magazinelogo

International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine Research

ISSN Print: 2575-7989 Downloads: 520876 Total View: 4473535
Frequency: bimonthly ISSN Online: 2575-7970 CODEN: IJCEMH
Email: ijcemr@hillpublisher.com
ArticleOpen Access http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/ijcemr.2025.11.020

Expression of Seminal Plasma TEX101 Protein in Male Infertility Patients and Predictive Value of IVF-ET Fertilization Rate

Lili Liao1,#,*, Bo Chen2,#, Tong Pan1, Daxiong Huang1

1Department of Reproductive Center, The First People's Hospital of Foshan (Foshan Hospital Affiliated to Southern University of Science and Technology), School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Foshan 528000, Guangdong, China.

2Thyroid surgery, The First People's Hospital of Foshan (Foshan Hospital Affiliated to Southern University of Science and Technology), School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Foshan 528000, Guangdong, China.

#Both authors contributed equally to this work.

*Corresponding author: Lili Liao

This study was supported by the Guangdong Medical Science and Technology Research Fund Project (B2023457); Foshan City “14th Five-Year Plan” Medical High-Level Key Specialty Construction Project (FSGSP145020).
Published: December 30,2025

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the expression of the seminal plasma TEX101 protein in male infertility patients and its predictive value regarding the fertilization rate in in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET). Methods: A total of 71 patients were selected and grouped according to whether the deoxyribonucleic acid break index (DFI) was greater than 30%. The relevant parameters, in vitro fertilization rate and embryo development of the two groups, were recorded and compared. Results: The high DFI group exhibited lower sperm concentration, total number, PR, IVF fertilization rate, blastocyst formation rate, available embryo rate, high-quality embryo rate, and TEX101 protein concentration in comparison to the normal DFI group. Additionally, the sperm malformation rate was found to be higher in the high DFI group (P < 0.05). No correlation was observed between TEX101 protein concentration and semen volume. However, a positive correlation was identified with sperm concentration, total sperm count, sperm motility rate, PR, and IVF fertilization rate (P < 0.05). The logistic regression analysis indicated that TEX101 protein concentration was a favorable factor affecting fertilization (P < 0.05). An 817.40 ng/ml threshold was established as the predictive critical value, resulting in an area under the ROC curve of 0.732, a sensitivity of 91.5%, and a specificity of 45.8%. Conclusions: TEX101 protein is associated with sperm quality. Its expression is higher in the seminal fluid of normal DFI infertility patients. This protein is found to have predictive value for IVF fertilization rates and is expected to become a new index for the evaluation of male fertility and IVF fertilization rates.

Keywords

Male infertility; Seminal plasma TEX101 protein; IVF fertilization rate; Sperm DNA fragmentation rate

References

[1] Male Infertility Best Practice Policy Committee of the American Urological Association. Report on evaluation of the azoospermic male. Fertil Steril. 2006;86(1):210-215.

[2] Evaluation of the azoospermic male. Fertil Steril. 2008;90(Suppl 5):S74-S77.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2008.08.092

[3] Schlegel PN, Li PS. Microdissection TESE: sperm retrieval in non-obstructive azoospermia. Hum Reprod Update. 1998;4(4):439.
https://doi.org/10.1093/humupd/4.4.439

[4] Bernie AM, Mata DA, Ramasamy R, et al. Comparison of microdissection testicular sperm extraction, conventional testicular sperm extraction, and testicular sperm aspiration for nonobstructive azoospermia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Fertil Steril. 2015;104(5):1099-1103.e1-e3.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2015.07.1136

[5] Diamandis EP, Arnett WP, Foussias G, et al. Seminal plasma biochemical markers and their association with semen analysis findings. Urology. 1999;53(3):596-603.
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0090-4295(98)00550-0

[6] Drabovich AP, Saraon P, Jarvi K, et al. Seminal plasma as a diagnostic fluid for male reproductive system disorders. Nat Rev Urol. 2014;11(5):278-288.
https://doi.org/10.1038/nrurol.2014.74

[7] Fujihara Y, Tokuhiro K, Muro Y, et al. Expression of TEX101, regulated by ACE, is essential for the production of fertile mouse spermatozoa. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013;110(20):8111-8116.
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1222166110

[8] Batruch I, Lecker I, Kagedan D, et al. Proteomic analysis of seminal plasma from normal volunteers and post-vasectomy patients identifies over 2000 proteins and candidate biomarkers of the urogenital system. J Proteome Res. 2011;10(3):941-953.

https://doi.org/10.1021/pr100745u

[9] Drabovich AP, Jarvi K, Diamandis EP. Verification of male infertility biomarkers in seminal plasma by multiplex selected reaction monitoring assay. Mol Cell Proteomics. 2011;10(5):M110.004127.
https://doi.org/10.1074/mcp.M110.004127

[10] Drabovich AP, Dimitromanolakis A, Saraon P, et al. Differential diagnosis of azoospermia with proteomic biomarkers ECM1 and TEX101 quantified in seminal plasma. Sci Transl Med. 2013;5(212):212ra160.
https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.3006260

[11] National Health Commission. Basic standards for institutions conducting assisted reproductive technology in humans (2022 edition).

