Open Access

Sperm telomere length: Diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in male infertility (Review)

  • Authors:
    • Saira Amir
    • Elena Vakonaki
    • Konstantina Tsiminikaki
    • Manolis N. Tzatzarakis
    • Vasiliki Michopoulou
    • Matthaios Flamourakis
    • Katerina Kalliantasi
    • Vasiliki Karzi
    • Persefoni Fragkiadaki
    • Elisavet A. Renieri
    • Dimitris Tsoukalas
    • Maria Thanasoula
    • Evangelia Sarandi
    • George Sakellaris
    • Antonios Makrigiannakis
    • Charitini Nepka
    • Demetrios A. Spandidos
    • Aristidis Tsatsakis
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: January 2, 2020     https://doi.org/10.3892/wasj.2020.31
  • Pages: 259-263
  • Copyright: © Amir et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Telomere length is an important biomarker in a number of diseases, including male infertility. A decreased telomere length has been reported in several diseases and telomere shortening may occur due to aging, decreased telomerase activity, oxidative stress or cell division. In recent years, several studies have indicated that males with infertility have a shorter sperm telomere length than fertile males. Sperm telomere shortening is associated with male infertility through several mechanisms, including the apoptosis of spermatozoa, decreased motility, low sperm count, incorrect chromosomal pairing and movement during meiosis, and failed fertilization. The aim of this review was to compile current findings on sperm telomere length and discuss findings to compare sperm from infertile males with that of fertile males. Several studies reported shortening of sperm telomeres associated with infertility. Thus, sperm telomere length can be used as biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of male infertility, since fertile males have longer telomeres and the length decreases with age. However, there is no specific telomere length that is set as standard/recommended length.
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November-December 2019
Volume 1 Issue 6

Print ISSN: 2632-2900
Online ISSN:2632-2919

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Spandidos Publications style
Amir S, Vakonaki E, Tsiminikaki K, Tzatzarakis MN, Michopoulou V, Flamourakis M, Kalliantasi K, Karzi V, Fragkiadaki P, Renieri EA, Renieri EA, et al: Sperm telomere length: Diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in male infertility (Review). World Acad Sci J 1: 259-263, 2019
APA
Amir, S., Vakonaki, E., Tsiminikaki, K., Tzatzarakis, M.N., Michopoulou, V., Flamourakis, M. ... Tsatsakis, A. (2019). Sperm telomere length: Diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in male infertility (Review). World Academy of Sciences Journal, 1, 259-263. https://doi.org/10.3892/wasj.2020.31
MLA
Amir, S., Vakonaki, E., Tsiminikaki, K., Tzatzarakis, M. N., Michopoulou, V., Flamourakis, M., Kalliantasi, K., Karzi, V., Fragkiadaki, P., Renieri, E. A., Tsoukalas, D., Thanasoula, M., Sarandi, E., Sakellaris, G., Makrigiannakis, A., Nepka, C., Spandidos, D. A., Tsatsakis, A."Sperm telomere length: Diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in male infertility (Review)". World Academy of Sciences Journal 1.6 (2019): 259-263.
Chicago
Amir, S., Vakonaki, E., Tsiminikaki, K., Tzatzarakis, M. N., Michopoulou, V., Flamourakis, M., Kalliantasi, K., Karzi, V., Fragkiadaki, P., Renieri, E. A., Tsoukalas, D., Thanasoula, M., Sarandi, E., Sakellaris, G., Makrigiannakis, A., Nepka, C., Spandidos, D. A., Tsatsakis, A."Sperm telomere length: Diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in male infertility (Review)". World Academy of Sciences Journal 1, no. 6 (2019): 259-263. https://doi.org/10.3892/wasj.2020.31