BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play pivotal roles in spermatogenesis. MicroRNA-210 (miR-210) expression was up-regulated in the testes of sterile men with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA). However, the underlying mechanisms of miR-210 involved in the spermatogenesis in patients with NOA are unknown.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Expression of miR-210 and insulin-like growth factor II (IGF2) in the testes of NOA cases (only including maturation arrest and hypospermatogenesis) were detected in this study. We carried out in vitro experiments to determine if IGF2 was directly targeted by miR-210 in NT2 cells.

RESULTS: Compared with obstructive azoospermia (OA) as normal control, our results suggest that miR-210 was significantly up-regulated in testis of patients with NOA (P<0.05), and IGF2 was down-regulated, but without a significant difference. The results also indicated that IGF2 was directly targeted by miR-210 in NT2 cells.

CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that miR-210 was involved in spermatogenesis by targeting IGF2 in male infertility.

Keywords: Azoospermia - metabolism, Infertility, Male - therapy, Insulin-Like Growth Factor II - metabolism, Spermatogenesis - physiology