1
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Li X, Shen K, Yuan D, Li X, Quan J, Tian F, Yang Y, Zhang L, Wang J. Sodium arsenite impairs sperm quality via downregulating the ZMYND15 and ZMYND10. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38798119 DOI: 10.1002/tox.24327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Zinc finger MYND-type containing 15 (ZMYND15) has been documented to play important roles in spermatogenesis, and mutants contribute to recessive azoospermia, severe oligozoospermia, non-obstructive azoospermia, teratozoospermia, even male infertility. ZMYND10 is involved in sperm motility. Whether environmental pollutants impair male fertility via regulating the expression of ZMYND15 and ZMYND10 has not been studied. Arsenic exposure results in poor sperm quality and male infertility. In order to investigate whether arsenic-induced male reproductive toxicity is related to the expression of ZMYND15, ZMYND10 and their target genes, we established a male rat model of sodium arsenite exposure-induced reproductive injury, measured sperm quality, serum hormone levels, mRNA and protein expressions of intratesticular ZMYND15 and ZMYND10 as well as their target genes. The results showed that, in addition to the increased mRNA expression of Tnp1, sodium arsenite exposure reduced sperm quality, serum hormone levels, and mRNA and protein expression of intratesticular ZMYND15 and ZMYND10 and their target genes in male rats compared with the control group (p < .05). Therefore, our study first showed that the environmental pollutant arsenic impairs sperm quality in male rats by reducing the expression of ZMYND10 and ZMYND15 and their regulatory genes, which provides a possible diagnostic marker for environmental pollutants-induced male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangli Li
- Lanzhou University of Public Health, Lanzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Kaina Shen
- Lanzhou University of Public Health, Lanzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Dunxuan Yuan
- Lanzhou University of Public Health, Lanzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Xi Li
- Lanzhou University of Public Health, Lanzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinrou Quan
- Lanzhou University of Public Health, Lanzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Fangzhou Tian
- Lanzhou University of Public Health, Lanzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Yang
- Lanzhou University of Public Health, Lanzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Zhang
- Lanzhou University of Public Health, Lanzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Junling Wang
- Lanzhou University of Public Health, Lanzhou, People's Republic of China
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2
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Ge T, Yuan L, Xu L, Yang F, Xu W, Niu C, Li G, Zhou H, Zheng Y. Coiled-coil domain containing 159 is required for spermatid head and tail assembly in mice†. Biol Reprod 2024; 110:877-894. [PMID: 38236177 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioae012] [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: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The centrosome is critical for maintaining the sperm head-tail connection and the formation of flagellar microtubules. In this study, we found that in mouse testes, CCDC159 (coiled-coil domain-containing protein 159) is specifically localized to the head-tail coupling apparatus (HTCA) of spermatids, a structure that ensures sperm head-tail tight conjunction. CCDC159 contains a C-terminal coiled-coil domain that functions as the centrosomal localization signal. Gene knockout (KO) of Ccdc159 in mice resulted in acephalic spermatozoa, abnormal flagella, and male infertility. To explore the mechanism behind CCDC159 regulating spermatogenesis, we identified CCDC159-binding proteins using a yeast two-hybrid screen and speculated that CCDC159 participates in HTCA assembly by regulating protein phosphatase PP1 activity. Further RNA-sequencing analyses of Ccdc159 KO testes revealed numerous genes involved in male gamete generation that were downregulated. Together, our results show that CCDC159 in spermatids is a novel centrosomal protein anchoring the sperm head to the tail. Considering the limitation of KO mouse model in clarifying the biological function of CCDC159 in spermatogenesis, a gene-rescue experiment will be performed in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Ge
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lu Yuan
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Linwei Xu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wenhua Xu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Changmin Niu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guanghua Li
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Huiping Zhou
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ying Zheng
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
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3
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Buglak DB, Holmes KHM, Galletta BJ, Rusan NM. The Proximal Centriole-Like Structure Anchors the Centriole to the Sperm Nucleus. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.15.589606. [PMID: 38712096 PMCID: PMC11071290 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.15.589606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Proper connection between the sperm head and tail is critical for sperm motility and fertilization. The link between the head and tail is mediated by the Head-Tail Coupling Apparatus (HTCA), which secures the axoneme (tail) to the nucleus (head). However, the molecular architecture of the HTCA is not well understood. Here, we use Drosophila to create a high-resolution map of proteins and structures at the HTCA throughout spermiogenesis. Using structured illumination microscopy, we demonstrate that key HTCA proteins Spag4 and Yuri form a 'Centriole Cap' that surrounds the centriole (or Basal Body) as it is inserted, or embedded into the surface of the nucleus. As development progresses, the centriole is laterally displaces to the side of the nucleus, during which time the HTCA expands under the nucleus, forming what we term the 'Nuclear Shelf.' We next show that the proximal centriole-like (PCL) structure is positioned under the Nuclear Shelf and functions as a critical stabilizer of the centriole-nuclear attachment. Together, our data indicate that the HTCA is complex, multi-point attachment site that simultaneously engages the PCL, the centriole, and the nucleus to ensure proper head-tail connection during late-stage spermiogenesis.
