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Proper ubiquitination effect on the fertilisation outcome post‐ ICSI
Author(s) -
EskandariShahraki M.,
Tavalaee M.,
Deemeh M. R.,
Jelodar Gh. A.,
NasrEsfahani M. H.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
andrologia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.633
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1439-0272
pISSN - 0303-4569
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0272.2012.01330.x
Subject(s) - fertilisation , andrology , outcome (game theory) , medicine , biology , embryo , genetics , cryopreservation , mathematics , reproductive technology , mathematical economics
Summary Ubiquitin is an 8.5‐kDa protein that tags outlived proteins for degradation by the proteasome. It also marks defective spermatozoa during epididymal passage and has been proposed as a biomarker of sperm quality. This study evaluates the relationship between sperm ubiquitination, protamine deficiency, semen parameters and fertilisation rate in infertile individuals undergoing the intracytoplasmic sperm insemination ( ICSI ) procedure. Semen samples from 73 ICSI candidates were collected and analysed according to World Health Organization criteria. A portion of each sample was evaluated for sperm ubiquitination using the sperm ubiquitin tag immunoassay ( SUTI ) with flow cytometry, and protamine deficiency by chromomycin A 3 ( CMA 3) staining. In addition, the relationship between the fertilisation rate and sperm ubiquitination was calculated in ICSI candidates. The intensity of ubiquitination showed a significant negative correlation with sperm concentration ( r = −0.255, P = 0.032) and a positive correlation with fertilisation rate ( r = 0.384, P = 0.013) post‐ ICSI . No correlation was observed between protamine deficiency and the percentage of ubiquitination or ubiquitination intensity. The results of this study suggest that sperm ubiquitination prior to capacitation may be considered as a marker of defective spermatozoon. Spermatozoa that undergo proper ubiquitination may have a higher chance for fertilisation, because they are made redundant by the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway in the epididymis compared to hypo‐ubiquitinated spermatozoa.