{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,4]],"date-time":"2026-08-04T10:43:54Z","timestamp":1785840234573,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,31]],"date-time":"2026-07-31T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1785456000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Med. Sci.","Medical Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Infertility is a global public health problem among males, with asthenozoospermia representing the most common cause. Since flagellar activity is vital for proper fertilization, identification of the mechanisms controlling this process is crucial. Microtubules are necessary for sperm functionality; however, their regulatory proteins in humans require further research. DCDC2C belongs to the doublecortin domain-containing family and has a role in microtubule stabilization; therefore, DCDC2C could affect the sperm flagellar structure. Objectives: The goal of the present study was to examine the presence and possible relationship between DCDC2C expression and sperm motility in asthenozoospermia. Materials and Methods: This study involved sixty men from December 2024 to December 2025. The sperm samples were processed according to the WHO criteria (6th ed.). Conventional sperm characteristics, biochemical indicators of seminal plasma, DNA fragmentation, and chromatin condensation were evaluated. Immunofluorescence staining for DCDC2C was performed, especially with respect to flagellar localization. Results: DCDC2C-positive spermatozoa were significantly more common in the normozoospermic group (78.93 \u00b1 1.67%) than in the asthenozoospermic group (17.27 \u00b1 2.23%; p &lt; 0.0001). No significant differences were found for seminal biochemical markers, sperm DNA fragmentation, or chromatin condensation. Discussion: Reduced detectable distal flagellar DCDC2C immunoreactivity was associated with asthenozoospermia. Conclusions: DCDC2C protein expression is highly correlated with sperm movement, indicating that DCDC2C is a potential molecular marker for the diagnosis of asthenozoospermia.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/medsci14040449","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,31]],"date-time":"2026-07-31T13:23:20Z","timestamp":1785504200000},"page":"449","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["DCDC2C Protein Expression in Human Spermatozoa: A Potential Molecular Marker for Asthenozoospermia"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Othmane","family":"Adli","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Sexual and Reproductive Health, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca 20250, Morocco"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ezzahra","family":"Rachid","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Science & Engineering of Biomedicals, Biophysics and Health Laboratory, Higher Institute of Health Sciences, Hassan First University of Settat, Settat 26000, Morocco"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Adil","family":"Kbirou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Sexual and Reproductive Health, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca 20250, Morocco"},{"name":"Department of Urology, Ibn Rochd University Hospital Center, Casablanca 20503, Morocco"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chaymae","family":"Rochdi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Maternal-Child and Mental Health Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed First University, Oujda 60000, Morocco"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mounir","family":"Filali","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"G Lab Laboratory, Casablanca 20360, Morocco"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Noureddine","family":"Louanjli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Labomac IVF Centers and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Casablanca 20100, Morocco"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6448-7995","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Said","family":"Assou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapy (IRMB), University of Montpellier, INSERM, CHU Montpellier, 34295 Montpellier, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9287-0331","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rachid","family":"Aboutaieb","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Sexual and Reproductive Health, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca 20250, Morocco"},{"name":"Department of Urology, Ibn Rochd University Hospital Center, Casablanca 20503, Morocco"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,31]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"107193","DOI":"10.1016\/j.isci.2023.107193","article-title":"Loss-of-function variants in KCTD19 cause non-obstructive azoospermia in humans","volume":"26","author":"Liu","year":"2023","journal-title":"iScience"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"657","DOI":"10.36103\/ijas.v54i3.1743","article-title":"Genetic polymorphisms of CRISP2 gene in association with infertility in Iraqi patients","volume":"54","author":"Zaid","year":"2023","journal-title":"Iraqi J. 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