Developing a deeper knowledge about the impact of DNA and RNA epigenetic mutations on sperm production and fertilization performance is essential for selecting best quality samples in Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART). Indeed, sperm RNAs adenine and guanine are likely to be methylated in low quality RNA sperm samples and their study requires the employment of techniques able to isolate high quality nucleic acids. UV resonance Raman spectroscopy represents a valuable tool that is able to monitor peculiar molecular modifications occurring predominantly in nucleic acids, being less sensitive to the presence of other biological compounds. In this work, we used an UV Resonance Raman (UVRR) setup coupled to a synchrotron radiation source tuned at 250 nm, in order to enhance sperm RNAs adenine and guanine vibrational signals, reducing also the impact of a fluorescence background typically occurring at lower energies. Despite that our protocol should be further optimized and further analyses are requested, our results support the concept that UVRR can be applied for setting inexpensive tools to be employed for semen quality assessment in ART.

Strategies and perspectives for UV resonance raman applicability in clinical analyses of human sperm RNA

Zupin L.;Martinelli M.;Crovella S.;Ricci G.;Pascolo L.
2021-01-01

Abstract

Developing a deeper knowledge about the impact of DNA and RNA epigenetic mutations on sperm production and fertilization performance is essential for selecting best quality samples in Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART). Indeed, sperm RNAs adenine and guanine are likely to be methylated in low quality RNA sperm samples and their study requires the employment of techniques able to isolate high quality nucleic acids. UV resonance Raman spectroscopy represents a valuable tool that is able to monitor peculiar molecular modifications occurring predominantly in nucleic acids, being less sensitive to the presence of other biological compounds. In this work, we used an UV Resonance Raman (UVRR) setup coupled to a synchrotron radiation source tuned at 250 nm, in order to enhance sperm RNAs adenine and guanine vibrational signals, reducing also the impact of a fluorescence background typically occurring at lower energies. Despite that our protocol should be further optimized and further analyses are requested, our results support the concept that UVRR can be applied for setting inexpensive tools to be employed for semen quality assessment in ART.
2021
Pubblicato
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/23/13134
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8658360/
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Strategies and Perspectives for UV Resonance Raman - IJMS-22-13134-v2.pdf

accesso aperto

Descrizione: Articolo principale
Tipologia: Documento in Versione Editoriale
Licenza: Creative commons
Dimensione 1.81 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
1.81 MB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri
Pubblicazioni consigliate

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11368/3001698
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 0
  • Scopus 2
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 1
social impact