ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SEMINAL PROLACTIN AND SPERM HSP90 TRANSCRIPT CONTENT

Background and Aim : Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are a group of proteins which have ability to protect cells against apoptosis and oxidative stress. To investigate role of seminal prolactin on men fertilizing capacity, this study evaluated correlation between seminal prolactin (PRL) levels with mRNA content of HSP90 in ejaculated sperm.Methods : Present study was approved by the institutional review board of Biology Department, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz. Sperm parameters were analyzed according to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines in men attending an infertility clinic and categorized to normozoospermic and asthnozoospermic groups. Seminal PRL levels assessed via radioimmunoassay method. Real-time PCR was carried out to evaluate mRNA content of HSP90 in ejaculated sperm.Results : Significant (p<0.05) higher levels of seminal PRL was seen in normozospermic than asthnozoospermic men. Sperm content of HSP90 transcript was significantly (p<0.05) higher in asthnozoospermic than normozospermic men. Significant correlation was seen between levels of seminal PRL and sperm mRNA content of HSP90.Conclusion : These findings show the significance of seminal PRL in relation to sperm HSP90 mRNA content and show that seminal PRL level has important clinical significance and could be considered as a diagnostic tool in prediction of male infertility.

Keywords:

Semen quality , Oxidative stress , Asthenozoospermia , Prolactin , HSP90