51
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Touré A, Martinez G, Kherraf ZE, Cazin C, Beurois J, Arnoult C, Ray PF, Coutton C. The genetic architecture of morphological abnormalities of the sperm tail. Hum Genet 2020; 140:21-42. [PMID: 31950240 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-020-02113-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Spermatozoa contain highly specialized structural features reflecting unique functions required for fertilization. Among them, the flagellum is a sperm-specific organelle required to generate the motility, which is essential to reach the egg. The flagellum integrity is, therefore, critical for normal sperm function and flagellum defects consistently lead to male infertility due to reduced or absent sperm motility defined as asthenozoospermia. Multiple morphological abnormalities of the flagella (MMAF), also called short tails, is among the most severe forms of sperm flagellum defects responsible for male infertility and is characterized by the presence in the ejaculate of spermatozoa being short, coiled, absent and of irregular caliber. Recent studies have demonstrated that MMAF is genetically heterogeneous which is consistent with the large number of proteins (over one thousand) localized in the human sperm flagella. In the past 5 years, genomic investigation of the MMAF phenotype allowed the identification of 18 genes whose mutations induce MMAF and infertility. Here we will review information about those genes including their expression pattern, the features of the encoded proteins together with their localization within the different flagellar protein complexes (axonemal or peri-axonemal) and their potential functions. We will categorize the identified MMAF genes following the protein complexes, functions or biological processes they may be associated with, based on the current knowledge in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aminata Touré
- Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75014, Paris, France.,INSERM U1016, Institut Cochin, 75014, Paris, France.,Centre National de La Recherche Scientifique UMR8104, 75014, Paris, France
| | - Guillaume Martinez
- INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Team Genetics Epigenetics and Therapies of Infertility, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, 38000, Grenoble, France.,CHU Grenoble Alpes, UM de Génétique Chromosomique, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Zine-Eddine Kherraf
- INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Team Genetics Epigenetics and Therapies of Infertility, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, 38000, Grenoble, France.,CHU Grenoble Alpes, UM GI-DPI, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Caroline Cazin
- INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Team Genetics Epigenetics and Therapies of Infertility, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Julie Beurois
- INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Team Genetics Epigenetics and Therapies of Infertility, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Christophe Arnoult
- INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Team Genetics Epigenetics and Therapies of Infertility, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Pierre F Ray
- INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Team Genetics Epigenetics and Therapies of Infertility, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, 38000, Grenoble, France.,CHU Grenoble Alpes, UM GI-DPI, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Charles Coutton
- INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Team Genetics Epigenetics and Therapies of Infertility, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, 38000, Grenoble, France. .,CHU Grenoble Alpes, UM de Génétique Chromosomique, 38000, Grenoble, France.
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52
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Wen L, Liu Q, Xu J, Liu X, Shi C, Yang Z, Zhang Y, Xu H, Liu J, Yang H, Huang H, Qiao J, Tang F, Chen ZJ. Recent advances in mammalian reproductive biology. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2020; 63:18-58. [PMID: 31813094 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-019-1572-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Reproductive biology is a uniquely important topic since it is about germ cells, which are central for transmitting genetic information from generation to generation. In this review, we discuss recent advances in mammalian germ cell development, including preimplantation development, fetal germ cell development and postnatal development of oocytes and sperm. We also discuss the etiologies of female and male infertility and describe the emerging technologies for studying reproductive biology such as gene editing and single-cell technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Wen
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Third Hospital, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Qiang Liu
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Third Hospital, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Jingjing Xu
- International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Embryo Original Diseases, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Xixi Liu
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Third Hospital, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Chaoyi Shi
- International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Embryo Original Diseases, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Zuwei Yang
- International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Embryo Original Diseases, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Yili Zhang
- International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Embryo Original Diseases, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Hong Xu
- International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Embryo Original Diseases, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Jiang Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Hui Yang
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
| | - Hefeng Huang
- International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Embryo Original Diseases, Shanghai, 200030, China.
| | - Jie Qiao
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Third Hospital, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
| | - Fuchou Tang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Third Hospital, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
| | - Zi-Jiang Chen
- National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Jinan, 250021, China.
