1
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Kim J, So B, Heo Y, So H, Jo JK. Advances in Male Contraception: When Will the Novel Male Contraception be Available? World J Mens Health 2024; 42:487-501. [PMID: 38164023 DOI: 10.5534/wjmh.230118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Many contraceptive methods have been developed over the years due to high demand. However, female contraceptive pills and devices do not work for all females due to health conditions and side effects. Also, the number of males who want to actively participate in family planning is gradually increasing. However, the only contraceptive options currently available to males are condoms and vasectomy. Therefore, many male contraceptive methods, including medication (hormonal and non-hormonal therapy) and mechanical methods, are under development. Reversibility, safety, persistence, degree of invasion, promptness, and the suppression of anti-sperm antibody formation are essential factors in the development of male contraceptive methods. In this paper, male contraceptive methods under development are reviewed according to those essential factors. Furthermore, the timeline for the availability of a new male contraception is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jongwon Kim
- Department of Medical and Digital Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Byeongchan So
- Department of Medical and Digital Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yongki Heo
- Department of Medical and Digital Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hongyun So
- Department of Medical and Digital Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
- Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea.
| | - Jung Ki Jo
- Department of Medical and Digital Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Urology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea.
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2
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Wei T, Mo L, Wu Z, Zou T, Huang J. Gonadal transcriptome analysis of genes related to sex differentiation and sex development in the Pomacea canaliculata. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY. PART D, GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS 2024; 50:101235. [PMID: 38631127 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2024.101235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
As an invasive alien animal, Pomacea canaliculata poses a great danger to the ecology and human beings. Recently, there has been a gradual shift towards bio-friendly control. Based on the development of RNA interference and CRISPR technology as molecular regulatory techniques for pest control, it was determined if the knockout of genes related to sex differentiation in P. canaliculata could induce sterility, thereby helping in population control. However, the knowledge of sex differentiation- and development-related genes in P. canaliculata is currently lacking. Here, transcriptomic approaches were used to study the genes expressed in the two genders of P. canaliculata at various developmental stages. Gonad transcriptomes of immature or mature males and females were compared, revealing 12,063 genes with sex-specific expression, of which 6066 were male- and 5997 were female-specific. Among the latter, 581 and 235 genes were up-regulated in immature and mature females, respectively. The sex-specific expressed genes identified included GnRHR2 and TSSK3 in males and ZAR1 and WNT4 in females. Of the genes, six were involved in reproduction: CCNBLIP1, MND1, DMC1, DLC1, MRE11, and E(sev)2B. Compared to immature snail gonads, the expression of HSP90 and CDK1 was markedly reduced in gonadal. It was hypothesized that the two were associated with the development of females. These findings provided new insights into crucial genetic information on sex differentiation and development in P. canaliculata. Additionally, some candidate genes were explored, which can contribute to future studies on controlling P. canaliculata using molecular regulatory techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Wei
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Guangxi Normal University, Ministry of Education, Guilin, Guangxi 541006, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal Ecology, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi 541006, China; College of Life Sciences, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi 541006, China
| | - Lili Mo
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Guangxi Normal University, Ministry of Education, Guilin, Guangxi 541006, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal Ecology, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi 541006, China; College of Life Sciences, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi 541006, China
| | - Zhengjun Wu
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Guangxi Normal University, Ministry of Education, Guilin, Guangxi 541006, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal Ecology, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi 541006, China; College of Life Sciences, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi 541006, China
| | - Tongxiang Zou
- College of Life Sciences, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi 541006, China.
| | - Jinlong Huang
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Guangxi Normal University, Ministry of Education, Guilin, Guangxi 541006, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal Ecology, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi 541006, China; College of Life Sciences, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi 541006, China.
