{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]],"date-time":"2026-10-01T01:07:21Z","timestamp":1790816841824,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"CSIRO Publishing","issue":"15","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,7]],"date-time":"2026-09-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1788739200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1071\/journalslicense"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,15]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Context<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The epigenetic factors underlying varicocele and idiopathic infertility are still poorly understood, despite established pathophysiological mechanisms.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Aims<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study assessed sperm miR-574 expression in infertile males with or without varicocele and fertile controls, evaluating its relationship with semen parameters and chromatin condensation.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Thirty-eight participants were included, comprising idiopathic infertile men (n\u00a0=\u00a014), varicocele patients (n\u00a0=\u00a09), and fertile controls (n\u00a0=\u00a015). Aniline blue staining evaluated chromatin condensation; quantitative RT-PCR determined miR-574 expression. In silico analysis predicted target genes.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Idiopathic infertile men exhibited significantly lower expression of sperm miR-574, indicated by significantly higher \u0394Cq levels, than fertile controls (P\u00a0=\u00a00.031). The idiopathic group also showed a significantly higher ratio of aniline blue-positive, histone-rich spermatozoa than the controls (P\u00a0=\u00a00.002). Across the entire study cohort, a significant negative correlation was established between miR-574 \u0394Cq levels and the proportion of spermatozoa with normal morphology (\u03c1\u00a0=\u00a0\u22120.465, P\u00a0=\u00a00.022). In silico analysis predicted that miR-574 targets key genes involved in chromatin regulation (H1FNT, CHD7), mitochondrial function (MRPS23, MARC2), and spermatogenesis (DAZL, SOHLH2).<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>These findings suggest a potential biological association where miR-574 downregulation may be a feature of idiopathic male infertility, potentially influencing gene networks involved in sperm formation and nuclear organization. Its precise regulatory mechanisms in male infertility subgroups warrant further large-scale validation.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Implications<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Sperm miR-574 targets critical spermatogenesis and mitochondrial genes, representing a potential epigenetic factor involved in germ cell differentiation. Although its direct utility as a diagnostic biomarker requires further validation, it provides a valuable conceptual framework for understanding the molecular complexity of idiopathic male factor infertility.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1071\/rd26110","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]],"date-time":"2026-10-01T00:52:06Z","timestamp":1790815926000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Epigenetic role of miR-574 in sperm chromatin remodeling and developmental gene networks in male infertility"],"prefix":"10.1071","volume":"38","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8470-2848","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Neslihan","family":"Hekim","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"AOndokuz Mayis University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biology, Samsun, Turkey."},{"name":"BOndokuz Mayis University, Graduate Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, Samsun, Turkey."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sezgin","family":"Gunes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"AOndokuz Mayis University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biology, Samsun, Turkey."},{"name":"BOndokuz Mayis University, Graduate Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, Samsun, Turkey."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ramazan","family":"Asci","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"BOndokuz Mayis University, Graduate Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, Samsun, Turkey."},{"name":"COndokuz Mayis University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Urology (Retired)Samsun, Turkey."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"67","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]]},"reference":[{"issue":"1","key":"2026093020520062400_R1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"78","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fertnstert.2013.09.009","article-title":"MicroRNA expression profiles in human testicular tissues of infertile men with different histopathologic patterns.","volume":"101","author":"Abu-Halima","year":"2014","journal-title":"Fertility and Sterility"},{"issue":"12","key":"2026093020520062400_R2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"678","DOI":"10.1038\/nrurol.2012.197","article-title":"Insight into oxidative stress in varicocele-associated male infertility: part 1.","volume":"9","author":"Agarwal","year":"2012","journal-title":"Nature Reviews Urology"},{"issue":"2","key":"2026093020520062400_R3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"282","DOI":"10.4103\/1008-682X.170445","article-title":"Proteomic signatures of infertile men with clinical varicocele and their validation studies reveal mitochondrial dysfunction leading to infertility.","volume":"18","author":"Agarwal","year":"2016","journal-title":"Asian Journal of Andrology"},{"issue":"10","key":"2026093020520062400_R4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/antiox8100488","article-title":"Effect of antioxidant supplementation on the sperm proteome of idiopathic infertile men.","volume":"8","author":"Agarwal","year":"2019","journal-title":"Antioxidants"},{"issue":"5","key":"2026093020520062400_R5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1716","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fertnstert.2007.09.007","article-title":"Sperm nuclear DNA fragmentation and mitochondrial activity in men with varicocele.","volume":"90","author":"Blumer","year":"2008","journal-title":"Fertility and Sterility"},{"issue":"2","key":"2026093020520062400_R6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"398","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fertnstert.2020.02.115","article-title":"Intronic variation of the SOHLH2 gene confers risk to male reproductive impairment.","volume":"114","author":"Cerv\u00e1n-Mart\u00edn","year":"2020","journal-title":"Fertility and Sterility"},{"key":"2026093020520062400_R7","unstructured":"DATAtab Team (2025) DATAtab: online statistics calculator. 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