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53
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Aitken RJ, Baker MA. The Role of Genetics and Oxidative Stress in the Etiology of Male Infertility-A Unifying Hypothesis? Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2020; 11:581838. [PMID: 33101214 PMCID: PMC7554587 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2020.581838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the high prevalence of male infertility, very little is known about its etiology. In recent years however, advances in gene sequencing technology have enabled us to identify a large number of rare single point mutations responsible for impeding all aspects of male reproduction from its embryonic origins, through the endocrine regulation of spermatogenesis to germ cell differentiation and sperm function. Such monogenic mutations aside, the most common genetic causes of male infertility are aneuploidies such as Klinefelter syndrome and Y-chromosome mutations which together account for around 20-25% of all cases of non-obstructive azoospermia. Oxidative stress has also emerged as a major cause of male fertility with at least 40% of patients exhibiting some evidence of redox attack, resulting in high levels of lipid peroxidation and oxidative DNA damage in the form of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8OHdG). The latter is highly mutagenic and may contribute to de novo mutations in our species, 75% of which are known to occur in the male germ line. An examination of 8OHdG lesions in the human sperm genome has revealed ~9,000 genomic regions vulnerable to oxidative attack in spermatozoa. While these oxidized bases are generally spread widely across the genome, a particular region on chromosome 15 appears to be a hot spot for oxidative attack. This locus maps to a genetic location which has linkages to male infertility, cancer, imprinting disorders and a variety of behavioral conditions (autism, bipolar disease, spontaneous schizophrenia) which have been linked to the age of the father at the moment of conception. We present a hypothesis whereby a number of environmental, lifestyle and clinical factors conspire to induce oxidative DNA damage in the male germ line which then triggers the formation de novo mutations which can have a major impact on the health of the offspring including their subsequent fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert John Aitken
- Faculty of Science and Faculty of Health and Medicine, Priority Research Centre in Reproductive Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
- *Correspondence: Robert John Aitken
| | - Mark A. Baker
- Faculty of Science and Faculty of Health and Medicine, Priority Research Centre in Reproductive Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
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Sha Y, Wei X, Ding L, Mei L, Huang X, Lin S, Su Z, Kong L, Zhang Y, Ji Z. DNAH17 is associated with asthenozoospermia and multiple morphological abnormalities of sperm flagella. Ann Hum Genet 2019; 84:271-279. [PMID: 31841227 DOI: 10.1111/ahg.12369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella (MMAF) is one kind of severe asthenozoospermia, which is caused by dysplastic development of sperm flagella. In our study, we sought to investigate the novel gene mutations leading to severe asthenozoospermia and MMAF. METHODS AND MATERIALS The patient's spermatozoa were tested by Papanicolaou staining and transmission electron microscopy. Whole exome sequencing was performed on the patient with severe asthenozoospermia and MMAF. Sanger sequencing verified the mutations in the family. The expression of DNAH17 was detected by immunofluorescence and Western blot. RESULTS Spermatozoa sample from the patient showed severe asthenozoospermia and MMAF. We detected biallelic mutations (c.C4445T, p.A1482V and c.C6857T, and p.S2286L) in DNAH17 (MIM:610063). The protein expression of DNAH17 was almost undetectable in spermatozoa from the patient with the biallelic mutations. CONCLUSION These results demonstrated that DNAH17 may be involved in severe asthenozoospermia and MMAF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanwei Sha
- Department of Andrology, United Diagnostic and Research Center for Clinical Genetics, School of Public Health & Women and Children's Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Xiaoli Wei
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Lu Ding
- Department of Andrology, United Diagnostic and Research Center for Clinical Genetics, School of Public Health & Women and Children's Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Libin Mei
- Department of Andrology, United Diagnostic and Research Center for Clinical Genetics, School of Public Health & Women and Children's Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Xianjing Huang
- Department of Andrology, United Diagnostic and Research Center for Clinical Genetics, School of Public Health & Women and Children's Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Shaobin Lin
- Department of Andrology, United Diagnostic and Research Center for Clinical Genetics, School of Public Health & Women and Children's Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Zhiying Su
- Department of Andrology, United Diagnostic and Research Center for Clinical Genetics, School of Public Health & Women and Children's Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Lingyuan Kong
- Department of Andrology, United Diagnostic and Research Center for Clinical Genetics, School of Public Health & Women and Children's Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Zhiyong Ji
- Department of Andrology, United Diagnostic and Research Center for Clinical Genetics, School of Public Health & Women and Children's Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
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55