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3
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Zhang P, Zhang F, Sui H, Yang X, Ji Y, Zheng S, Li W, Cheng K, Wang C, Jiao J, Zhang X, Cao Z, Zhang Y. Characterization of sexual maturity-associated N6-methyladenosine in boar testes. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:447. [PMID: 38714941 PMCID: PMC11075296 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10343-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The health and size of the testes are crucial for boar fertility. Testicular development is tightly regulated by epigenetics. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is a prevalent internal modification on mRNA and plays an important role in development. The mRNA m6A methylation in boar testicular development still needs to be investigated. RESULTS Using the MeRIP-seq technique, we identify and profile m6A modification in boar testes between piglets and adults. The results showed 7783 distinct m6A peaks in piglets and 6590 distinct m6A peaks in adults, with 2,471 peaks shared between the two groups. Enrichment of GO and KEGG analysis reveal dynamic m6A methylation in various biological processes and signalling pathways. Meanwhile, we conjointly analyzed differentially methylated and expressed genes in boar testes before and after sexual maturity, and reproductive related genes (TLE4, TSSK3, TSSK6, C11ORF94, PATZ1, PHLPP1 and PAQR7) were identified. Functional enrichment analysis showed that differential genes are associated with important biological functions, including regulation of growth and development, regulation of metabolic processes and protein catabolic processes. CONCLUSION The results demonstrate that m6A methylation, differential expression and the related signalling pathways are crucial for boar testicular development. These results suggest a role for m6A modification in boar testicular development and provided a resource for future studies on m6A function in boar testicular development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Zhang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry, Genetical Resource Conservation and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, No.130 West Changjiang Road, Hefei, 230036, China
| | - Fei Zhang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry, Genetical Resource Conservation and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, No.130 West Changjiang Road, Hefei, 230036, China
| | - Heming Sui
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry, Genetical Resource Conservation and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, No.130 West Changjiang Road, Hefei, 230036, China
- National Animal Husbandry Service, Beijing, 100125, China
| | - Xingyu Yang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry, Genetical Resource Conservation and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, No.130 West Changjiang Road, Hefei, 230036, China
| | - Yiming Ji
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry, Genetical Resource Conservation and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, No.130 West Changjiang Road, Hefei, 230036, China
| | - Shenghao Zheng
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry, Genetical Resource Conservation and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, No.130 West Changjiang Road, Hefei, 230036, China
| | - Wei Li
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry, Genetical Resource Conservation and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, No.130 West Changjiang Road, Hefei, 230036, China
| | - Kun Cheng
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry, Genetical Resource Conservation and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, No.130 West Changjiang Road, Hefei, 230036, China
| | - Chonglong Wang
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China
| | - Jun Jiao
- Anhui Haoyu Animal Husbandry Co., Ltd, Luan, 237451, China
| | - Xiaodong Zhang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry, Genetical Resource Conservation and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, No.130 West Changjiang Road, Hefei, 230036, China.
| | - Zubing Cao
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry, Genetical Resource Conservation and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, No.130 West Changjiang Road, Hefei, 230036, China.
| | - Yunhai Zhang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry, Genetical Resource Conservation and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, No.130 West Changjiang Road, Hefei, 230036, China.
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4
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Mohanty G, Sanchez-Cardenas C, Paudel B, Tourzani DA, Salicioni AM, Santi CM, Gervasi MG, Pilsner JR, Darszon A, Visconti PE. Differential role of bovine serum albumin and HCO3- in the regulation of GSK3 alpha during mouse sperm capacitation. Mol Hum Reprod 2024; 30:gaae007. [PMID: 38341666 PMCID: PMC10914453 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaae007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
To become fertile, mammalian sperm are required to undergo capacitation in the female tract or in vitro in defined media containing ions (e.g. HCO3 -, Ca2+, Na+, and Cl-), energy sources (e.g. glucose, pyruvate) and serum albumin (e.g. bovine serum albumin (BSA)). These different molecules initiate sequential and concomitant signaling pathways, leading to capacitation. Physiologically, capacitation induces changes in the sperm motility pattern (e.g. hyperactivation) and prepares sperm for the acrosomal reaction (AR), two events required for fertilization. Molecularly, HCO3 - activates the atypical adenylyl cyclase Adcy10 (aka sAC), increasing cAMP and downstream cAMP-dependent pathways. BSA, on the other hand, induces sperm cholesterol release as well as other signaling pathways. How these signaling events, occurring in different sperm compartments and with different kinetics, coordinate among themselves is not well established. Regarding the AR, recent work has proposed a role for glycogen synthase kinases (GSK3α and GSK3β). GSK3α and GSK3β are inactivated by phosphorylation of residues Ser21 and Ser9, respectively, in their N-terminal domain. Here, we present evidence that GSK3α (but not GSK3β) is present in the anterior