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PMID: 26975492 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Review

Seminal biomarkers for the evaluation of male infertility.

Asian journal of andrology ·Vol. 18 ·No. 3 ·2016-00-00 ·Pages 426-33

Bieniek JM, Drabovich AP, Lo KC

Abstract

For men struggling to conceive with their partners, diagnostic tools are limited and often consist of only a standard semen analysis. This baseline test serves as a crude estimation of male fertility, leaving patients and clinicians in need of additional diagnostic biomarkers. Seminal fluid contains the highest concentration of molecules from the male reproductive glands, therefore, this review focuses on current and novel seminal biomarkers in certain male infertility scenarios, including natural fertility, differentiating azoospermia etiologies, and predicting assisted reproductive technique success. Currently available tests include antisperm antibody assays, DNA fragmentation index, sperm fluorescence in situ hybridization, and other historical sperm functional tests. The poor diagnostic ability of current assays has led to continued efforts to find more predictive biomarkers. Emerging research in the fields of genomics, epigenetics, proteomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics holds promise for the development of novel male infertility biomarkers. Seminal protein-based assays of TEX101, ECM1, and ACRV1 are already available or under final development for clinical use. Additional panels of DNA, RNA, proteins, or metabolites are being explored as we attempt to understand the pathophysiologic processes of male infertility. Future ventures will need to continue data integration and validation for the development of clinically useful infertility biomarkers to aid in male infertility diagnosis, treatment, and counseling.

MeSH Terms
Antibodies/metabolism Biomarkers/metabolism DNA/genetics DNA Fragmentation Epigenesis, Genetic Extracellular Matrix Proteins/metabolism Gene Expression Profiling Genomics Humans In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence Infertility, Male/genetics,metabolism Male Membrane Proteins/metabolism Metabolomics Proteomics RNA/genetics Semen/metabolism
Chemicals
ACRV1 protein, human Antibodies Biomarkers ECM1 protein, human Extracellular Matrix Proteins Membrane Proteins TEX101 protein, human RNA DNA
Authors & Affiliations
3 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Bieniek Jared M
Department of Urology, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT, USA.
Drabovich Andrei P
Lo Kirk C
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Article Info
Journal
Asian journal of andrology
Abbr.
Asian J Androl
ISSN
1745-7262
DOI
10.4103/1008-682X.175781
Published
2016-00-00
Pages
426-33
Language
English
Region
China
NLM ID
100942132
PMCID
PMC4854096
Subset
IM
Corrections
CommentIn
PMID: 27048786
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.4103/1008-682X.175781 PMC Full Text View journal details
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