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Wei X, Wang X, Yang C, Gao Y, Zhang Y, Xiao Y, Ju Z, Jiang Q, Wang J, Liu W, Li Y, Gao Y, Huang J. CFAP58 is involved in the sperm head shaping and flagellogenesis of cattle and mice. Development 2024; 151:dev202608. [PMID: 38602507 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202608] [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: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
CFAP58 is a testis-enriched gene that plays an important role in the sperm flagellogenesis of humans and mice. However, the effect of CFAP58 on bull semen quality and the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in spermatogenesis remain unknown. Here, we identified two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (rs110610797, A>G and rs133760846, G>T) and one indel (g.-1811_ g.-1810 ins147bp) in the promoter of CFAP58 that were significantly associated with semen quality of bulls, including sperm deformity rate and ejaculate volume. Moreover, by generating gene knockout mice, we found for the first time that the loss of Cfap58 not only causes severe defects in the sperm tail, but also affects the manchette structure, resulting in abnormal sperm head shaping. Cfap58 deficiency causes an increase in spermatozoa apoptosis. Further experiments confirmed that CFAP58 interacts with IFT88 and CCDC42. Moreover, it may be a transported cargo protein that plays a role in stabilizing other cargo proteins, such as CCDC42, in the intra-manchette transport/intra-flagellar transport pathway. Collectively, our findings reveal that CFAP58 is required for spermatogenesis and provide genetic markers for evaluating semen quality in cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaochao Wei
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics of MARA, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Breeding, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
| | - Xiuge Wang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics of MARA, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Breeding, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
| | - Chunhong Yang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics of MARA, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Breeding, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
| | - Yaping Gao
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics of MARA, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Breeding, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
| | - Yaran Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics of MARA, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Breeding, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
| | - Yao Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics of MARA, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Breeding, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
| | - Zhihua Ju
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics of MARA, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Breeding, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
| | - Qiang Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics of MARA, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Breeding, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
| | - Jinpeng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics of MARA, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Breeding, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
| | - Wenhao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics of MARA, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Breeding, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
| | - Yanqin Li
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics of MARA, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Breeding, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
| | - Yundong Gao
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics of MARA, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Breeding, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
- Technical Innovation Center of Dairy Cattle Breeding Industry of Shandong Province, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
| | - Jinming Huang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics of MARA, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Breeding, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
- Technical Innovation Center of Dairy Cattle Breeding Industry of Shandong Province, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
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5
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Wang Y, Huang X, Sun G, Chen J, Wu B, Luo J, Tang S, Dai P, Zhang F, Li J, Wang L. Coiled-coil domain-containing 38 is required for acrosome biogenesis and fibrous sheath assembly in mice. J Genet Genomics 2024; 51:407-418. [PMID: 37709195 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2023.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
During spermiogenesis, haploid spermatids undergo dramatic morphological changes to form slender sperm flagella and cap-like acrosomes, which are required for successful fertilization. Severe deformities in flagella cause a male infertility syndrome, multiple morphological abnormalities of the flagella (MMAF), while acrosomal hypoplasia in some cases leads to sub-optimal embryonic developmental potential. However, evidence regarding the occurrence of acrosomal hypoplasia in MMAF is limited. Here, we report the generation of base-edited mice knocked out for coiled-coil domain-containing 38 (Ccdc38) via inducing a nonsense mutation and find that the males are infertile. The Ccdc38-KO sperm display acrosomal hypoplasia and typical MMAF phenotypes. We find that the acrosomal membrane is loosely anchored to the nucleus and fibrous sheaths are disorganized in Ccdc38-KO sperm. Further analyses reveal that Ccdc38 knockout causes a decreased level of TEKT3, a protein associated with acrosome biogenesis, in testes and an aberrant distribution of TEKT3 in sperm. We finally show that intracytoplasmic sperm injection overcomes Ccdc38-related infertility. Our study thus reveals a previously unknown role for CCDC38 in acrosome biogenesis and provides additional evidence for the occurrence of acrosomal hypoplasia in MMAF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaling Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling and Health, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China; Institute of Reproduction and Development, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Xueying Huang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Clinical and Translational Research Center of Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Guoying Sun
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling and Health, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Jingwen Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling and Health, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China; Institute of Reproduction and Development, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Bangguo Wu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling and Health, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China; Institute of Reproduction and Development, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Jiahui Luo
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling and Health, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Shuyan Tang
- Institute of Reproduction and Development, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Peng Dai
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Clinical and Translational Research Center of Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling and Health, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China; Institute of Reproduction and Development, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Jinsong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Lingbo Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling and Health, Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China; Institute of Reproduction and Development, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China.