head and that it is regulated during capacitation. Interestingly, BSA and HCO3 - regulate GSK3α in opposite directions. While BSA induces a fast GSK3α Ser21 phosphorylation, HCO3 - and cAMP-dependent pathways dephosphorylate this residue. We also show that the HCO3--induced Ser21 dephosphorylation is mediated by hyperpolarization of the sperm plasma membrane potential (Em) and by intracellular pH alkalinization. Previous reports indicate that GSK3 kinases mediate the progesterone-induced AR. Here, we show that GSK3 inhibition also blocks the Ca2+ ionophore ionomycin-induced AR, suggesting a role for GSK3 kinases downstream of the increase in intracellular Ca2+ needed for this exocytotic event. Altogether, our data indicate a temporal and biphasic GSK3α regulation with opposite actions of BSA and HCO3 -. Our results also suggest that this regulation is needed to orchestrate the AR during sperm capacitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gayatri Mohanty
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Claudia Sanchez-Cardenas
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, UNAM, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Bidur Paudel
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Darya A Tourzani
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Ana M Salicioni
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Celia M Santi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - María G Gervasi
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
- Department of Animal Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - J Richard Pilsner
- C.S. Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
- Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Alberto Darszon
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, UNAM, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Pablo E Visconti
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
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5
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Clark AC, Edison R, Esvelt K, Kamau S, Dutoit L, Champer J, Champer SE, Messer PW, Alexander A, Gemmell NJ. A framework for identifying fertility gene targets for mammalian pest control. Mol Ecol Resour 2024; 24:e13901. [PMID: 38009398 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
Fertility-targeted gene drives have been proposed as an ethical genetic approach for managing wild populations of vertebrate pests for public health and conservation benefit. This manuscript introduces a framework to identify and evaluate target gene suitability based on biological gene function, gene expression and results from mouse knockout models. This framework identified 16 genes essential for male fertility and 12 genes important for female fertility that may be feasible targets for mammalian gene drives and other non-drive genetic pest control technology. Further, a comparative genomics analysis demonstrates the conservation of the identified genes across several globally significant invasive mammals. In addition to providing important considerations for identifying candidate genes, our framework and the genes identified in this study may have utility in developing additional pest control tools such as wildlife contraceptives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna C Clark
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Department of Computational Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Rey Edison
- Media Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kevin Esvelt
- Media Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sebastian Kamau
- Media Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ludovic Dutoit
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Jackson Champer
- Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Samuel E Champer
- Department of Computational Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Philipp W Messer
- Department of Computational Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Alana Alexander
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Neil J Gemmell
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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6
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Louwagie EJ, Quinn GFL, Pond KL, Hansen KA. Male contraception: narrative review of ongoing research. Basic Clin Androl 2023; 33:30. [PMID: 37940863 PMCID: PMC10634021 DOI: 10.1186/s12610-023-00204-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since the release of the combined oral contraceptive pill in 1960, women have shouldered the burden of contraception and family planning. Over 60 years later, this is still the case as the only practical, effective contraceptive options available to men are condoms and vasectomy. However, there are now a variety of promising hormonal and non-hormonal male contraceptive options being studied. The purpose of this narrative review is to provide clinicians and laypeople with focused, up-to-date descriptions of novel strategies and targets for male contraception. We include a cautiously optimistic discussion of benefits and potential drawbacks, highlighting several methods in preclinical and clinical stages of development. RESULTS As of June 2023, two hormonal male contraceptive methods are undergoing phase II clinical trials for safety and efficacy. A large-scale, international phase IIb trial investigating efficacy of transdermal segesterone acetate (Nestorone) plus testosterone gel has enrolled over 460 couples with completion estimated for late 2024. A second hormonal method, dimethandrolone undecanoate, is in two clinical trials focusing on safety, pharmacodynamics, suppression of spermatogenesis and hormones; the first of these two is estimated for completion in December 2024. There are also several non-hormonal methods with strong potential in preclinical stages of development. CONCLUSIONS There exist several hurdles to novel male contraception. Therapeutic development takes decades of time, meticulous work, and financial investment, but with so many strong candidates it is our hope that there will soon be several safe, effective, and reversible contraceptive options available to male patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eli J Louwagie
- University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, 1400 W 22nd St, Sioux Falls, SD, 57105, USA.
