Sharma R, Agarwal A, Mohanty G, Hamada AJ, Gopalan B, Willard B, Yadav S, du Plessis S. Proteomic analysis of human spermatozoa proteins with oxidative stress.
Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2013;
11:48. [PMID:
23688036 PMCID:
PMC3716960 DOI:
10.1186/1477-7827-11-48]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2013] [Accepted: 05/16/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Oxidative stress plays a key role in the etiology of male infertility. Significant alterations in the sperm proteome are associated with poor semen quality. The aim of the present study was to examine if elevated levels of reactive oxygen species cause an alteration in the proteomic profile of spermatozoa.
METHODS
This prospective study consisted of 52 subjects: 32 infertile men and 20 normal donors. Seminal ejaculates were classified as ROS+ or ROS- and evaluated for their proteomic profile. Samples were pooled and subjected to LC-MS/MS analysis through in-solution digestion of proteins for peptide characterization. The expression profile of proteins present in human spermatozoa was examined using proteomic and bioinformatic analysis to elucidate the regulatory pathways of oxidative stress.
RESULTS
Of the 74 proteins identified, 10 proteins with a 2-fold difference were overexpressed and 5 were underexpressed in the ROS+ group; energy metabolism and regulation, carbohydrate metabolic processes such as gluconeogenesis and glycolysis, protein modifications and oxidative stress regulation were some of the metabolic processes affected in ROS+ group.
CONCLUSIONS
We have identified proteins involved in a variety of functions associated with response and management of oxidative stress. In the present study we focused on proteins that showed a high degree of differential expression and thus, have a greater impact on the fertilizing potential of the spermatozoa. While proteomic analyses identified the potential biomarkers, further studies through Western Blot are necessary to validate the biomarker status of the proteins in pathological conditions.
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