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6
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Gan S, Zhou S, Ma J, Xiong M, Xiong W, Fan X, Liu K, Gui Y, Chen B, Zhang B, Wang X, Wang F, Li Z, Yan W, Ma M, Yuan S. BAG5 regulates HSPA8-mediated protein folding required for sperm head-tail coupling apparatus assembly. EMBO Rep 2024; 25:2045-2070. [PMID: 38454159 PMCID: PMC11015022 DOI: 10.1038/s44319-024-00112-x] [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: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Teratozoospermia is a significant cause of male infertility, but the pathogenic mechanism of acephalic spermatozoa syndrome (ASS), one of the most severe teratozoospermia, remains elusive. We previously reported Spermatogenesis Associated 6 (SPATA6) as the component of the sperm head-tail coupling apparatus (HTCA) required for normal assembly of the sperm head-tail conjunction, but the underlying molecular mechanism has not been explored. Here, we find that the co-chaperone protein BAG5, expressed in step 9-16 spermatids, is essential for sperm HTCA assembly. BAG5-deficient male mice show abnormal assembly of HTCA, leading to ASS and male infertility, phenocopying SPATA6-deficient mice. In vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrate that SPATA6, cargo transport-related myosin proteins (MYO5A and MYL6) and dynein proteins (DYNLT1, DCTN1, and DNAL1) are misfolded upon BAG5 depletion. Mechanistically, we find that BAG5 forms a complex with HSPA8 and promotes the folding of SPATA6 by enhancing HSPA8's affinity for substrate proteins. Collectively, our findings reveal a novel protein-regulated network in sperm formation in which BAG5 governs the assembly of the HTCA by activating the protein-folding function of HSPA8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiming Gan
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Shumin Zhou
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
- Department of Urology & Andrology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310016, China
| | - Jinzhe Ma
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Mengneng Xiong
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Wenjing Xiong
- Laboratory of Animal Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Xu Fan
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Kuan Liu
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Yiqian Gui
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Bei Chen
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Beibei Zhang
- Department of Urology & Andrology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310016, China
| | - Xiaoli Wang
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Fengli Wang
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Zhean Li
- Department of Urology & Andrology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310016, China
| | - Wei Yan
- The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA, Torrance, CA, 90502, USA
| | - Meisheng Ma
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
- Cell Architecture Research Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Shuiqiao Yuan
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
- Laboratory of Animal Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
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7
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Muroňová J, Kherraf ZE, Giordani E, Lambert E, Eckert S, Cazin C, Amiri-Yekta A, Court M, Chevalier G, Martinez G, Neirijnck Y, Kühne F, Wehrli L, Klena N, Hamel V, De Macedo L, Escoffier J, Guichard P, Coutton C, Mustapha SFB, Kharouf M, Bouin AP, Zouari R, Thierry-Mieg N, Nef S, Geimer S, Loeuillet C, Ray PF, Arnoult C. Lack of CCDC146, a ubiquitous centriole and microtubule-associated protein, leads to non-syndromic male infertility in human and mouse. eLife 2024; 12:RP86845. [PMID: 38441556 PMCID: PMC10942651 DOI: 10.7554/elife.86845] [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] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
From a cohort of 167 infertile patients suffering from multiple morphological abnormalities of the flagellum (MMAF), pathogenic bi-allelic mutations were identified in the CCDC146 gene. In somatic cells, CCDC146 is located at the centrosome and at multiple microtubule-related organelles during mitotic division, suggesting that it is a microtubule-associated protein (MAP). To decipher the molecular pathogenesis of infertility associated with CCDC146 mutations, a Ccdc146 knock-out (KO) mouse line was created. KO male mice were infertile, and sperm exhibited a phenotype identical to CCDC146 mutated patients. CCDC146 expression starts during late spermiogenesis. In the spermatozoon, the protein is conserved but is not localized to centrioles, unlike in somatic cells, rather it is present in the axoneme at the level of microtubule doublets. Expansion microscopy associated with the use of the detergent sarkosyl to solubilize microtubule doublets suggests that the protein may be a microtubule inner protein (MIP). At the subcellular level, the absence of CCDC146 impacted all microtubule-based organelles such as the manchette, the head-tail coupling apparatus (HTCA), and the axoneme. Through this study, a new genetic cause of infertility and a new factor in the formation and/or structure of the sperm axoneme were characterized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Muroňová
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), INSERM 1209GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), CNRS UMR 5309GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Université Grenoble AlpesGrenobleFrance
| | - Zine Eddine Kherraf
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), INSERM 1209GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), CNRS UMR 5309GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Université Grenoble AlpesGrenobleFrance
- UM GI-DPI, CHU Grenoble AlpesGrenobleFrance
| | - Elsa Giordani
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), INSERM 1209GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), CNRS UMR 5309GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Université Grenoble AlpesGrenobleFrance
| | - Emeline Lambert
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), INSERM 1209GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), CNRS UMR 5309GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Université Grenoble AlpesGrenobleFrance
| | - Simon Eckert
- Cell Biology/ Electron Microscopy, University of BayreuthBayreuthGermany
| | - Caroline Cazin
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), INSERM 1209GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), CNRS UMR 5309GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Université Grenoble AlpesGrenobleFrance
- UM GI-DPI, CHU Grenoble AlpesGrenobleFrance
| | - Amir Amiri-Yekta
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), INSERM 1209GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), CNRS UMR 5309GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Université Grenoble AlpesGrenobleFrance
- Department of Genetics, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECRTehranIslamic Republic of Iran
| | - Magali Court
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), INSERM 1209GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), CNRS UMR 5309GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Université Grenoble AlpesGrenobleFrance