| | - Garrett F L Quinn
- University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, 1400 W 22nd St, Sioux Falls, SD, 57105, USA
| | - Kristi L Pond
- University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, 1400 W 22nd St, Sioux Falls, SD, 57105, USA
| | - Keith A Hansen
- Chair and Professor, Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine; Reproductive Endocrinologist, Sanford Fertility and Reproductive Medicine, 1500 W 22nd St Suite 102, Sioux Falls, SD, 57105, USA
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7
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Nozawa K, Garcia TX, Kent K, Leng M, Jain A, Malovannaya A, Yuan F, Yu Z, Ikawa M, Matzuk MM. Testis-specific serine kinase 3 is required for sperm morphogenesis and male fertility. Andrology 2023; 11:826-839. [PMID: 36306217 PMCID: PMC10267670 DOI: 10.1111/andr.13314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The importance of phosphorylation in sperm during spermatogenesis has not been pursued extensively. Testis-specific serine kinase 3 (Tssk3) is a conserved gene, but TSSK3 kinase functions and phosphorylation substrates of TSSK3 are not known. OBJECTIVE The goals of our studies were to understand the mechanism of action of TSSK3. MATERIALS AND METHODS We analyzed the localization of TSSK3 in sperm, used CRISPR/Cas9 to generate Tssk3 knockout (KO) mice in which nearly all of the Tssk3 open reading frame was deleted (ensuring it is a null mutation), analyzed the fertility of Tssk3 KO mice by breeding mice for 4 months, and conducted phosphoproteomics analysis of male testicular germ cells. RESULTS TSSK3 is expressed in elongating sperm and localizes to the sperm tail. To define the essential roles of TSSK3 in vivo, heterozygous (HET) or homozygous KO male mice were mated with wild-type females, and fertility was assessed over 4 months; Tssk3 KO males are sterile, whereas HET males produced normal litter sizes. The absence of TSSK3 results in disorganization of all stages of testicular seminiferous epithelium and significantly increased vacuolization of germ cells, leading to dramatically reduced sperm counts and abnormal sperm morphology; despite these histologic changes, Tssk3 null mice have normal testis size. To elucidate the mechanisms causing the KO phenotype, we conducted phosphoproteomics using purified germ cells from Tssk3 HET and KO testes. We found that proteins implicated in male infertility, such as GAPDHS, ACTL7A, ACTL9, and REEP6, showed significantly reduced phosphorylation in KO testes compared to HET testes, despite unaltered total protein levels. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated that TSSK3 is essential for male fertility and crucial for phosphorylation of multiple infertility-related proteins. These studies and the pathways in which TSSK3 functions have implications for human male infertility and nonhormonal contraception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaori Nozawa
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Thomas X. Garcia
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Scott Department of Urology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Katarzyna Kent
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Mei Leng
- Mass Spectrometry Proteomics Core, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Antrix Jain
- Mass Spectrometry Proteomics Core, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Anna Malovannaya
- Mass Spectrometry Proteomics Core, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Fei Yuan
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Zhifeng Yu
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Masahito Ikawa
- Department of Experimental Genome Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Martin M. Matzuk
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
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8
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Leung MR, Zeng J, Wang X, Roelofs MC, Huang W, Zenezini Chiozzi R, Hevler JF, Heck AJR, Dutcher SK, Brown A, Zhang R, Zeev-Ben-Mordehai T. Structural specializations of the sperm tail. Cell 2023; 186:2880-2896.e17. [PMID: 37327785 PMCID: PMC10948200 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.05.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Sperm motility is crucial to reproductive success in sexually reproducing organisms. Impaired sperm movement causes male infertility, which is increasing globally. Sperm are powered by a microtubule-based molecular machine-the axoneme-but it is unclear how axonemal microtubules are ornamented to support motility in diverse fertilization environments. Here, we present high-resolution structures of native axonemal doublet microtubules (DMTs) from sea urchin and bovine sperm, representing external and internal fertilizers. We identify >60 proteins decorating sperm DMTs; at least 15 are sperm associated and 16 are linked to infertility. By comparing DMTs across species and cell types, we define core microtubule inner proteins (MIPs) and analyze evolution of the tektin bundle. We identify conserved axonemal microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) with unique tubulin-binding modes. Additionally, we identify a testis-specific serine/threonine kinase that links DMTs to outer dense fibers in mammalian sperm. Our study provides structural foundations for understanding sperm evolution, motility, and dysfunction at a molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Ricardo Leung
- Structural Biochemistry, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Jianwei Zeng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Xiangli Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Marc C Roelofs
- Structural Biochemistry, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Wei Huang
- Department of Pharmacology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Riccardo Zenezini Chiozzi