[12] Cortés-Gutiérrez EI, Dávila-Rodríguez MI, Fernández JL, et al. DNA damage in spermatozoa from infertile men with varicocele evaluated by sperm chromatin dispersion and DBD-FISH. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2016;293(1):189-196.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-015-3822-y

[13] Cho CL, Agarwal A. Role of sperm DNA fragmentation in male factor infertility: A systematic review. Arab J Urol. 2018;16(1):21-34.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aju.2017.11.002

[14] Baskaran S, Agarwal A, Panner Selvam MK, et al. Tracking research trends and hotspots in sperm DNA fragmentation testing for the evaluation of male infertility: a scientometric analysis. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2019;17:110.

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12958-019-0550-3

[15] Bakos HW, Thompson JG, Feil D, et al. Sperm DNA damage is associated with assisted reproductive technology pregnancy. Int J Androl. 2008;31(5):518-526.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2605.2007.00803.x

[16] Sakkas D, Alvarez JG. Sperm DNA fragmentation: mechanisms of origin, impact on reproductive outcome, and analysis. Fertil Steril. 2010;93(4):1027-1036.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2009.10.046

[17] Wang Q, Gu X, Chen Y, et al. The effect of sperm DNA fragmentation on in vitro fertilization outcomes of unexplained infertility. Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2023;78:100261.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinsp.2023.100261

[18] Zhang K, Xu XH, Wu J, et al. Decreased AKAP4/PKA signaling pathway in high DFI sperm affects sperm capacitation. Asian J Androl. 2023.
https://doi.org/10.4103/aja202329

[19] Burton J, Wojewodzic MW, Rounge TB, et al. A role of the TEX101 interactome in the common aetiology behind male subfertility and testicular germ cell tumor. Front Oncol. 2022;12:892043.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2022.892043

[20] Takayama T, Mishima T, Mori M, et al. TEX101 is shed from the surface of sperm located in the caput epididymidis of the mouse. Zygote. 2005;13(4):325-333.
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0967199405003394

[21] Dorostghoal M, Kazeminejad SR, Shahbazian N, et al. Oxidative stress status and sperm DNA fragmentation in fertile and infertile men. Andrologia. 2017;49(10).

https://doi.org/10.1111/and.12762

[22] Joshi S, Tibrewal P, Sharma A. Evaluation of toxic effect of 2,4-d on fertility and biochemical parameters of male reproductive system of albino rats. Pharm Sci. 2012;4:338-342.

[23] Furuchi T, Masuko K, Nishimune Y, et al. Inhibition of testicular germ cell apoptosis and differentiation in mice misexpressing Bcl-2 in spermatogonia. Development. 1996;122(6):1703-1709. https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.122.6.1703

[24] Kumar N, Deepthi KN, Padugupati S, et al. Seminal plasma testis expressed sequence (TEX)-101 as a biomarker for the qualitative assessment of male factor infertility: a case-control study. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2023;287:221-226.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2023.06.022

[25] Yin L, Chung CM, Huo R, et al. A sperm GPI-anchored protein elicits sperm-cumulus cross-talk leading to the acrosome reaction. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2009;66(5):900-908.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-009-8482-2

[26] Xu F, Guo G, Zhu W, et al. Human sperm acrosome function assays are predictive of fertilization rate in vitro: a retrospective cohort study and meta-analysis. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2018;16:81. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12958-018-0398-y

[27] Ješeta M, Pospíšilová A, Mekiňová L, et al. Non-invasive diagnostics of male spermatogenesis from seminal plasma: seminal proteins. Diagnostics (Basel). 2023;13(15):2468. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13152468

How to cite this paper

Expression of Seminal Plasma TEX101 Protein in Male Infertility Patients and Predictive Value of IVF-ET Fertilization Rate

How to cite this paper: Lili Liao, Bo Chen, Tong Pan, Daxiong Huang. (2025) Expression of Seminal Plasma TEX101 Protein in Male Infertility Patients and Predictive Value of IVF-ET Fertilization Rate. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine Research9(6), 684-691.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/ijcemr.2025.11.020