| | - Geneviève Chevalier
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), INSERM 1209GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), CNRS UMR 5309GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Université Grenoble AlpesGrenobleFrance
| | - Guillaume Martinez
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), INSERM 1209GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), CNRS UMR 5309GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Université Grenoble AlpesGrenobleFrance
- UM de Génétique Chromosomique, Hôpital Couple-Enfant, CHU Grenoble AlpesGrenobleFrance
| | - Yasmine Neirijnck
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical SchoolGenevaSwitzerland
| | - Francoise Kühne
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical SchoolGenevaSwitzerland
| | - Lydia Wehrli
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical SchoolGenevaSwitzerland
| | - Nikolai Klena
- University of Geneva, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Sciences IIIGenevaSwitzerland
| | - Virginie Hamel
- University of Geneva, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Sciences IIIGenevaSwitzerland
| | - Lisa De Macedo
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), INSERM 1209GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), CNRS UMR 5309GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Université Grenoble AlpesGrenobleFrance
| | - Jessica Escoffier
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), INSERM 1209GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), CNRS UMR 5309GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Université Grenoble AlpesGrenobleFrance
| | - Paul Guichard
- University of Geneva, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Sciences IIIGenevaSwitzerland
| | - Charles Coutton
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), INSERM 1209GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), CNRS UMR 5309GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Université Grenoble AlpesGrenobleFrance
- UM de Génétique Chromosomique, Hôpital Couple-Enfant, CHU Grenoble AlpesGrenobleFrance
| | | | - Mahmoud Kharouf
- Polyclinique les Jasmins, Centre d'Aide Médicale à la Procréation, Centre Urbain NordTunisTunisia
| | - Anne-Pacale Bouin
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), INSERM 1209GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), CNRS UMR 5309GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Université Grenoble AlpesGrenobleFrance
| | - Raoudha Zouari
- Polyclinique les Jasmins, Centre d'Aide Médicale à la Procréation, Centre Urbain NordTunisTunisia
| | - Nicolas Thierry-Mieg
- Laboratoire TIMC/MAGe, CNRS UMR 5525, Pavillon Taillefer, Faculté de MedecineLa TroncheFrance
| | - Serge Nef
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical SchoolGenevaSwitzerland
| | - Stefan Geimer
- Cell Biology/ Electron Microscopy, University of BayreuthBayreuthGermany
| | - Corinne Loeuillet
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), INSERM 1209GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), CNRS UMR 5309GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Université Grenoble AlpesGrenobleFrance
| | - Pierre F Ray
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), INSERM 1209GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), CNRS UMR 5309GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Université Grenoble AlpesGrenobleFrance
- UM GI-DPI, CHU Grenoble AlpesGrenobleFrance
| | - Christophe Arnoult
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), INSERM 1209GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), CNRS UMR 5309GrenobleFrance
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Université Grenoble AlpesGrenobleFrance
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8
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Ma Y, Wu B, Chen Y, Ma S, Wang L, Han T, Lin X, Yang F, Liu C, Zhao J, Li W. CCDC146 is required for sperm flagellum biogenesis and male fertility in mice. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 81:1. [PMID: 38038747 PMCID: PMC11072088 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-05025-x] [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: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Multiple morphological abnormalities of the flagella (MMAF) is a severe disease of male infertility, while the pathogenetic mechanisms of MMAF are still incompletely understood. Previously, we found that the deficiency of Ccdc38 might be associated with MMAF. To understand the underlying mechanism of this disease, we identified the potential partner of this protein and found that the coiled-coil domain containing 146 (CCDC146) can interact with CCDC38. It is predominantly expressed in the testes, and the knockout of this gene resulted in complete infertility in male mice but not in females. The knockout of Ccdc146 impaired spermiogenesis, mainly due to flagellum and manchette organization defects, finally led to MMAF-like phenotype. Furthermore, we demonstrated that CCDC146 could interact with both CCDC38 and CCDC42. It also interacts with intraflagellar transport (IFT) complexes IFT88 and IFT20. The knockout of this gene led to the decrease of ODF2, IFT88, and IFT20 protein levels, but did not affect CCDC38, CCDC42, or ODF1 expression. Additionally, we predicted and validated the detailed interactions between CCDC146 and CCDC38 or CCDC42, and built the interaction models at the atomic level. Our results suggest that the testis predominantly expressed gene Ccdc146 is essential for sperm flagellum biogenesis and male fertility, and its mutations might be associated with MMAF in some patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanjie Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Innovation Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, No. 9 Jinsui Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510623, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Bingbing Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Innovation Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, No. 9 Jinsui Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510623, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yinghong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Innovation Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, No. 9 Jinsui Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510623, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Shuang Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Innovation Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, No. 9 Jinsui Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510623, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Liying Wang
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, No. 9 Jinsui Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510623, China
| | - Tingting Han
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, No. 9 Jinsui Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510623, China
| | - Xiaolei Lin
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, No. 9 Jinsui Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510623, China
| | - Fulin Yang
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, No. 9 Jinsui Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510623, China
| | - Chao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Innovation Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China.