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry & Proteomics, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Johannes F Hevler
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry & Proteomics, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Albert J R Heck
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry & Proteomics, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Susan K Dutcher
- Department of Genetics, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Alan Brown
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Rui Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Tzviya Zeev-Ben-Mordehai
- Structural Biochemistry, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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9
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Clark AC, Alexander A, Edison R, Esvelt K, Kamau S, Dutoit L, Champer J, Champer SE, Messer PW, Gemmell NJ. A framework for identifying fertility gene targets for mammalian pest control. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.30.542751. [PMID: 37398071 PMCID: PMC10312551 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.30.542751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Fertility-targeted gene drives have been proposed as an ethical genetic approach for managing wild populations of vertebrate pests for public health and conservation benefit.This manuscript introduces a framework to identify and evaluate target gene suitability based on biological gene function, gene expression, and results from mouse knockout models.This framework identified 16 genes essential for male fertility and 12 genes important for female fertility that may be feasible targets for mammalian gene drives and other non-drive genetic pest control technology. Further, a comparative genomics analysis demonstrates the conservation of the identified genes across several globally significant invasive mammals.In addition to providing important considerations for identifying candidate genes, our framework and the genes identified in this study may have utility in developing additional pest control tools such as wildlife contraceptives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna C Clark
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, 270 Great King Street, Central Dunedin, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
- Department of Computational Biology, Cornell University, 102 Tower Rd, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States
| | - Alana Alexander
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, 270 Great King Street, Central Dunedin, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - Rey Edison
- Media Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 75 Amherst St, Cambridge, United States
| | - Kevin Esvelt
- Media Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 75 Amherst St, Cambridge, United States
| | - Sebastian Kamau
- Media Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 75 Amherst St, Cambridge, United States
| | - Ludovic Dutoit
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, 340 Great King Street, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - Jackson Champer
- Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Samuel E Champer
- Department of Computational Biology, Cornell University, 102 Tower Rd, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States
| | - Philipp W Messer
- Department of Computational Biology, Cornell University, 102 Tower Rd, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States
| | - Neil J Gemmell
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, 270 Great King Street, Central Dunedin, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
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Zhang X, Peng J, Wu M, Sun A, Wu X, Zheng J, Shi W, Gao G. Broad phosphorylation mediated by testis-specific serine/threonine kinases contributes to spermiogenesis and male fertility. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2629. [PMID: 37149634 PMCID: PMC10164148 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38357-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic studies elucidate a link between testis-specific serine/threonine kinases (TSSKs) and male infertility in mammals, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here, we identify a TSSK homolog in Drosophila, CG14305 (termed dTSSK), whose mutation impairs the histone-to-protamine transition during spermiogenesis and causes multiple phenotypic defects in nuclear shaping, DNA condensation, and flagellar organization in spermatids. Genetic analysis demonstrates that kinase catalytic activity of dTSSK, which is functionally conserved with human TSSKs, is essential for male fertility. Phosphoproteomics identify 828 phosphopeptides/449 proteins as potential substrates of dTSSK enriched primarily in microtubule-based processes, flagellar organization and mobility, and spermatid differentiation and development, suggesting that dTSSK phosphorylates various proteins to orchestrate postmeiotic spermiogenesis. Among them, the two substrates, protamine-like protein Mst77F/Ser9 and transition protein Mst33A/Ser237, are biochemically validated to be phosphorylated by dTSSK in vitro, and are genetically demonstrated to be involved in spermiogenesis in vivo. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that broad phosphorylation mediated by TSSKs plays an indispensable role in spermiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuedi Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Ju Peng
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Menghua Wu
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China
| | - Angyang Sun
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiangyu Wu
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Zheng
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Wangfei Shi
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Guanjun Gao
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 201210, Shanghai, China.