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Zhang X, Shen Y, Wang X, Yuan G, Zhang C, Yang Y. A novel homozygous CFAP65 mutation in humans causes male infertility with multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella. Clin Genet 2019; 96:541-548. [PMID: 31571197 DOI: 10.1111/cge.13644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Revised: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella (MMAF) is a rare autosomal recessive inherited disorder associated with male infertility. To date, 14 genetic causative genes have been identified in MMAF, which can only explain the genetic causes of ~60% of MMAF cases. Here, we report a man with primary infertility, who had a typical MMAF phenotype. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed on the patient and a homozygous mutation (c. 2675 G>A [p. Trp892*]) was identified in cilia and flagella-associated protein 65 (CFAP65) gene, which is primarily expressed in the testis. Another loss-of-function mutation of CFAP65 has been detected in a MMAF patient, and the orthologue of CFAP65 also plays a vital role in sperm motility in chickens. Our experimental observations on human subjects suggested that CFAP65 is involved in sperm flagellum structure and assembly and that loss-of-function mutations could lead to male infertility in humans by causing the MMAF phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueguang Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Joint Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine (SCU-CUHK), Key Laboratory of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Pediatric Diseases and Birth Defects of Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ying Shen
- Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Joint Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine (SCU-CUHK), Key Laboratory of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Pediatric Diseases and Birth Defects of Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiang Wang
- Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Joint Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine (SCU-CUHK), Key Laboratory of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Pediatric Diseases and Birth Defects of Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Guiping Yuan
- Analytical and Testing Center, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Chaoliang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yihong Yang
- Reproduction Medical Center of West China Second University Hospital, Key Laboratory of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Pediatric Diseases and Birth Defects of Ministry of Education, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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56
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Li W, Wu H, Li F, Tian S, Kherraf ZE, Zhang J, Ni X, Lv M, Liu C, Tan Q, Shen Y, Amiri-Yekta A, Cazin C, Zhang J, Liu W, Zheng Y, Cheng H, Wu Y, Wang J, Gao Y, Chen Y, Zha X, Jin L, Liu M, He X, Ray PF, Cao Y, Zhang F. Biallelic mutations in CFAP65 cause male infertility with multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella in humans and mice. J Med Genet 2019; 57:89-95. [PMID: 31501240 DOI: 10.1136/jmedgenet-2019-106344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 08/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Male infertility is a prevalent issue worldwide, mostly due to the impaired sperm motility. Multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella (MMAF) present aberrant spermatozoa with absent, short, coiled, bent and irregular-calibre flagella resulting in severely decreased motility. Previous studies reported several MMAF-associated genes accounting for approximately half of MMAF cases. METHODS AND RESULT We conducted genetic analysis using whole-exome sequencing in 88 Han Chinese MMAF probands. CFAP65 homozygous mutations were identified in four unrelated consanguineous families, and CFAP65 compound heterozygous mutations were found in two unrelated cases with MMAF. All these CFAP65 mutations were null, including four frameshift mutations (c.1775delC [p.Pro592Leufs*8], c.3072_3079dup [p.Arg1027Profs*41], c.1946delC [p.Pro649Argfs*5] and c.1580delT [p.Leu527Argfs*31]) and three stop-gain mutations (c.4855C>T [p.Arg1619*], c.5270T>A [p.Leu1757*] and c.5341G>T [p.Glu1781*]). Additionally, two homozygous CFAP65 variants likely affecting splicing were identified in two MMAF-affected men of Tunisian and Iranian ancestries, respectively. These biallelic variants of CFAP65 were verified by Sanger sequencing and were absent or very rare in large data sets aggregating sequence information from various human populations. CFAP65, encoding the cilia and flagella associated protein 65, is highly and preferentially expressed in the testis. Here we also generated a frameshift mutation in mouse orthologue Cfap65 using CRISPR-Cas9 technology. Remarkably, the phenotypes of Cfap65-mutated male mice were consistent with human MMAF. CONCLUSIONS Our experimental observations performed on both human subjects and on Cfap65-mutated mice demonstrate that the presence of biallelic mutations in CFAP65 causes the MMAF phenotype and impairs sperm motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiyu Li
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, NHC Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Shanghai, China.,State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Huan Wu
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, China
| | - Fuping Li
- Human Sperm Bank, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Disease of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
| | - Shixiong Tian
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, NHC Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Zine-Eddine Kherraf
- Genetic Epigenetic and Therapies of Infertility, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France.,Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Grenoble, UM GI-DPI, Grenoble, France
| | - Jintao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoqing Ni
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, China
| | - Mingrong Lv
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, China
| | - Chunyu Liu
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, NHC Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Shanghai, China.,State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Qing Tan
