TGIFLY MRNA Expression in Human Testis with Spermatogenesis Defects

• Main Authors: MH Modarressi (Author), Z Ousati- Ashtiani (Author), M Heidari (Author), M Aarabi (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 2008-07-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 2251-6085
• Keywords: Male Infertility; TGIFLX /Y; Homeobox Gene; Semi- RT-PCR; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270
• Source: Iranian Journal of Public Health, Vol 37, Iss 2, Pp 51-58 (2008)

Background: Hox genes are well-known transcription factors that play essential roles in directing embryonic development. TGIFLY is a Y-linked homeobox gene that was originally identified by virtue of its expression in adult testis. The functions of TGIFLY in normal and abnormal development are unknown.Methods: To investigate the potential roles of TGIFLY gene in the infertile males, a semi-nested Reverse Transcriptase Po­ly­merase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) was performed on the testicular samples of 110 patients with non-obstructive azoosper­mia.Results: The expression of TGIFLY in 59(53.6%) out of 110 patients were undetectable. Patients with different sper­mato­gene­sis defects failed to show the expected in TGIFLY gene expression as demonstrated in the normal testes.Conclusion: Our results indicate that TGIFLY is expressed in testis and could be associated with infertility in patients with azoo­spermia. TGIFLY may be required for the regulation of spermatogonial stem cell specification and proliferation that is es­sen­tial to the establishment and maintenance of spermatogenesis in human.