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Solanki S, Kumar V, Kashyap P, Kumar R, De S, Datta TK. Beta-defensins as marker for male fertility: a comprehensive review†. Biol Reprod 2023; 108:52-71. [PMID: 36322147 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioac197] [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: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Bovine male fertility in animals has a direct impact on the productivity of dairy herds. The epididymal sperm maturations involve extensive sperm surface modifications to gain the fertilizing ability, especially by absorptions of the plethora of biomolecules, including glycoprotein beta-defensins (BDs), enzymes, organic ions, protein, and phospholipids. Defensins are broad-range nonspecific antimicrobial peptides that exhibit strong relations with innate and adaptive immunity, but their roles in male fertility are relatively recently identified. In the course of evolution, BD genes give rise to different clusters with specific functions, especially reproductive functions, by undergoing duplications and nonsynonymous mutations. BD polymorphisms have been reported with milk compositions, disease resistance, and antimicrobial activities. However, in recent decades, the link of BD polymorphisms with fertility has emerged as an appealing improvement of reproductive performance such as sperm motility, membrane integrity, cervical mucus penetration, evading of uterus immunosurveillance, oviduct cell attachment, and egg recognition. The reproductive-specific glycosylated BD class-A BDs (CA-BDs) have shown age- and sex-specific expressions in male reproductive organs, signifying their physiological pleiotropism, especially in the sperm maturation and sperm transport in the female reproductive tract. By considering adult male reproductive organ-specific BD expressions, importance in sperm functionalities, and bioinformatic analysis, we have selected two bovine BBD126 and BBD129 genes as novel potential biomarkers of bovine male fertility. Despite the importance of BDs, however, genomic characterization of most BD genes across most livestock and nonmodel organisms remains predictive/incomplete. The current review discusses our understanding of BD pleiotropic functions, polymorphism, and genomic structural attributes concerning the fertilizability of the male gamete in dairy animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhash Solanki
- Animal Genomics Lab, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, India
| | - Vijay Kumar
- NMR lab-II, National Institute of immunology, New Delhi, India
| | - Poonam Kashyap
- Animal Genomics Lab, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, India
| | - Rakesh Kumar
- Animal Genomics Lab, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, India
| | - Sachinandan De
- Animal Genomics Lab, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, India
| | - Tirtha Kumar Datta
- Animal Genomics Lab, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, India.,ICAR- Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes, Hisar, India
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Analysis of amplification and association polymorphisms in the bovine beta-defensin 129 (BBD129) gene revealed its function in bull fertility. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19042. [PMID: 36352091 PMCID: PMC9646896 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23654-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
β-defensins are adsorbable on the sperm surface in the male reproductive tract (MRT) and enhance sperm functional characteristics. The beta-defensin 129 (DEFB129) antimicrobial peptide is involved in sperm maturation, motility, and fertilization. However, its role in bovine fertility has not been well investigated. This study examines the relationship between the bovine BBD129 gene and Bos indicus x Bos taurus bull fertility. The complete coding sequence of BBD129 mRNA was identified by RNA Ligase Mediated-Rapid Amplification of cDNA End (RLM-RACE) and Sanger sequencing methodologies. It consisted of 582 nucleotides (nts) including 5' untranslated region (UTR) (46nts) and 3'UTR (23nts). It conserves all beta-defensin-like features. The expression level of BBD129 was checked by RT-qPCR and maximal expression was detected in the corpus-epididymis region compared to other parts of MRT. Polymorphism in BBD129 was also confirmed by Sanger sequencing of 254 clones from 5 high fertile (HF) and 6 low fertile (LF) bulls at two positions, 169 T > G and 329A > G, which change the S57A and N110S in the protein sequence respectively. These two mutations give rise to four types of BBD129 haplotypes. The non-mutated TA-BBD129 (169 T/329A) haplotype was substantially more prevalent among high-fertile bulls (P < 0.005), while the double-site mutated GG-BBD129 (169 T > G/329A > G) haplotype was significantly more prevalent among low-fertile bulls (P < 0.005). The in silico analysis confirmed that the polymorphism in BBD129 results in changes in mRNA secondary structure, protein conformations, protein stability, extracellular-surface availability, post-translational modifications (O-glycosylation and phosphorylation), and affects antibacterial and immunomodulatory capabilities. In conclusion, the mRNA expression of BBD129 in the MRT indicates its region-specific dynamics in sperm maturation. BBD129 polymorphisms were identified as the deciding elements accountable for the changed proteins with impaired functionality, contributing to cross-bred bulls' poor fertility.
