DNA hydroxymethylation rate in the AChE and HoxC4 promoter associated with human sperm quality

Y Li; Y H Li; X Zhou; B Wu; J P Chen; Z K Wang; X Wang; H J Shi; R S Li

doi:10.1111/and.12963

DNA hydroxymethylation rate in the AChE and HoxC4 promoter associated with human sperm quality

Andrologia. 2018 Feb 11. doi: 10.1111/and.12963. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Y Li¹, Y H Li², X Zhou², B Wu², J P Chen², Z K Wang³, X Wang³, H J Shi², R S Li²

Affiliations

¹ School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
² Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of NPFPC, SIPPR, IRD, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
³ The hospital affiliated to Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Shanghai, China.

PMID: 29430663
DOI: 10.1111/and.12963

Abstract

The relationship of altered DNA 5'-hydroxymethylation in human spermatozoa with seminal parameters remains unclear. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between the 5'-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) rate in the promoters of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and homeobox C4 (HoxC4) genes and human sperm concentration/motility. The study population consisted of three groups: asthenozoospermia (AZ), oligoasthenozoospermia (OAZ) and normozoospermia (NZ). The 5hmC rate in the promoter was measured by CCGG loci-dependent MspI/HpaII restriction mapping of glycosylation-modified sperm DNA combined with a hydroxymethylation-specific real-time polymerase chain reaction assay. The 5hmC rate in the AChE promoter in group AZ and OAZ was higher than that in group NZ (p < .05). A weak inverse correlation between 5hmC rate of AChE and sperm motility was observed in all subjects (r = -.172, p < .05). The 5hmC rate in the HoxC4 promoter in group OAZ was lower than that in group NZ (p < .05). These results indicated that altered 5hmC rates of AChE and HoxC4 promoters are associated with low sperm motility and sperm concentration respectively.

Keywords: 5-hydroxymethylcytosine; AChE; DNA hydroxymethylation; HoxC4; sperm motility.