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11
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Leiber-Caspers C. Why Is There Still No "Pill for Men"? Current Developments in Hormonal and Nonhormonal Medical Contraception for Men. Eur Urol Focus 2023; 9:25-27. [PMID: 36443200 DOI: 10.1016/j.euf.2022.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Although hormonal contraception has been available to women for more than 60 yr, the only contraceptive options for men are still either a condom or vasectomy. This review presents current developments in hormonal and nonhormonal medical contraception for men, and perspectives for the future. Although a lot of scientific effort has been spent in identifying hormonal male contraception options in the past 40 yr, insufficient effectiveness and possible side effects mean that no official approvals have been obtained to date. Against this background, nonhormonal options for male contraception are the new field of interest. PATIENT SUMMARY: This review describes attempts to develop a reliable medical contraceptive for men, explains why there is still no "pill for men", and highlights how the future of medical contraception for men might look. For many reasons, there is an urgent need for male contraception in Europe and around the world.
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12
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Male contraceptive development: A medicinal chemistry perspective. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 243:114709. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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13
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Wang HQ, Wang T, Gao F, Ren WZ. Application of CRISPR/Cas Technology in Spermatogenesis Research and Male Infertility Treatment. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13061000. [PMID: 35741761 PMCID: PMC9223233 DOI: 10.3390/genes13061000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
As the basis of animal reproductive activity, normal spermatogenesis directly determines the efficiency of livestock production. An in-depth understanding of spermatogenesis will greatly facilitate animal breeding efforts and male infertility treatment. With the continuous development and application of gene editing technologies, they have become valuable tools to study the mechanism of spermatogenesis. Gene editing technologies have provided us with a better understanding of the functions and potential mechanisms of action of factors that regulate spermatogenesis. This review summarizes the applications of gene editing technologies, especially CRISPR/Cas9, in deepening our understanding of the function of spermatogenesis-related genes and disease treatment. The problems of gene editing technologies in the field of spermatogenesis research are also discussed.
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Xu X, Wang Y, Chen J, Du X, Yao L, Xu J, Zhang Y, Huang Y, Wang Y. Mutation of Serine protease 1 Induces Male Sterility in Bombyx mori. Front Physiol 2022; 13:828859. [PMID: 35222089 PMCID: PMC8867212 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.828859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Serine proteases are important in reproduction, embryonic development, cell differentiation, apoptosis, and immunity. The genes encoding some serine proteases are essential for male fertility in both humans and rodents and are functionally conserved among metazoan. For example, the Serine protease 1 (Ser1) gene determines male reproductive success in the model lepidopteran insect Bombyx mori. In this study, we explored the function of BmSer1 through transgenic CRISPR/Cas9 technology-mediated mutations in silkworm. We found that the mutation of BmSer1 gene resulted in male sterility but had no effect on female fertility. Male mutants produce normal eupyrene sperm bundles, but the sperm bundles do not dissociate into single sperm. Male sterility caused by the BmSer1 gene mutation was inherited stably through female individuals. Therefore, the serine protease encoded by BmSer1 is essential for male reproductive success in lepidopterans and is a potential target gene for biological reproductive regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Xu
- Institute of Sericulture and Tea, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yaohui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jine Chen
- Institute of Sericulture and Tea, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xin Du
- Institute of Sericulture and Tea, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lusong Yao
- Institute of Sericulture and Tea, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jun Xu
- Institute of Sericulture and Tea, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongping Huang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Yongping Huang,
| | - Yongqiang Wang
- Institute of Sericulture and Tea, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
- Yongqiang Wang,
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