@article{Hamid Tahtamouni_Nael Hamdan_Ali Al-Mazaydeh_Mahmoud Bawadi_Sobhi Rammaha_Mohammad Zghoul_Ahmad Ahram_Refat Yasin_2020, title={Alu-repeat polymorphism in the tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) gene, seminal t-PA concentration, and male fertility impairment: A case-control study}, volume={13}, url={https://knepublishing.com/index.php/ijrm/article/view/7496}, DOI={10.18502/ijrm.v13i8.7496}, abstractNote={<p><strong>Background:</strong> Tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) is a protein involved in the fibrinolytic system that catalyzes the conversion of plasminogen into the active plasmin. The activity of t-PA is controlled by plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. t-PA has crucial functions during spermatogenesis. One polymorphism was reported for <em>t-PA</em> gene, either the presence of a 300-bp <em>Alu</em>-repeat (<em>Alu</em><sup>+</sup>) or its absence (<em>Alu</em><sup>−</sup>).</p> <p><strong>Objective:</strong> The current work aimed at studying the association between <em>Alu</em> polymorphism in the <em>t-PA</em> gene and male infertility.</p> <p><strong>Materials and Methods:</strong> Using polymerase chain reaction on genomic DNA isolated from the blood of 79 participants, a region polymorphic for <em>Alu</em> element insertion in <em>t-PA</em> gene was amplified. In addition, total <em>t-PA</em> concentration, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1/<em>t-PA</em> complex concentration, and t-PA activity in seminal plasma were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.</p> <p><strong>Results:</strong> The results indicate that the percentage of infertile participants (n = 50) who were homozygous for<em> t-PA Alu</em> insertion (<em>Alu</em><sup>+/+</sup>), heterozygous <em>Alu</em><sup>+/−</sup> or homozygous for <em>t-PA Alu</em> deletion (<em>Alu</em><sup>−/−</sup>) did not change significantly (p = 0.43, 0.81, and 0.85, respectively) when compared with the control participants (n = 29). On the other hand, a significant decrease (p = 0.0001) of t-PA total concentration in seminal plasma was observed in the infertile group in comparison with the control group. However, the results indicate that there is no association between the <em>t-PA Alu</em> different genotypes and the total t-PA seminal concentration in the infertile group when compared to the control group (p = 0.63).</p> <p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> Data obtained from the current study does not support an association between <em>t-PA Alu</em> polymorphism and t-PA seminal concentration or male infertility.</p> <p><em><strong>Key words:</strong> Alu element, Male infertility, Semen, Spermatogenesis, t-PA.</em></p&gt;}, number={8}, journal={International Journal of Reproductive BioMedicine (IJRM)}, author={Hamid Tahtamouni, Lubna and Nael Hamdan, Mahmoud and Ali Al-Mazaydeh, Zainab and Mahmoud Bawadi, Randa and Sobhi Rammaha, Majdoleen and Mohammad Zghoul, Ahmad and Ahmad Ahram, Mamoun and Refat Yasin, Salem}, year={2020}, month={Aug.}, pages={571–578} }