Lubna Hamid Tahtamouni - Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, the Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.
Mahmoud Nael Hamdan - Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, the Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan.
Zainab Ali Al-Mazaydeh - Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, the Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan.
Randa Mahmoud Bawadi - Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, the University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
Majdoleen Sobhi Rammaha - Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, the Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan.
Ahmad Mohammad Zghoul - Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, the Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan.
Mamoun Ahmad Ahram - Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, the University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
Salem Yasin - Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, the Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan.

Background: Tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) is a protein involved in the fibrinolytic system that catalyzes the conversion of plasminogen into the active plasmin. The activity of t-PA is controlled by plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. t-PA has crucial functions during spermatogenesis. One polymorphism was reported for t-PA gene, either the presence of a 300-bp Alu-repeat (Alu+) or its absence (Alu-). Objective: The current work aimed at studying the association between Alu polymorphism in the t-PA gene and male infertility. Materials and Methods: Using polymerase chain reaction on genomic DNA isolated from the blood of 79 participants, a region polymorphic for Alu element insertion in t-PA gene was amplified. In addition, total t-PA concentration, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 /t-PA complex concentration, and t-PA activity in seminal plasma were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: The results indicate that the percentage of infertile participants (n = 50) who were homozygous for t-PA Alu insertion (Alu+/+), heterozygous Alu+/- or homozygous for t-PA Alu deletion (Alu-/-) did not change significantly (p = 0.43, 0.81, and 0.85, respectively) when compared with the control participants (n = 29). On the other hand, a significant decrease (p = 0.0001) of t-PA total concentration in seminal plasma was observed in the infertile group in comparison with the control group. However, the results indicate that there is no association between the t-PA Alu different genotypes and the total t-PA seminal concentration in the infertile group when compared to the control group (p = 0.63). Conclusion: Data obtained from the current study does not support an association between t-PA Alu polymorphism and t-PA seminal concentration or male infertility.  

Alu element, Male infertility, Semen, Spermatogenesis, t-PA., ماده Alu, ناباروری مردان, مایع منی, اسپرماتوژنز, t-PA.