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, No. 9 Jinsui Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510623, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Jianguo Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Innovation Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Wei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Innovation Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China.
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, No. 9 Jinsui Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510623, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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9
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Meindl K, Issler N, Afonso S, Cebrian-Serrano A, Müller K, Sterner C, Othmen H, Tegtmeier I, Witzgall R, Klootwijk E, Davies B, Kleta R, Warth R. A missense mutation in Ehd1 associated with defective spermatogenesis and male infertility. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1240558. [PMID: 37900275 PMCID: PMC10600459 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1240558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Normal function of the C-terminal Eps15 homology domain-containing protein 1 (EHD1) has previously been associated with endocytic vesicle trafficking, shaping of intracellular membranes, and ciliogenesis. We recently identified an autosomal recessive missense mutation c.1192C>T (p.R398W) of EHD1 in patients who had low molecular weight proteinuria (0.7-2.1 g/d) and high-frequency hearing loss. It was already known from Ehd1 knockout mice that inactivation of Ehd1 can lead to male infertility. However, the exact role of the EHD1 protein and its p.R398W mutant during spermatogenesis remained still unclear. Here, we report the testicular phenotype of a knockin mouse model carrying the p.R398W mutation in the EHD1 protein. Male homozygous knockin mice were infertile, whereas the mutation had no effect on female fertility. Testes and epididymes were significantly reduced in size and weight. The testicular epithelium appeared profoundly damaged and had a disorganized architecture. The composition of developing cell types was altered. Malformed acrosomes covered underdeveloped and misshaped sperm heads. In the sperm tail, midpieces were largely missing indicating disturbed assembly of the sperm tail. Defective structures, i.e., nuclei, acrosomes, and sperm tail midpieces, were observed in large vacuoles scattered throughout the epithelium. Interestingly, cilia formation itself did not appear to be affected, as the axoneme and other parts of the sperm tails except the midpieces appeared to be intact. In wildtype mice, EHD1 co-localized with acrosomal granules on round spermatids, suggesting a role of the EHD1 protein during acrosomal development. Wildtype EHD1 also co-localized with the VPS35 component of the retromer complex, whereas the p.R398W mutant did not. The testicular pathologies appeared very early during the first spermatogenic wave in young mice (starting at 14 dpp) and tubular destruction worsened with age. Taken together, EHD1 plays an important and probably multifaceted role in spermatogenesis in mice. Therefore, EHD1 may also be a hitherto underestimated infertility gene in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Meindl
- Medical Cell Biology, University Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Naomi Issler
- Department of Renal Medicine, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Pediatric Nephrology Unit and Research Lab, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Sara Afonso
- Medical Cell Biology, University Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Institute of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Alberto Cebrian-Serrano
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, Institute of Diabetes and Obesity, Munich, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Karin Müller
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo- und Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Helga Othmen
- Medical Cell Biology, University Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Molecular and Cellular Anatomy, University Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Ines Tegtmeier
- Medical Cell Biology, University Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Ralph Witzgall
- Molecular and Cellular Anatomy, University Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Enriko Klootwijk
- Department of Renal Medicine, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin Davies
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Genetic Modification Service, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Robert Kleta
- Department of Renal Medicine, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Warth
- Medical Cell Biology, University Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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10
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Wang M, Kang J, Shen Z, Hu Y, Chen M, Cui X, Liu H, Gao F. CCDC189 affects sperm flagellum formation by interacting with CABCOCO1. Natl Sci Rev 2023; 10:nwad181. [PMID: 37601242 PMCID: PMC10437088 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwad181] [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: 02/12/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella (MMAF) are one of the major causes of male infertility and are characterized by multiple defects. In this study, we found that the coiled-coil domain-containing 189 (Ccdc189) gene was predominantly expressed in mouse testes and that inactivation of the Ccdc189 gene caused male infertility. Histological studies revealed that most sperm from Ccdc189-deficient mice carried coiled, curved or short flagella, which are typical MMAF phenotypes. Immunoelectron microscopy showed that the CCDC189 protein was located at the radial spoke of the first peripheral microtubule doublet in the sperm axoneme. A CCDC189-interacting protein, CABCOCO1 (ciliary-associated calcium-binding coiled-coil protein 1), was discovered via co-immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry, and inactivation of Cabcoco1 caused malformation of sperm flagella, which was consistent with findings obtained with Ccdc189-deficient mice. Further studies revealed that inactivation of CCDC189 caused downregulation of CABCOCO1 protein expression and that both CCDC189 and CABCOCO1 interacted with the radial-spoke-specific protein RSPH1 and intraflagellar transport proteins. This study demonstrated that Ccdc189 is a radial-spoke-associated protein and is involved in sperm flagellum formation through its interactions with CABCOCO1 and intraflagellar transport proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyue Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100020, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100020, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101499, China
