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Predictive value of miR-122-5p, miR-449a, miR-30b-5p, miR-34c-5p, miR-34b-5p in sperm recovery from testicular tissue of azoospermic infertile men

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Background Infertility is a global health issue affecting approximately 15% of couples, with male factors contributing to nearly half of the cases. Azoospermia remains a major challenge in male infertility diagnosis and treatment. Current diagnostic methods rely on invasive techniques such as testicular biopsy, which carry risks of tissue damage. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNAs involved in gene regulation, have emerged as potential non-invasive biomarkers for assessing spermatogenesis. This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of miR-122-5p , miR-449a , miR-30b-5p , miR-34c-5p , and miR-34b-5p in sperm retrieval success from testicular tissue in azoospermic infertile men. Methods The azoospermic male patients were recruited, including a group with obstructive azoospermia (OA) and a group with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA). Patients with a history of drug use, smoking, alcohol consumption, or systemic diseases were excluded. Testicular biopsy samples were collected using microdissection testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE). The expression levels of selected miRNAs were assessed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), with normalization to SNORD-47. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS, with significance set at P < 0.05. Results The expression levels of miR-34b-5p , miR-449a , and miR-30b-5p were significantly lower in azoospermic patients compared to controls, suggesting their role in impaired spermatogenesis. Conversely, miR-34c-5p showed a slight upregulation in the case group, potentially indicating a compensatory mechanism in sperm maturation. miR-122-5p expression remained relatively unchanged between groups. Cycle threshold (Ct) and ΔCt analysis further validated these differences, emphasizing the potential role of miR-34b-5p , miR-449a , and miR-30b-5p in predicting sperm recovery from testicular tissue. Conclusion The differential expression of miR-34b-5p , miR-449a , and miR-30b-5p suggests their potential utility as biomarkers for predicting sperm retrieval success in azoospermic men, whereas miR-122-5p appears to have limited predictive value. Further studies with larger cohorts are required to validate these findings and explore their clinical applications in non-invasive male infertility diagnostics.

Source: F1000Research

DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.178266.1

Authors: Elahe Moji, Seyed Mohsen Miresmaeili, Maryam Imani, Farzaneh Fesahat

Institutions: Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Science and Arts University

Language: English

Topic: Sperm and Testicular Function

Subfield: Reproductive Medicine

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,350