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, China
| | - Ying Shen
- Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Joint Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine (SCU-CUHK), Key Laboratory of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Pediatric Diseases and Birth Defects of Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Amir Amiri-Yekta
- Genetic Epigenetic and Therapies of Infertility, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France.,Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Grenoble, UM GI-DPI, Grenoble, France.,Department of Genetics, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, Academic Center for Education, Culture, and Research, Tehran, Iran
| | - Caroline Cazin
- Genetic Epigenetic and Therapies of Infertility, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France.,Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Grenoble, UM GI-DPI, Grenoble, France
| | - Jingjing Zhang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, China
| | - Wangjie Liu
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, NHC Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Shanghai, China.,State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yan Zheng
- Human Sperm Bank, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Disease of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
| | - Huiru Cheng
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, China
| | - Yingbi Wu
- Human Sperm Bank, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Disease of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiajia Wang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, China
| | - Yang Gao
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, China
| | - Yujie Chen
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, China
| | - Xiaomin Zha
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, China
| | - Li Jin
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, NHC Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingxi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaojin He
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, China
| | - Pierre F Ray
- Genetic Epigenetic and Therapies of Infertility, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France.,Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Grenoble, UM GI-DPI, Grenoble, France
| | - Yunxia Cao
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China .,NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, NHC Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China .,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Shanghai, China.,State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
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Wang X, Sha YW, Wang WT, Cui YQ, Chen J, Yan W, Hou XT, Mei LB, Yu CC, Wang J. Novel IFT140 variants cause spermatogenic dysfunction in humans. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2019; 7:e920. [PMID: 31397098 PMCID: PMC6732298 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2019] [Revised: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The intraflagellar transport protein 140 homolog (IFT140) is involved in the process of intraflagellar transport (IFT), a process that is essential for the formation and maintenance of most eukaryotic cilia and flagella. Variants IFT140 have been reported to account for ciliopathy but association with male fertility has never been described in humans. Here we report the identification of two novel variants of IFT140 which caused spermatogenic dysfunction and male infertility. METHODS Whole-exome sequencing was performed in a 27-year-old infertile man presented with severe oligozoospermia, asthenozoospermia, and teratozoospermia (OAT) without other physical abnormality. Sanger sequencing was used to verify gene variants in the patient, his healthy brother, and their parents. Morphology and protein expression in the patient's sperm were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and immunofluorescence staining. Function of gene variants was predicted by online databases. RESULTS Compound heterozygous variants of IFT140: exon16: c.1837G > A: p.Asp613Asn and exon31: c.4247G > A: p.Ser1416Asn were identified in the patient, both of which showed autosomal recessive inheritance in his family, and had extremely low allele frequency in the population. Morphological abnormalities of the head, nucleus, and tails and the absence of IFT140 from the neck and mid-piece of the patient's spermatozoa were observed. Mutation Taster database predicted a high probability of damage-causing by both variations. CONCLUSION This study for the first time reported IFT140 variants that cause infertility in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiong Wang
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, The Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Yantai, Shandong, 264000, China
| | - Yan-Wei Sha
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Xiamen Maternal and Child Care Hospital, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Wen-Ting Wang
- Central Laboratory, The Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Yuan-Qing Cui
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, The Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Yantai, Shandong, 264000, China
| | - Jie Chen
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, The Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Yantai, Shandong, 264000, China
| | - Wei Yan
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, The Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Yantai, Shandong, 264000, China
| | - Xiao-Tao Hou
- Pathology Department, Guangzhou KingMed Center for Clinical Laboratory Co. Ltd, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Li-Bin Mei
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Xiamen Maternal and Child Care Hospital, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Cui-Cui Yu
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Jiahui Wang
- Central Laboratory, The Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Yantai, Shandong, China