| | - Junyan Kang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Zhiming Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100020, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100020, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101499, China
| | - Yingchun Hu
- Core Facilities, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Min Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100020, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100020, China
| | - Xiuhong Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100020, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100020, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing 100020, China
| | - Hongbin Liu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Fei Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100020, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100020, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing 100020, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101499, China
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11
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Xia P, Ouyang S, Shen R, Guo Z, Zhang G, Liu X, Yang X, Xie K, Wang D. Macrophage-Related Testicular Inflammation in Individuals with Idiopathic Non-Obstructive Azoospermia: A Single-Cell Analysis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24108819. [PMID: 37240164 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108819] [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: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Male infertility is a global issue that seriously affects reproductive health. This study aimed to understand the underlying causes of idiopathic non-obstructive azoospermia (iNOA), which is a type of male infertility with unknown origins that accounts for 10-15% of cases. By using single-cell analysis techniques, we aimed to uncover the mechanisms of iNOA and gain insight into the cellular and molecular changes in the testicular environment. In this study, we performed bioinformatics analysis using scRNA-seq and microarray data obtained from the GEO database. The analysis included techniques such as pseudotime analysis, cell-cell communication, and hdWGCNA. Our study showed a significant difference between the iNOA and the normal groups, indicating a disorder in the spermatogenic microenvironment in iNOA. We observed a reduction in the proportion of Sertoli cells and blocked germ cell differentiation. Additionally, we found evidence of testicular inflammation related to macrophages and identified ODF2 and CABYR as potential biomarkers for iNOA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Xia
- Department of Anatomy and Histology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Siwei Ouyang
- Department of Anatomy and Histology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Rong Shen
- Department of Anatomy and Histology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Zhao Guo
- Department of Anatomy and Histology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Guokun Zhang
- Department of Anatomy and Histology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xiangwen Liu
- Department of Anatomy and Histology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xuguang Yang
- Department of Anatomy and Histology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Kun Xie
- Department of Anatomy and Histology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Degui Wang
- Department of Anatomy and Histology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
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12
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Abstract
In recent years, the incidence of teratospermia has been increasing, and it has become a very important factor leading to male infertility. The research on the molecular mechanism of teratospermia is also progressing rapidly. This article briefly summarizes the clinical incidence of teratozoospermia, and makes a retrospective summary of related studies reported in recent years. Specifically discussing the relationship between gene status and spermatozoa, the review aims to provide the basis for the genetic diagnosis and gene therapy of teratozoospermia.
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13
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Wang X, Jiang C, Dai S, Shen G, Yang Y, Shen Y. Identification of nonfunctional SPATA20 causing acephalic spermatozoa syndrome in humans. Clin Genet 2023; 103:310-319. [PMID: 36415156 DOI: 10.1111/cge.14268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Acephalic spermatozoa syndrome (ASS) is a rare and severe type of teratozoospermia characterized by the predominance of headless spermatozoa in the ejaculate. However, knowledge about the causative genes associated with ASS in humans is limited. Loss-of-function of SPATA20 has been suggested to result in the separation of the sperm head and flagellum in mice, whereas there have been no cases reporting SPATA20 variants leading to human male infertility. In this study, a nonsense mutation in SPATA20 (c.619C > T, p.Arg207*) was first identified in an ASS patient. Moreover, this variant contributed to the degradation of SPATA20 and was associated with decreased expression of SPATA6, which plays a vital role in the assembly of the sperm head-tail conjunction in humans. In addition, the infertility caused by loss-of-function mutation of SPATA20 might not be rescued by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Collectively, our findings suggested that SPATA20 might be required for sperm head-tail conjunction formation in humans, the nonfunction of which may lead to male infertility related to ASS. The discovery of the loss-of-function mutation in SPATA20 enriches the gene variant spectrum of human ASS, further contributing to improved diagnosis, genetic counseling and prognosis for male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Wang
- Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Key Laboratory of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Pediatric Diseases and Birth Defects of Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Chuan Jiang
- Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Key Laboratory of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Pediatric Diseases and Birth Defects of Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Siyu Dai
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Gan Shen
- Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Key Laboratory of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Pediatric Diseases and Birth Defects of Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yihong Yang
- Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Key Laboratory of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Pediatric Diseases and Birth Defects of Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ying Shen
- Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Key Laboratory of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Pediatric Diseases and Birth Defects of Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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14
