Delicate epigenetic modifications are essential for production of spermatids during spermatogenesis. DNA methyltransferase 3 (DNMT3), the enzymes involved in adding a methyl group to unmodified DNA, contains three members: DNMT3A, DNMT3B and DNMT3L. The latter lacks methyltransferase activity, but was closely associated with spermatogenesis in many reports. According to the presentation of mature spermatids in testis, azoospermia could be separated into obstructive and non-obstructive categories. Non-obstructive azoospermia is spermatogenesis defective, germ cells absent in seminiferous tube is the most serious type. Therefore, we would like to find out if there are differential expression of DNMT3 family transcripts in testes of azoospermia patients from infertility clinic. Using RT-PCR and qPCR, we found only 5 (29.4%) expressed DNMT3L in 17 non-obstructive patients, whereas all 20 obstructive patients expressed. Both groups were similar in expression levels of DNMT3A and DNMT3B. Nuclei of spermatogonia and spermatocyte were the main immunohisto-chemical localization of DNMT3L protein. Lost of germ cells should be the cause of undetectable DNMT3L expression in azoospermia patients. By this founding, it could serve as an indicator for ability of male germ cell culture in further applications of assisted reproduction.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:NSYSU/oai:NSYSU:etd-0903108-131324 |
| Date | 03 September 2008 |
| Creators | Chen, Teng-yi |
| Contributors | Yow-Ling Shiue, Hurng-Wern Huang, Kuo-Chung Lan |
| Publisher | NSYSU |
| Source Sets | NSYSU Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Archive |
| Language | Cholon |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.lib.nsysu.edu.tw/ETD-db/ETD-search/view_etd?URN=etd-0903108-131324 |
| Rights | withheld, Copyright information available at source archive |
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