Effect and in silico characterization of genetic variants associated with severe spermatogenic disorders in a large Iberian cohort

BACKGROUND

Severe spermatogenic failure (SpF) represents the most extreme manifestation of male infertility, as it decreases drastically the semen quality leading to either severe oligospermia (SO, <5 million spermatozoa/mL semen) or non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA, complete lack of spermatozoa in the ejaculate without obstructive causes).

OBJECTIVES

The main objective of the present study is to analyze in the Iberian population the effect of 6 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) previously associated with NOA in Han Chinese through genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and to establish their possible functional relevance in the development of specific SpF patterns.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We genotyped 674 Iberian infertile men (including 480 NOA and 194 SO patients) and 1058 matched unaffected controls for the GWAS-associated variants PRMT6-rs12097821, PEX10-rs2477686, CDC42BPA-rs3000811, IL17A-rs13206743, ABLIM1-rs7099208, and SOX5-rs10842262. Their association with SpF, SO, NOA, and different NOA phenotypes was evaluated by logistic regression models, and their functional relevance was defined by comprehensive interrogation of public resources.

RESULTS

ABLIM1-rs7099208 was associated with SpF under both additive (OR = 0.86, p = 0.036) and dominant models (OR = 0.78, p = 0.026). The CDC42BPA-rs3000811 minor allele frequency was significantly increased in the subgroup of NOA patients showing maturation arrest (MA) of germ cells compared to the remaining NOA cases under the recessive model (OR = 4.45, p = 0.044). The PEX10-rs2477686 SNP was associated with a negative testicular sperm extraction (TESE) outcome under the additive model (OR = 1.32, p = 0.034). The analysis of functional annotations suggested that these variants affect the testis-specific expression of nearby genes and that lincRNA may play a role in SpF.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data support the association of three previously reported NOA risk variants in Asians (ABLIM1-rs7099208, CDC42BPA-rs3000811, and PEX10-rs2477686) with different manifestations of SpF in Iberians of European descent, likely by influencing gene expression and lincRNA deregulation.

[Effect of tadalafil 5mg daily treatment on penile haemodynamics in patients with erectile dysfunction]

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE

Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE-5) are the first-line treatment. ED diagnostic and evaluation methods are clinical: erection self-perception and evaluation questionnaires. It is necessary to identify predictive markers to choose the best drug and the best dose for each individual patient. This study seeks to evaluate the effect of tadalafil 5mg daily treatment on penile haemodynamics (penis in flaccidity, using doppler ultrasound, without using alprostadil) and to study if these changes are clinically associated.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

40 patients who started treatment with tadalafil 5mg daily were consecutively selected in a prospective study. Each patient underwent a penile doppler ultrasound and completed questionnaires (IIEF-6, EHS, SEP-2, SEP-3) at three different times: before starting the treatment, at 3 months and at 6 months (within the last 30 days without treatment).

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

Tadalafil 5mg daily treatment for 3 months did not result in significant modifications to VPS and AS. There was clinical improvement according to the questionnaires after three months of treatment, which was not maintained at 6 months. Neither a clinical-radiological correlation nor a haemodynamic value predicting response to treatment could be established.