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Abstract
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Background: In mammals, spermatogenesis is the main process for male fertility
that is initiated by spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) proliferation. SSCs are unipotent
progenitor cells accountable for transferring the genetic information to the following
generation by differentiating to haploid cells during spermato-and spermiogenesis.
DEAD-box helicase 4 (DDX4) is a specific germ cell marker and its expression
pattern is localized to, spermatocytes, and spermatids. The expression in the
SSCs on the basement membrane of the seminiferous tubules is low.
Methods: Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Fluidigm reverse transcriptase-polymerase
chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to analyze the expression of DDX4 in
testis tissue of fertile and sterile mice and human cases with non-obstructive azoospermia.
Results: Our immunohistochemical findings of fertile and busulfan-treated mice
showed expression of DDX4 in the basal and luminal compartment of seminiferous
tubules of fertile mice whereas no expression was detected in busulfan-treated mice.
The immunohistochemical analysis of two human cases with different levels of nonobstructive
azoospermia revealed more luminal DDX4 positive cells.
Conclusion: Our findings indicate that DDX4 might be a valuable germ cell marker
for analyzing the pathology of germ cell tumors and infertility as global urological
problems.
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