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58
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Sha Y, Liu W, Wei X, Zhu X, Luo X, Liang L, Guo T. Biallelic mutations in Sperm flagellum 2 cause human multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella (MMAF) phenotype. Clin Genet 2019; 96:385-393. [PMID: 31278745 DOI: 10.1111/cge.13602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Revised: 06/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Male patients with multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella (MMAF) are infertile and exhibit absent, short, coiled, bent and/or irregular sperm flagella. Mutations in the SPEF2 gene reduce sperm motility and cause sperm tail defects in animal models and humans. In the present study, we performed a genetic analysis on an MMAF patient and identified novel biallelic mutations in the SPEF2 gene. The biallelic mutations were confirmed by Sanger sequencing and in silico analysis revealed that, these variations were deleterious. The expression of truncated SPEF2 protein was reduced significantly in the patient's spermatozoa. The spermatozoa harbored biallelic mutations and showed severe ultrastructural defects in the axoneme and mitochondrial sheath. Our data suggest that biallelic mutations in SPEF2 can cause severe sperm flagellum defects, thus providing a novel candidate genetic pathogen for the human MMAF phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanwei Sha
- Department of Andrology, United Diagnostic and Research Center for Clinical Genetics, School of Public Health & Women and Children's Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Wensheng Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Xiaoli Wei
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Xingshen Zhu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Xiangmin Luo
- Reproductive Medicine Center, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Lei Liang
- Department of Andrology, United Diagnostic and Research Center for Clinical Genetics, School of Public Health & Women and Children's Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Tonghang Guo
- Reproductive and Genetic Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
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59
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Kherraf ZE, Cazin C, Coutton C, Amiri-Yekta A, Martinez G, Boguenet M, Fourati Ben Mustapha S, Kharouf M, Gourabi H, Hosseini SH, Daneshipour A, Touré A, Thierry-Mieg N, Zouari R, Arnoult C, Ray PF. Whole exome sequencing of men with multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella reveals novel homozygous QRICH2 mutations. Clin Genet 2019; 96:394-401. [PMID: 31292949 DOI: 10.1111/cge.13604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Revised: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Multiple morphological anomalies of the sperm flagella (MMAF syndrome) is a severe male infertility phenotype which has so far been formally linked to the presence of biallelic mutations in nine genes mainly coding for axonemal proteins overexpressed in the sperm flagellum. Homozygous mutations in QRICH2, a gene coding for a protein known to be required for stabilizing proteins involved in sperm flagellum biogenesis, have recently been identified in MMAF patients from two Chinese consanguineous families. Here, in order to better assess the contribution of QRICH2 in the etiology of the MMAF phenotype, we analyzed all QRICH2 variants from whole exome sequencing data of a cohort of 167 MMAF-affected subjects originating from North Africa, Iran, and Europe. We identified a total of 14 potentially deleterious variants in 18 unrelated individuals. Two unrelated subjects, representing 1% of the cohort, carried a homozygous loss-of-function variant: c.3501C>G [p.Tyr1167Ter] and c.4614C>G [p.Tyr1538Ter], thus confirming the implication of QRICH2 in the MMAF phenotype and human male infertility. Sixteen MMAF patients (9.6%) carried a heterozygous QRICH2 potentially deleterious variant. This rate was comparable to what was observed in a control group (15.5%) suggesting that the presence of QRICH2 heterozygous variants is not associated with MMAF syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zine-Eddine Kherraf
- INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Team Genetics Epigenetics and Therapies of Infertility, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France.,UM GI-DPI, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Caroline Cazin
- INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Team Genetics Epigenetics and Therapies of Infertility, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France.,UM GI-DPI, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Charles Coutton
- INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Team Genetics Epigenetics and Therapies of Infertility, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France.,UM de Génétique Chromosomique, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Amir Amiri-Yekta
- INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Team Genetics Epigenetics and Therapies of Infertility, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France.,UM GI-DPI, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France.,Department of Genetics, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Guillaume Martinez
- INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Team Genetics Epigenetics and Therapies of Infertility, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France.,UM de Génétique Chromosomique, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Magalie Boguenet
- INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Team Genetics Epigenetics and Therapies of Infertility, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | | | - Mahmoud Kharouf
- Polyclinique les Jasmins, Centre d'Aide Médicale à la Procréation, Centre Urbain Nord, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Hamid Gourabi
- Department of Genetics, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyedeh Hanieh Hosseini
- Department of Andrology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Daneshipour
