Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34419158›Full record

ArticleClinical epigenetics2021

Whole-genome methylation analysis of testicular germ cells from cryptozoospermic men points to recurrent and functionally relevant DNA methylation changes.

Sara Di Persio, Elsa Leitão, Marius Wöste, Tobias Tekath, Jann-Frederik Cremers, Martin Dugas, Xiaolin Li, Gerd Meyer Zu Hörste, Sabine Kliesch, Sandra Laurentino and 2 more

Open access · goldAbstract readComparative Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Clinical epigenetics, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
1.2field-weighted citation impact, top 21% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 19 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Genome-wide DNA methylation changes in human spermatogenesis.American journal of human genetics · 2024
    Article
  3. Review
  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Sara Di Persio *Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital of Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany.
Elsa Leitão *Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
Marius WösteInstitute of Medical Informatics, University Hospital of Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany.
Tobias TekathInstitute of Medical Informatics, University Hospital of Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany.
Jann-Frederik CremersCentre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, Department of Clinical and Surgical Andrology, University Hospital of Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany.
Martin DugasInstitute of Medical Informatics, University Hospital of Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany.
Xiaolin LiDepartment of Neurology, Institute of Translational Neurology, University Hospital of Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany.
Gerd Meyer Zu HörsteDepartment of Neurology, Institute of Translational Neurology, University Hospital of Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany.
Sabine KlieschCentre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, Department of Clinical and Surgical Andrology, University Hospital of Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany.
Sandra LaurentinoCentre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital of Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany.
Nina Neuhaus *Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital of Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany. Nina.Neuhaus@ukmuenster.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0181-6194
Bernhard Horsthemke *Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
University Hospital Münster · DEEssen University Hospital · DE

Funding

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft HO 949/23-1Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft NE 2190/3-1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSeveral studies have reported an association between male infertility and aberrant sperm DNA methylation patterns, in particular in imprinted genes. In a recent investigation based on whole methylome and deep bisulfite sequencing, we have not found any evidence for such an association, but have demonstrated that somatic DNA contamination and genetic variation confound methylation studies in sperm of severely oligozoospermic men. To find out whether testicular germ cells (TGCs) of such patients might carry aberrant DNA methylation, we compared the TGC methylomes of four men with cryptozoospermia (CZ) and four men with obstructive azoospermia, who had normal spermatogenesis and served as controls (CTR).

resultsThere was no difference in DNA methylation at the whole genome level or at imprinted regions between CZ and CTR samples. However, using stringent filters to identify group-specific methylation differences, we detected 271 differentially methylated regions (DMRs), 238 of which were hypermethylated in CZ (binominal test, p < 2.2 × 10

conclusionsWe found that impaired spermatogenesis is associated with DNA methylation changes in testicular germ cells at functionally relevant regions of the genome. We hypothesize that the described DNA methylation changes may reflect or contribute to premature abortion of spermatogenesis and therefore not appear in the mature, motile sperm.

Indexed as

AdultAzoospermiaDNA MethylationEpigenesis, GeneticGenome-Wide Association StudyHealthy VolunteersHumansInfertility, MaleMaleSequence Analysis, DNASpermatogenesisSpermatozoaTeratozoospermiaCryptozoospermiaDifferentially methylated regionsDNA methylationMale infertilitySingle cell RNA sequencingSpermatogenesisTesticular germ cells

Identifiers

PMID34419158
PMCPMC8379757
OpenAlexW3193857702

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.