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Human sperm molecular anatomy: the enzyme 5α-reductase (SRD5A) is present in the sperm and may be involved in the varicocele-related infertility

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Abstract

The most common cause of male infertility is the testicular varicocele, a condition that impairs production and decreases quality of sperm. Male fertility also strictly depends on androgens acting through their own receptor. The enzyme 5α-reductase (SRD5A) is involved in the conversion of testosterone to 5α-dihydrotestosterone, both required for the development and maintenance of male reproductive function. Here, we evaluated, by western blotting analysis, the presence of SRD5A in human ejaculated spermatozoa and evidenced differences in sperm SRD5A content between healthy donors and varicocele-affected patients. Additionally, SRD5A sperm ultrastructural localization was also assessed by transmission electron microscopy and immunogold assay. We evidenced that SRD5A enzyme is present in the human spermatozoa and that its cellular content is lowered in sperm samples from varicocele patients compared to healthy subjects. The presence of SRD5A in human ejaculated spermatozoa highlights the potential role of this enzyme in sperm physiopathology suggesting that the decrease in its content, by affecting the conversion of testosterone into 5α-dihydrotestosterone, may be an important additional mechanism involved in the harmful effect of varicocele in male fertility.

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Abbreviations

SRD5A:

Enzyme 5α-reductase

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Acknowledgments

We would like also to thank Enrico Perrotta for the excellent technical and scientific assistance and Maria Clelia Gervasi for the English language review of the manuscript. This work was supported by MIUR Ex 60 %—2013.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could have direct or potential influence or impart bias on the work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro Sanitario, University of Calabria, 87036, Arcavacata Di Rende, Cosenza, Italy

    Saveria Aquila, Daniela Montanaro, Carmela Guido, Marta Santoro, Francesca De Amicis & Marilena Lanzino

  2. Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036, Arcavacata Di Rende, Cosenza, Italy

    Saveria Aquila, Carmela Guido, Francesca De Amicis & Marilena Lanzino

  3. Post-graduate School in Clinical Pathology, University of Calabria, 87036, Arcavacata Di Rende, Cosenza, Italy

    Carmela Guido & Marta Santoro

  4. Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036, Arcavacata Di Rende, Cosenza, Italy

    Ida Perrotta

  5. University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy

    Serena Gervasi

Authors
  1. Saveria Aquila
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  2. Daniela Montanaro
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  3. Carmela Guido
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  4. Marta Santoro
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  5. Ida Perrotta
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  6. Serena Gervasi
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  7. Francesca De Amicis
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  8. Marilena Lanzino
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Saveria Aquila.

Additional information

Francesca De Amicis and Marilena Lanzino joint senior authors.

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Aquila, S., Montanaro, D., Guido, C. et al. Human sperm molecular anatomy: the enzyme 5α-reductase (SRD5A) is present in the sperm and may be involved in the varicocele-related infertility. Histochem Cell Biol 144, 67–76 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-015-1320-8

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