Objective: To investigate the expression of corticosteroids and regional expression 16 (CR16) in the testis of patients with idiopathic azoospermia and the role of CR16 in spermatogenesis.
Methods: Immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR were used to detect the expression levels of the CR16 protein and mRNA in the testes of 48 patients with idiopathic azoospermia and 10 healthy men.
Results: Immunohistochemistry showed that the CR16 protein expressed in the Sertoli cells and spermatids-binding region in the epithelium of seminiferous tubules. The level of the CR16 protein was markedly lower in the idiopathic azoospermia patients than in the healthy men, and RT-PCR also showed a significantly decreased level of CR16 mRNA in the testis of the patients.
Conclusion: The expressions of the CR16 protein and mRNA decrease markedly in the testis of patients with idiopathic azoospermia, indicating a correlation with the pathogenesis of azoospermia.