Human <i>circBOULE</i> RNAs as potential biomarkers for sperm quality and male infertility.

ABSTRACT: Reliable molecular biomarkers to predict fertility remain scarce. The current study explored the potential of testis-specific circBOULE RNAs as biomarkers for male infertility and sperm quality. Using RT-PCR and RT-qPCR assays, we identified seven circular RNAs from the human BOULE gene in human sperm. We found that sperm circEx3-6 RNA exhibited a significantly decreased expression in asthenozoospermia while circEx2-6 and circEx2-7 expression decreased in teratozoospermia, compared with the controls. Furthermore, circEx2-6 expression exhibited a negative correlation with sperm DNA Fragmentation Index (DFI), and circEx2-7 levels were correlated with both fertilization and cleavage rates involving assisted reproductive technologies. Further fu

SUBMITTER: Cheng L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11461533 | biostudies-literature | 2024 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature