The association of sperm BAX and BCL-۲ gene expression with reproductive outcome in Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia cases undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection: A case-control study

Background: The B-cell lymphoma ۲ (BCL-۲) protein is one of the members of the BCL-۲ associated X (BAX) protein family that acts as an inducer of apoptosis. Objective: The present study aims to investigate the association between BAX and BCL-۲ gene expression with reproductive outcome, in cases undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, ۵۰ men were divided into the healthy fertile and oligoasthenoteratozoospermic infertile men (n = ۲۵/each). They were subjected to history taking, clinical examination, and semen analysis. Expression of BAX and BCL-۲ genes were measured using real-time polymerase chain reaction. The DNA fragmentation index was measured using the sperm chromatin dispersion assay technique. Using World Health Organization criteria, sperm parameters were evaluated. Results: Evaluation of apoptosis-related genes showed that oligoasthenoteratozoospermic significantly increased mRNA expression of BAX, and significantly decreased mRNA expression of BCL-۲, when compared with control. Moreover, the BAX/BCL-۲ ratio was significantly higher in oligoasthenoteratozoospermic compared to the normozoospermic group (p = ۰.۰۱). Also, this study showed that the BAX and BCL-۲ genes expression had a significant correlation with sperm quality, and DNA fragmentation in the oligoasthenoteratozoospermic group (p = ۰.۰۱). The oligoasthenoteratozoospermic men, had a considerably lower proportion of fertilization rate and good-quality embryos at the cleavage stage than the normozoospermic subjects (p = ۰.۰۱). A significant correlation was observed between the expression of BAX and BCL-۲ genes, fertilization, and embryo quality (p = ۰.۰۱). Conclusion: We concluded that the sperm BAX/BCL-۲ ratio demonstrates a significant correlation with fertilization rate and embryo quality.

Keywords:

BAX , BCL-۲ , Fertilization , Embryo. , BAX , BCL-۲ , لقاح , جنین.