Pregnancy Achievement by Medical Assisted Reproduction Is Correlated to the G Protein-Coupled Receptor 30 mRNA Abundance in Human Spermatozoa
Source abstract
Abstract
Estrogens, specifically 17β-estradiol (E2), play an important role in male health, including male fertility. The G protein-coupled receptor for estrogen 30 (GPR30) is essential for mediating the rapid non-genomic effects of E2 on a variety of testicular cells, including spermatozoa, although its molecular effects remain largely unknown. In this work, we hypothesized that the GPR30 mRNA abundance in spermatozoa could be correlated to sperm quality. Sperm GPR30 mRNA could also be carried into the oocyte, potentially impacting embryo development and the success of a pregnancy. For this study, 81 sperm samples were collected from couples seeking fertility treatment and undergoing medically assisted reproduction treatments (ART), following the World Health Organization guidelines. GPR30 mRNA abundance in spermatozoa was assessed with a quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The resulting data show that there is no correlation between the abundance of the GPR30 transcript with paternal BMI, age, or sperm quality parameters. Interestingly, we observed that higher levels of GPR30 mRNA abundance in spermatozoa were related to the achievement of biochemical pregnancy and clinical pregnancy (p < 0.05) by couples undergoing treatment. These results highlight the role of the sperm’s RNA cargo in offspring development, suggesting that spermatozoa mRNA content can influence ART success.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Estrogen and related hormone effects · Reproductive Biology and Fertility · Genetic and Clinical Aspects of Sex Determination and Chromosomal Abnormalities
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Endocrine and Metabolic Research, Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine, Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal
Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
QOPNA & LAQV, Department of Chemistry, Campus Universitario de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Colégio Internato dos Carvalhos, Pedroso, 4415-133 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
Centre for Reproductive Genetics Professor Alberto Barros, 4100-012 Porto, Portugal
Reproductive Genetics and Embryo-Fetal Development, i3S–Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
Laboratory of Cell Biology, Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine, Department of Microscopy, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, ES-17003 Girona, Spain
Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, ES-17003 Girona, Spain
Funding
Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia
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