Comparative analysis of the germ cell markers c-KIT, SSEA-1 and VASA in testicular biopsies from secretory and obstructive azoospermias.
Mol Hum Reprod
; 16(11): 811-7, 2010 Nov.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-20508065
ABSTRACT
Testicular biopsy is needed to confirm diagnosis in azoospermic patients and to recover spermatozoa, if possible. This report aims to quantitatively analyse the germline markers stage-specific embryonic antigen (SSEA-1), c-KIT and VASA in testicular biopsies with distinct azoospermic aetiologies. Twenty-three testicular biopsies were analysed by flow cytometry and RT-qPCR for c-KIT, SSEA-1 and VASA. In all the Sertoli cell-only (SCO) samples, significantly lower VASA mRNA expression and fewer VASA+ cells were found compared with obstructive controls. Maturation arrest (MA) cases showed significant differences only with the non-mosaic SCO samples when compared for VASA mRNA expression and percentage of VASA+ cells, but not with the mosaics. However, the normalized VASA-KIT parameter obtained by subtracting the percentage of c-KIT+ cells from the percentage of VASA+ cells showed significant differences between the MA and all the SCO samples. RT-qPCR consistently found differences for the VASA expression between SCO mosaic and non-mosaic samples. However, by flow cytometry, only VASA-KIT showed significant differences between them. Conversely, the percentage of SSEA-1+ cells revealed no inter-group differences. In conclusion, testicular biopsies display different expression profiles for c-KIT and VASA depending on the azoospermic aetiology. These results can be used as a complementary tool to create new molecular categories for diagnoses in azoospermic patients, particularly useful to discriminate between mosaic and non-mosaic SCO patients.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Sertoli Cells
/
Biomarkers
/
Lewis X Antigen
/
Azoospermia
/
DEAD-box RNA Helicases
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
Limits:
Adult
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
En
Journal:
Mol Hum Reprod
Journal subject:
BIOLOGIA MOLECULAR
/
MEDICINA REPRODUTIVA
Year:
2010
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Spain