- Department of Genetics, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Aminata Touré
- INSERM U1016, Institut Cochin, Paris, France.,UMR8104, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, France.,Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | | | - Raoudha Zouari
- Polyclinique les Jasmins, Centre d'Aide Médicale à la Procréation, Centre Urbain Nord, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Christophe Arnoult
- INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Team Genetics Epigenetics and Therapies of Infertility, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Pierre F Ray
- INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Team Genetics Epigenetics and Therapies of Infertility, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France.,UM GI-DPI, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
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60
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Liu W, Sha Y, Li Y, Mei L, Lin S, Huang X, Lu J, Ding L, Kong S, Lu Z. Loss-of-function mutations in SPEF2 cause multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella (MMAF). J Med Genet 2019; 56:678-684. [PMID: 31151990 DOI: 10.1136/jmedgenet-2018-105952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Revised: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella (MMAF) is a kind of severe teratozoospermia. Patients with the MMAF phenotype are infertile and present aberrant spermatozoa with absent, short, coiled, bent and/or irregular flagella. Mutations in several genes can explain approximately 30%-50% of MMAF cases and more genetic pathogenies need to be explored. SPEF2 was previously demonstrated to play an essential role in sperm tail development in mice and pig. Dysfunctional mutations in SPEF2 impair sperm motility and cause a short-tail phenotype in both animal models. OBJECTIVE Based on 42 patients with severe infertility and MMAF phenotype, we explored the new genetic cause of human MMAF phenotype. METHODS AND RESULTS By screening gene variants in 42 patients with MMAF using whole exome sequencing, we identified the c. 12delC, c. 1745-2A > G, c. 4102 G > T and c. 4323dupA mutations in the SPEF2 gene from two patients. Both of these mutations are rare and potentially deleterious. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis showed a disrupted axonemal structure with mitochondrial sheath defects in the patients' spermatozoa. The SPEF2 protein level was significantly decreased in the spermatozoa of the patients revealed by Western blot (WB) and immunofluorescence (IF) analyses. CONCLUSION Our experimental findings indicate that loss-of-function mutations in the SPEF2 gene can cause the MMAF phenotype in human.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wensheng Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yanwei Sha
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Xiamen Maternity and Child Care Hospital, Xiamen, China
| | - Yang Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Libin Mei
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Xiamen Maternity and Child Care Hospital, Xiamen, China
| | - Shaobin Lin
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Xiamen Maternity and Child Care Hospital, Xiamen, China
| | - Xianjing Huang
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Xiamen Maternity and Child Care Hospital, Xiamen, China
| | - Jinhua Lu
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health Research, Medical College of Xiamen University, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Lu Ding
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Xiamen Maternity and Child Care Hospital, Xiamen, China
| | - Shuangbo Kong
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health Research, Medical College of Xiamen University, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Zhongxian Lu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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61
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Liu W, He X, Yang S, Zouari R, Wang J, Wu H, Kherraf ZE, Liu C, Coutton C, Zhao R, Tang D, Tang S, Lv M, Fang Y, Li W, Li H, Zhao J, Wang X, Zhao S, Zhang J, Arnoult C, Jin L, Zhang Z, Ray PF, Cao Y, Zhang F. Bi-allelic Mutations in TTC21A Induce Asthenoteratospermia in Humans and Mice. Am J Hum Genet 2019; 104:738-748. [PMID: 30929735 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2019.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Male infertility is a major concern affecting human reproductive health. Asthenoteratospermia can cause male infertility through reduced motility and abnormal morphology of spermatozoa. Several genes, including DNAH1 and some CFAP family members, are involved in multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella (MMAF). However, these known genes only account for approximately 60% of human MMAF cases. Here, we conducted further genetic analyses by using whole-exome sequencing in a cohort of 65 Han Chinese men with MMAF. Intriguingly, bi-allelic mutations of TTC21A (tetratricopeptide repeat domain 21A) were identified in three (5%) unrelated, MMAF-affected men, including two with homozygous stop-gain mutations and one with compound heterozygous mutations of TTC21A. Notably, these men consistently presented with MMAF and additional abnormalities of sperm head-tail conjunction. Furthermore, a homozygous TTC21A splicing mutation was identified in two Tunisian cases from an independent MMAF cohort. TTC21A is preferentially expressed in the testis and encodes an intraflagellar transport (IFT)-associated protein that possesses several tetratricopeptide repeat domains that perform functions crucial for ciliary function. To further investigate the potential roles of TTC21A in spermatogenesis, we generated Ttc21a mutant mice by using CRISPR-Cas9 technology and revealed sperm structural defects of the flagella and the connecting piece. Our consistent observations across human populations and in the mouse model strongly support the notion that bi-allelic mutations in TTC21A can induce asthenoteratospermia with defects of the sperm flagella and head-tail conjunction.