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Ma Y, Zhou Y, Zou SS, Sun Y, Chen XF. OUP accepted manuscript. Mol Hum Reprod 2022; 28:6516534. [PMID: 35088858 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaac002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yi Ma
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Zhou
- Department of Central Lab, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Yun Sun
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiang-Feng Chen
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Human Sperm Bank, Shanghai, China
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Duan YG, Wehry UP, Buhren BA, Schrumpf H, Oláh P, Bünemann E, Yu CF, Chen SJ, Müller A, Hirchenhain J, Lierop A, Novak N, Cai ZM, Krüssel JS, Schuppe HC, Haidl G, Gerber PA, Allam JP, Homey B. CCL20-CCR6 axis directs sperm-oocyte interaction and its dysregulation correlates/associates with male infertility‡. Biol Reprod 2020; 103:630-642. [PMID: 32412043 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioaa072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The interaction of sperm with the oocyte is pivotal during the process of mammalian fertilization. The limited numbers of sperm that reach the fallopian tube as well as anatomic restrictions indicate that human sperm-oocyte encounter is not a matter of chance but a directed process. Chemotaxis is the proposed mechanism for re-orientating sperm toward the source of a chemoattractant and hence to the oocyte. Chemokines represent a superfamily of small (8-11 kDa), cytokine-like proteins that have been shown to mediate chemotaxis and tissue-specific homing of leukocytes through binding to specific chemokine receptors such as CCRs. Here we show that CCR6 is abundantly expressed on human sperms and in human testes. Furthermore, radioligand-binding experiments showed that CCL20 bound human sperm in a specific manner. Conversely, granulosa cells of the oocyte-surrounding cumulus complex as well as human oocytes represent an abundant source of the CCR6-specific ligand CCL20. In human ovaries, CCL20 shows a cycle-dependent expression pattern with peak expression in the preovulatory phase and CCL20 protein induces chemotactic responses of human sperm. Neutralization of CCL20 in ovarian follicular fluid significantly impairs sperm migratory responses. Conversely, analyses in infertile men with inflammatory conditions of the reproductive organs demonstrate a significant increase of CCL20/CCR6 expression in testis and ejaculate. Taken together, findings of the present study suggest that CCR6-CCL20 interaction may represent an important factor in directing sperm-oocyte interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Gang Duan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital
| | - U P Wehry
- Department of Dermatology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - B A Buhren
- Department of Dermatology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - H Schrumpf
- Department of Dermatology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - P Oláh
- Department of Dermatology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Oncodermatology, Medical Faculty, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - E Bünemann
- Department of Dermatology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - C-F Yu
- Department of Dermatology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - S-J Chen
- Depatment of Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynaecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100006 Beijing, PR China
| | - A Müller
- Department of Dermatology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - J Hirchenhain
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - A Lierop
- Department of Dermatology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - N Novak
- Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Andrology Unit, University of Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany
| | - Zhi-Ming Cai
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Center of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital
| | - J S Krüssel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - H-C Schuppe
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - G Haidl
- Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Andrology Unit, University of Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany
| | - P A Gerber
- Department of Dermatology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - J-P Allam
- Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Andrology Unit, University of Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany
| | - B Homey
- Department of Dermatology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
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Cattelan S, Vidotto M, Devigili A, Pilastro A, Grapputo A. Differential gene regulation in selected lines for high and low sperm production in male guppies. Mol Reprod Dev 2020; 87:430-441. [PMID: 32100427 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In species where females mate with more than one male during the same reproductive event, males typically increase the number of sperm produced to boost their fertilization share. Sperm is not limitless, however, and theory predicts that their production will come at the cost of other fitness-related traits, such as body growth or immunocompetence, although these evolutionary trade-offs are notoriously difficult to highlight. To this end, we combined artificial selection for sperm production with a transcriptome analysis using Poecilia reticulata, a fish characterized by intense sperm competition in which the number of sperm transferred during mating is the most important predictor of fertilization success, yet sperm production is highly variable among males. We compared the brain and testes transcriptome in male guppies of lines artificially selected for high and low sperm production by identifying pivotal differentially expressed gene sets that may regulate spermatogenesis and immune function in this species. Despite the small differences in single genes' expression, gene set enrichment analysis showed coordinated gene expression differences associated with several pathways differentially regulated in the two selection lines. High sperm production males showed an upregulation of pathways related to immunosuppression and development of spermatozoa indicating a possible immunological cost of sperm production.
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Zhou Y, Zhang D, Hu D, Liu B, Peng J, Shen L, Long C, Yu Y, Zhang Y, Liu X, Tao X, Timashev P, Lin T, He D, Wei G. Retinoic acid: A potential therapeutic agent for cryptorchidism infertility based on investigation of flutamide-induced cryptorchid rats in vivo and in vitro. Reprod Toxicol 2019; 87:108-117. [PMID: 31170451 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2019.05.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2018] [Revised: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 05/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Cryptorchidism is a common disorder in children and may cause infertility in adults. The BTB is essential for maintaining the microenvironment necessary for normal spermatogenesis. This study investigated whether retinoic acid (RA) may regulate the proteins that are essential for integrity of the BTB in cryptorchidism. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were administrated flutamide during late pregnancy to induce a model of cryptorchidism in male offspring. The concentrations of RA and BTB tight and gap junction protein levels were significantly lower in untreated cryptorchid pups compared with normal pups, but almost normal in cryptorchid pups given RA. Studies in vitro corroborated these findings. The sperm quality of RA-treated model pups was better compared with the untreated model. RA treatment may have therapeutic potential to restore retinoic acid and proteins associated with integrity of the BTB in cryptorchid testis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhou
- Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing 400014, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, China
| | - Deying Zhang
- Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing 400014, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, China; China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, China.
| | - Dong Hu
- Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing 400014, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, China
| | - Bo Liu
- Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing 400014, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, China
| | - Jinpu Peng
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang 550002, China
| | - Lianju Shen
- Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing 400014, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, China; China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, China
| | - Chunlan Long
- Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing 400014, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, China; China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, China
| | - Yihang Yu
- Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing 400014, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhang
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27101, USA
| | - Xing Liu
- Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing 400014, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, China; China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, China
| | - Xu Tao
- Biomanufacturing Center, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Peter Timashev
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Tao Lin
- Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing 400014, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, China; China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, China
| | - Dawei He
- Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing 400014, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, China; China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, China
| | - Guanghui Wei
- Department of Urology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing 400014, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Children Urogenital Development and Tissue Engineering, China; China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, China.
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