene linc02220 could be a potential regulatory target for DNAH5, and both could affect sperm's normal motility and morphology.