Expression of the HSPA2 gene in ejaculated spermatozoa from adolescents with and without varicocele.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate mRNA expression of the HSPA2 gene in ejaculated spermatozoa in adolescents with and without varicocele.

DESIGN

Controlled prospective study.

SETTING

Patients in an academic research environment.

PATIENTS

Adolescent patients with clinical diagnosed bilateral varicocele grades II and III, and adolescent patients without varicocele.

INTERVENTION

Reverse-transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis of HSPA2 gene expression in adolescents with and without varicocele.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Comparative RT-PCR expression analysis of HSPA2 gene mRNA, compared to the housekeeping beta-actin gene.

RESULTS

Sperm from adolescents with varicocele and oligozoospermia had significantly lower levels of HSPA2 gene expression than both adolescents without varicocele (controls) and adolescents with varicocele and normal sperm concentration (P<.05). The latter group had a nonsignificant increase in gene expression compared to the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first report on HSPA2 gene expression in ejaculated spermatozoa from adolescents and its relationship with varicocele pathology. Results demonstrated that HSPA2 expression was down-regulated in adolescents with varicocele and oligozoospermia compared to controls. There was a higher, albeit nonsignificant, gene expression in adolescents with varicocele and normal sperm concentration than in controls. We speculate that expression levels of this gene might be used as a molecular marker for the acquisition of thermal tolerance in ejaculated spermatozoa.