Login to Access Video or Poster Abstract: MP07-04
Sources of Funding: none

Introduction

This study aims to explore the association between the methylation status of the vdac2 gene promoter region and IAS.

Methods

Twenty-five patients with IAS and 27 fertile NZ were evaluated. GC-2spd cells were treated with different concentrations of 5-Aza-CdR (5, 10 and 15 ?mol/L) for 24 and 48 h. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was conducted to reveal whether or not vdac2 gene expression is regulated by methylated modification. After predicting the promoter region, dual-luciferase activity detection was used to verify vdac2 promoter activity in GC-2spd cells. Bisulphite genomic sequence was used to analyze DNA methylation of the vdac2 promoter.

Results

vdac2 expression was significantly increased in men treated with 15 ?mol/L 5-Aza-CdR for 48 h compared with that in the other groups (P < 0.05). Strong activity of the promoter (?2000bp to +1000bp) was detected by dual-luciferase activity detection (P < 0.05). Bisulphite genomic sequencing indicated that the percentages of uncompleted, mild and moderate methylation in normozoospermic men were 83.65% ± 5.51%, 8.73% ± 1.38% and 7.61% ± 5.68%, respectively. Moreover, the percentages of uncompleted, mild and moderate methylation in patients with IAS were 76.01% ± 6.94%, 7.14% ± 1.86% and 16.62% ± 8.27%, respectively (P = 0.005, 0.02 and 0.003, respectively). Correlation analysis showed that PR was associated with uncompleted methylation and negatively related to moderate methylation.

Conclusions

High methylation of the vdac2 promoter CpGs could be positively correlated with low sperm motility. Abnormal methylation of vdac may be related to idiopathic asthenospermia.

Funding

none