Miscarriage Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Miscarriage, including details on signs, symptoms, recurrent, pregnancy.

Effect of tamoxifen treatment on global and insulin-like growth factor 2-H19 locus-specific DNA methylation in rat spermatozoa and its association with embryo loss.

Pathak S, Kedia-Mokashi N, Saxena M, D'Souza R, Maitra A, Parte P, Gill-Sharma M, Balasinor N

National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, Indian Council for Medical Research, Mumbai, India.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of tamoxifen treatment on global and insulin-like growth factor 2-H19 imprinting control region (Igf2-H19 ICR)-specific DNA methylation in rat spermatozoa and analyze its association with postimplantation loss. DESIGN: Experimental prospective study. SETTING: Animal research and academic research facility. SUBJECT(S): Male and female 75-day-old Holtzman rats. INTERVENTION(S): Global and Igf2-H19 ICR-specific DNA methylation was analyzed in an epididymal sperm sample in control and tamoxifen-treated rats at a dose of 0.4 mg tamoxifen/kg/day. DNA methylation status was correlated to postimplantation loss in females mated with tamoxifen-treated males. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Global sperm DNA methylation level, methylation status of Igf2-H19 ICR in sperm, postimplantation loss. RESULT(S): Tamoxifen treatment significantly reduced methylation at Igf2-H19 ICR in epididymal sperm. However, the global methylation level was not altered. A mating experiment confirmed a significant increase in postimplantation loss upon tamoxifen treatment and showed significant correlation with methylation at Igf2-H19 ICR. CONCLUSION(S): Reduced DNA methylation at Igf2-H19 ICR in rat spermatozoa upon tamoxifen treatment indicated a role of estrogen-associated signaling in the acquisition of paternal-specific imprints during spermatogenesis. In addition, association between DNA methylation and postimplantation loss suggests that errors in paternal imprints at Igf2-H19 ICR could affect embryo development.

Published 28 April 2009 in Fertil Steril, 91(5): 2253-63.
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