Fertilin is a sperm surface protein that belongs to the ADAM (a
disintigrin and a metalloproteinase) family of integral membrane
proteins. It mediates adhesion and fusion between the sperm and egg
plasma membranes that may play important roles in mammalian
fertilization. This study aimed to explore the relation between
fertilization ability of human sperm and fertilin
mRNA expression in
non-fertile men. Expression of fertilin
gene mRNA was determined
by RT-PCR from 141 semen samples (infertile n=81 and normal
fertile n=60 men). Total RNA was extracted from sperm pellets.
cDNA was generated then amplified. Computer assisted semen
analysis and acrosine activity test were also performed. ELISA was
done to measure FSH, LH, testosterone and prolactin. The study
showed lowered sperm fertilin
expression in infertile group together
with decreased sperm motility and other sperm functions. Also, there
was significant positive correlation between fertilin
expression and
testosterone levels. Furthermore, normal morphology may influence
changes of fertilin
as shown by multiple regression analysis.
From this study it can be concluded that infertility which is associated
with decreased expression of sperm fertilin
could be due to failure of
sperm migration into the oviduct. Moreover, defective protease can
produce incomplete fertilin
processing with improper maturation of
sperm proteins. Here in this study showed possible direct role of
fertilin-
in fertilization and also in sperm morphology and hence
sperm capicitation.