Human Reproduction, Vol 13, 1476-1479, Copyright © 1998 by Oxford University Press
M Fujisawa, H Tanaka, N Tatsumi, H Okada, S Arakawa and S Kamidono
In human testes, stem cells such as spermatogonia need to produce progeny
cells continually. Telomere length is maintained throughout
spermatogenesis, i.e. from spermatogonia to spermatozoon, and telomerase is
reported to be present in the testes. In this study, we measured the
activity of telomerase in the human testes of 16 cases of idiopathic
azoospermia, 10 of obstructive azoospermia, and 17 of oligozoospermia in
order to understand the role of telomerase in spermatogenesis. Telomerase
activity in the testes with Sertoli cell- only and in testes with
maturation arrest were 0.08 +/- 0.05 optical density (OD) (mean +/- SD) and
1.96 +/- 0.98 OD, respectively (P < 0.05). Classifying those testes with
maturation arrest into two groups, the telomerase activity of those with
early maturation arrest (arrest at spermatocyte) and of those with late
maturation arrest (arrest at round spermatid) was 1.82 +/- 0.82 OD and 2.10
+/- 1.14 OD respectively. There was no significant difference between the
two groups. The telomerase activity in the testes showing
hypospermatogenesis in obstructive azoospermia and in those of
oligozoospermia with hypospermatogenesis was 1.89 +/- 1.06 OD and 1.92 +/-
1.02 OD respectively. No difference in telomerase activity existed between
the testes with maturation arrest and those with hypospermatogenesis in
obstructive azoospermia or oligozoospermia. Sertoli cell-only testes
without germ cells showed no telomerase activity. The source of the
telomerase activity was likely to be germ cells. The telomerase activity in
the testes (n = 63) was related to the histology of the testes. The
activity of telomerase showed no significant correlation with the sperm
concentration in each patient. Only serum oestradiol level significantly
correlated with telomerase activity (P < 0.05). The concentrations of
follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, or testosterone had no
significant relationship with the telomerase activity. Therefore similar
levels of telomerase activity were detected in the testes of infertile men
with azoospermia and oligozoospermia and in testes showing maturation
arrest.
ARTICLES
Telomerase activity in the testis of infertile patients with selected causes
Department of Urology, Kobe University School of Medicine, Japan.
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  D. M. Baird, B. Britt-Compton, J. Rowson, N. N. Amso, L. Gregory, and D. Kipling Telomere instability in the male germline Hum. Mol. Genet., January 1, 2006; 15(1): 45 - 51. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. M. Ritz, O. Kuhle, S. Riethdorf, B. Sipos, W. Deppert, C. Englert, and C. Gunes A Novel Transgenic Mouse Model Reveals Humanlike Regulation of an 8-kbp Human TERT Gene Promoter Fragment in Normal and Tumor Tissues Cancer Res., February 15, 2005; 65(4): 1187 - 1196. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. Schrader, M. Muller, W. Schulze, R. Heicappell, H. Krause, B. Straub, and K. Miller Quantification of the expression level of the gene encoding the catalytic subunit of telomerase in testicular tissue specimens predicts successful sperm recovery Hum. Reprod., January 1, 2002; 17(1): 150 - 156. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. Anniballo, F. Ubaldi, L. Cobellis, M. Sorrentino, L. Rienzi, E. Greco, and J. Tesarik Criteria predicting the absence of spermatozoa in the Sertoli cell-only syndrome can be used to improve success rates of sperm retrieval Hum. Reprod., November 1, 2000; 15(11): 2269 - 2277. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. Schrader, M. Muller, J. Sachsinger, R. Heicappell, B. Berge, H. Krause, and K. Miller Telomerase activity in testicular biopsy material Hum. Reprod., September 1, 2000; 15(9): 2057 - 2057. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
Y. Yamamoto, N. Sofikitis, and I. Miyagawa Hum. Reprod., September 1, 2000; 15(9): 2058 - 2059. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
Y. Yamamoto, N. Sofikitis, Y. Mio, and I. Miyagawa Highly sensitive quantitative telomerase assay of diagnostic testicular biopsy material predicts the presence of haploid spermatogenic cells in therapeutic testicular biopsy in men with Sertoli cell-only syndrome Hum. Reprod., December 1, 1999; 14(12): 3041 - 3047. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 C. A. Brenner, Y. M. Wolny, R. R. Adler, and J. Cohen Alternative splicing of the telomerase catalytic subunit in human oocytes and embryos Mol. Hum. Reprod., September 1, 1999; 5(9): 845 - 850. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|