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Kumaresan A, Sinha MK, Paul N, Nag P, Ebenezer Samuel King JP, Kumar R, Datta TK. Establishment of a repertoire of fertility associated sperm proteins and their differential abundance in buffalo bulls (Bubalus bubalis) with contrasting fertility. Sci Rep 2023; 13:2272. [PMID: 36754964 PMCID: PMC9908891 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29529-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Sperm harbours a wide range of proteins regulating their functions and fertility. In the present study, we made an effort to characterize and quantify the proteome of buffalo bull spermatozoa, and to identify fertility associated sperm proteins through comparative proteomics. Using high-throughput mass spectrometry platform, we identified 1305 proteins from buffalo spermatozoa and found that these proteins were mostly enriched in glycolytic process, mitochondrial respiratory chain, tricarboxylic acid cycle, protein folding, spermatogenesis, sperm motility and sperm binding to zona pellucida (p < 7.74E-08) besides metabolic (p = 4.42E-31) and reactive oxygen species (p = 1.81E-30) pathways. Differential proteomic analysis revealed that 844 proteins were commonly expressed in spermatozoa from both the groups while 77 and 52 proteins were exclusively expressed in high- and low-fertile bulls, respectively. In low-fertile bulls, 75 proteins were significantly (p < 0.05) upregulated and 176 proteins were significantly (p < 0.05) downregulated; these proteins were highly enriched in mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I assembly (p = 2.63E-07) and flagellated sperm motility (p = 7.02E-05) processes besides oxidative phosphorylation pathway (p = 6.61E-15). The down regulated proteins in low-fertile bulls were involved in sperm motility, metabolism, sperm-egg recognition and fertilization. These variations in the sperm proteome could be used as potential markers for the selection of buffalo bulls for fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arumugam Kumaresan
- Theriogenology Laboratory, Southern Regional Station of ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560030, India.
| | - Manish Kumar Sinha
- Theriogenology Laboratory, Southern Regional Station of ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560030, India
| | - Nilendu Paul
- Theriogenology Laboratory, Southern Regional Station of ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560030, India
| | - Pradeep Nag
- Theriogenology Laboratory, Southern Regional Station of ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560030, India
| | - John Peter Ebenezer Samuel King
- Theriogenology Laboratory, Southern Regional Station of ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560030, India
| | - Rakesh Kumar
- Animal Genomics Laboratory, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, 132 001, India
| | - Tirtha Kumar Datta
- ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes, Hisar, Haryana, 125 001, India
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15
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Huang S, Huang Y, Li S, He Y. Chromosome 17 translocation affects sperm morphology: Two case studies and literature review. Andrologia 2022; 54:e14620. [PMID: 36270636 DOI: 10.1111/and.14620] [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: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
We present two cases of infertile males with teratozoospermia stemming from chromosome 17 translocation. The patients present karyotypes that have not been previously reported. Genes located on breakpoints (17p11.2, 9q31, and 11p15) were analysed to find the probable mechanism affecting sperm morphology. Our results suggest that ALKBH5, TOP3A, and LLGL1 interactions may be an underlying cause of abnormal sperm head morphology. Translocation of chromosome 17 occurred in conjunction with chromosome 9 and chromosome 11 translocation in the two cases, resulting in oligozoospermia and asthenozoospermia, respectively. These abnormal phenotypes may involve meiosis- and motility-related genes such as LDHC, DNHD1, UBQLN3, and NUP98. Translocation is thus a risk factor for sperm morphological abnormalities and motility deficiency. The interaction network of 22 genes on breakpoints suggests that they contribute to spermatogenesis as a group. In conclusion, this study highlighted the importance of investigating genes linked to sperm morphology, together with chromosome 17 translocation and reproductive risks. For patients interested in screening before a future pregnancy, we recommend preimplantation genetic diagnosis to reduce the risk of karyotypically unbalanced foetuses and birth defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Huang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Yingting Huang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Shan Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Yu He
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
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16
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Hoyer-Fender S. Development of the Connecting Piece in ODF1-Deficient Mouse Spermatids. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810280. [PMID: 36142191 PMCID: PMC9499666 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
ODF1 is a major protein of the accessory fibres of the mammalian sperm tail. In addition, ODF1 is found in the connecting piece, a complex structure located at the posterior end of the nucleus that connects the sperm head and tail. The tight coupling of the sperm head and tail is critical for the progressive motility of the sperm to reach the oocyte for fertilisation. The depletion of ODF1 by homologous recombination in mice led to male infertility. Although sperm tails were present in the epididymis, no intact spermatozoa were found. Instead, the depletion of ODF1 resulted in sperm decapitation, suggesting that ODF1 is essential for the formation of the coupling apparatus and the tight linkage of the sperm head and tail. However, the development of the linkage complex in the absence of ODF1 has never been investigated. Here, I analysed the fine structure of the developing connecting piece by transmission electron microscopy. I show that the connecting piece develops as in wild-type spermatids. Structural abnormalities were not observed when ODF1 was absent. Thus, ODF1 is dispensable for the development of the connecting piece. However, the decapitation of ODF1-deficient spermatozoa indicates that the heads and tails of the spermatozoa are not linked, so that they separate when force is applied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sigrid Hoyer-Fender
- Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institute of Zoology and Anthropology-Developmental Biology, GZMB, Ernst-Caspari-Haus, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 11, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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17
