Asian Journal of Andrology (Jan 2020)

Seminal plasma miR-210-3p induces spermatogenic cell apoptosis by activating caspase-3 in patients with varicocele

  • Ya-Wei Xu,
  • Ning-Jing Ou,
  • Yu-Xuan Song,
  • Xian-Hao Wang,
  • Jia-Qi Kang,
  • Yong-Jiao Yang,
  • Ye-Gang Chen,
  • Xiao-Qiang Liu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4103/aja.aja_114_19
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 22, no. 5
pp. 513 – 518

Abstract

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The aim of this study was to investigate the role of seminal plasma miR-210-3p in the impairment of semen quality caused by varicocele. This study included 102 patients whose semen quality was normal when they were diagnosed with varicocele. A 2-year follow-up for included patients was performed, and they were divided into Group A (semen quality became abnormal) and Group B (semen quality remained normal) according to the results of semen analysis during the follow-up. Semen parameters and seminal plasma miR-210-3p expression were investigated by semen analysis and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, respectively. In vitro experiments with GC-2 cells were performed to explore the role of miR-210-3p in spermatogenic cells. The results of quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction showed that the level of seminal plasma miR-210-3p in Group A was higher than that in Group B both after 2-year follow-up and when they were diagnosed with varicocele (both P < 0.01). Apoptosis and proliferation assays showed that miR-210-3p induces apoptosis of spermatogenic cells by promoting caspase-3 activation. In conclusion, our study indicated that seminal plasma miR-210-3p induces spermatogenic cell apoptosis by activating caspase-3 in patients with varicocele. Seminal plasma miR-210-3p may be a potential biomarker for predicting impaired semen quality caused by varicocele.

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