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62
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Nsota Mbango JF, Coutton C, Arnoult C, Ray PF, Touré A. Genetic causes of male infertility: snapshot on morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagellum. Basic Clin Androl 2019; 29:2. [PMID: 30867909 PMCID: PMC6398242 DOI: 10.1186/s12610-019-0083-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Male infertility due to Multiple Morphological Abnormalities of the sperm Flagella (MMAF), is characterized by nearly total asthenozoospermia due to the presence of a mosaic of sperm flagellar anomalies, which corresponds to short, angulated, absent flagella and flagella of irregular calibre. In the last four years, 7 novel genes whose mutations account for 45% of a cohort of 78 MMAF individuals were identified: DNAH1, CFAP43, CFAP44, CFAP69, FSIP2, WDR66 (CFAP251), AK7. This successful outcome results from the efficient combination of high-throughput sequencing technologies together with robust and complementary approaches for functional validation, in vitro, and in vivo using the mouse and unicellular model organisms such as the flagellated parasite T. brucei. Importantly, these genes are distinct from genes responsible for Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD), an autosomal recessive disease associated with both respiratory cilia and sperm flagellum defects, and their mutations therefore exclusively lead to male infertility. In the future, these genetic findings will definitely improve the diagnosis efficiency of male infertility and might provide genotype-phenotype correlations, which could be helpful for the prognosis of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) performed with sperm from MMAF patients. In addition, functional study of these novel genes should improve our knowledge about the protein networks and molecular mechanisms involved in mammalian sperm flagellum structure and beating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Fabrice Nsota Mbango
- 1INSERMU1016, CNRS UMR8104, Université Paris Descartes, 75014 Paris, France.,2Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR8104, 75014 Paris, France.,3Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Charles Coutton
- Institut for Advanced Biosciences, Université Grenoble Alpes, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38000 Grenoble, France.,5CHU Grenoble Alpes, UM de Génétique Chromosomique, Grenoble, France
| | - Christophe Arnoult
- Institut for Advanced Biosciences, Université Grenoble Alpes, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Pierre F Ray
- Institut for Advanced Biosciences, Université Grenoble Alpes, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38000 Grenoble, France.,CHU de Grenoble, UM GI-DPI, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Aminata Touré
- 1INSERMU1016, CNRS UMR8104, Université Paris Descartes, 75014 Paris, France.,2Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR8104, 75014 Paris, France.,3Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75014 Paris, France
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63
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Abstract
Male infertility is a multifactorial and heterogeneous pathological condition affecting 7% of the general male population. The genetic landscape of male infertility is highly complex as semen and testis histological phenotypes are extremely heterogeneous, and at least 2000 genes are predicted to be involved in spermatogenesis. Genetic factors have been described in each etiological category of male reproductive impairment: (1) hypothalamic-pituitary axis dysfunction; (2) quantitative and qualitative alterations of spermatogenesis; (3) ductal obstruction/dysfunction. In 25% of azoospermic and in 10% of oligozoospermic men, a genetic anomaly can be diagnosed with the current genetic testing. However, up to now, only a relatively low number of monogenic factors have a clear-cut cause-effect relationship with impaired reproductive function. Thanks to the widespread diffusion of Next-Generation Sequencing, a continuously increasing number of monogenic causes of male infertility are being discovered and their validation is currently ongoing. The identification of genetic factors is of outmost clinical importance since there is a risk of transmission of genetic defects through natural or assisted reproductive techniques. The benefit of the genetic diagnosis of infertility has an obvious clinical significance for the patient itself with implications not only for his reproductive health but in many instances also for his general health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Csilla Krausz
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
| | - Antoni Riera-Escamilla
- Andrology Department, Fundació Puigvert, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
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