Male Infertility
Conditions
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to understand the underlying mechanisms of infertility caused by unknown factors. The investigator propose to identify small non-coding RNA (sncRNA) biomarkers of infertility and advance towards developing a more accurate and robust approach for infertility diagnosis.
Detailed description
The goal of the study is to identify small non-coding RNA signatures of infertility in men through the comparison of sperm sncRNA profiles from around 100 men (21-50 years of age). The participants will be classified into fertile and infertile groups by the conventional method. Through the project, the investigator intends to understand the underlying mechanisms of idiopathic infertility. By utilizing semen as liquid biopsy, through sperm sncRNA profiling and comparison (infertile vs fertile). The investigator proposes to identify the sncRNA (miRNAs, piRNAs and tRFs) as biomarkers of infertility. The investigator proposes to generate a validated signature of sncRNAs that will help in selecting high quality sperms for IVF.
Interventions
None listed
Sponsors
Institute for Human Development and Potential (IHDP), Singapore
Study design
Observational model
ECOLOGIC_OR_COMMUNITY
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
MALE
Age
21 Years to 50 Years
Inclusion criteria
* Male, aged 21 - 50 years old * Proficient in English language * Willing to comply to study protocol * Able to provide written informed consent
Exclusion criteria
* Current and/or previous diagnosis of Tuberculosis, Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDs), and other sexually transmitted diseases * Experiencing severely limited mobility (eg. Wheelchair bound, need walking aid) * Diagnosed with severe unstable mental conditions (eg. Dementia, or cognitive impairment) * Alcohol or drug abuse
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Semen/Sperm quantity analysis | 1 week | sperm count and concentration |
| Semen/Sperm quality analysis | 1 week | semen pH, semen volume, sperm motility, sperm morphology, sperm vitality |
| Fertility classification | 1 week | Classification into fertile/infertile groups based on the fertility measures. |
| Sperm RNA extraction and sequencing | 3 months | Sperm RNA extraction and sequencing |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Expression profiling of sncRNA | 3-6 months | Counts of miRNA, piRNA, tRF from the sequenced data through Bioinformatics analysis. All three sncRNA will be quantified from the RNA sequencing data using bioinformatics tools, with the same unit of measure. |
| Comparison of the expression profiles | 3-6 months | Comparison of the expression profiles between the two groups (infertile vs fertile) |
Countries
Singapore
Outcome results
None listed