Ropporin gene expression in infertile asthenozoospermic men with varicocele before and after repair.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To assess Ropporin gene expression in the sperm of infertile asthenozoospermic men with varicocele (Vx) before and after repair. METHODS: This study included 24 infertile asthenozoospermic men with Vx. They were subjected to history taking, clinical examination, scrotal color Doppler, and semen analysis with sperm separation. Three months after varicocelectomy, they were subjected to postoperative color Doppler, semen analysis, and sperm semiquantitative Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction assay for Ropporin gene expression levels. RESULTS: Ropporin gene expression is significantly associated with different types of sperm motility, except for nonprogressive sperm motility. There was significant Ropporin gene overexpression postvaricocelectomy that was correlated with improved sperm count, sperm motility, and abnormal sperm morphology with decreased veins diameters. CONCLUSION: Ropporin gene expression is related to the sperm motility. Its abnormal expression in the sperm of asthenozoospermic men with Vx is associated with impaired sperm motility that is improved after varicocelectomy.