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Zhang R, Wu B, Liu C, Zhang Z, Wang X, Wang L, Xiao S, Chen Y, Wei H, Jiang H, Gao F, Yuan L, Li W. CCDC38 is required for sperm flagellum biogenesis and male fertility in mice. Development 2022; 149:275684. [DOI: 10.1242/dev.200516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The sperm flagellum is essential for male fertility, and defects in flagellum biogenesis are associated with male infertility. Deficiency of coiled-coil domain-containing (CCDC) 42 (CCDC42) is specifically associated with malformation of mouse sperm flagella. Here, we find that the testis-specific protein CCDC38 interacts with CCDC42, localizing on the manchette and sperm tail during spermiogenesis. Inactivation of CCDC38 in male mice results in a distorted manchette, multiple morphological abnormalities of the flagella of spermatozoa and eventually male sterility. Furthermore, we find that CCDC38 interacts with intraflagellar transport protein 88 (IFT88), as well as outer dense fibrous 2 (ODF2), and the knockout of Ccdc38 reduces transport of ODF2 to the flagellum. Altogether, our results uncover the essential role of CCDC38 in sperm flagellum biogenesis, and suggest that some mutations of these genes might be associated with male infertility in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruidan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Innovation Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences 1 , Beijing 100101 , China
- Institute of Reproductive Health and Perinatology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University 2 , Guangzhou 510623 , China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences 3 , Beijing 100049 , China
| | - Bingbing Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Innovation Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences 1 , Beijing 100101 , China
- Institute of Reproductive Health and Perinatology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University 2 , Guangzhou 510623 , China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences 3 , Beijing 100049 , China
| | - Chao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Innovation Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences 1 , Beijing 100101 , China
- Institute of Reproductive Health and Perinatology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University 2 , Guangzhou 510623 , China
| | - Zhe Zhang
- Peking University Third Hospital 4 Department of Urology , , Beijing 100191 , China
- Peking University Third Hospital 5 Department of Andrology , , Beijing 100191 , China
- Peking University Third Hospital 6 Department of Reproductive Medicine Center , , Beijing 100191 , China
- Peking University Third Hospital 7 Department of Human Sperm Bank , , Beijing 100191 , China
| | - Xiuge Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Innovation Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences 1 , Beijing 100101 , China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences 3 , Beijing 100049 , China
| | - Liying Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Innovation Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences 1 , Beijing 100101 , China
- Institute of Reproductive Health and Perinatology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University 2 , Guangzhou 510623 , China
| | - Sai Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Innovation Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences 1 , Beijing 100101 , China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences 3 , Beijing 100049 , China
| | - Yinghong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Innovation Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences 1 , Beijing 100101 , China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences 3 , Beijing 100049 , China
| | - Huafang Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Innovation Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences 1 , Beijing 100101 , China
- Institute of Reproductive Health and Perinatology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University 2 , Guangzhou 510623 , China
| | - Hui Jiang
- Peking University Third Hospital 4 Department of Urology , , Beijing 100191 , China
- Peking University Third Hospital 5 Department of Andrology , , Beijing 100191 , China
- Peking University Third Hospital 6 Department of Reproductive Medicine Center , , Beijing 100191 , China
- Peking University Third Hospital 7 Department of Human Sperm Bank , , Beijing 100191 , China
| | - Fei Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Innovation Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences 1 , Beijing 100101 , China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences 3 , Beijing 100049 , China
| | - Li Yuan
- Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences 8 , Beijing 100049 , China
| | - Wei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Innovation Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences 1 , Beijing 100101 , China
- Institute of Reproductive Health and Perinatology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University 2 , Guangzhou 510623 , China
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18
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Teves ME, Roldan ERS. Sperm bauplan and function and underlying processes of sperm formation and selection. Physiol Rev 2022; 102:7-60. [PMID: 33880962 PMCID: PMC8812575 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00009.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The spermatozoon is a highly differentiated and polarized cell, with two main structures: the head, containing a haploid nucleus and the acrosomal exocytotic granule, and the flagellum, which generates energy and propels the cell; both structures are connected by the neck. The sperm's main aim is to participate in fertilization, thus activating development. Despite this common bauplan and function, there is an enormous diversity in structure and performance of sperm cells. For example, mammalian spermatozoa may exhibit several head patterns and overall sperm lengths ranging from ∼30 to 350 µm. Mechanisms of transport in the female tract, preparation for fertilization, and recognition of and interaction with the oocyte also show considerable variation. There has been much interest in understanding the origin of this diversity, both in evolutionary terms and in relation to mechanisms underlying sperm differentiation in the testis. Here, relationships between sperm bauplan and function are examined at two levels: first, by analyzing the selective forces that drive changes in sperm structure and physiology to understand the adaptive values of this variation and impact on male reproductive success and second, by examining cellular and molecular mechanisms of sperm formation in the testis that may explain how differentiation can give rise to such a wide array of sperm forms and functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Eugenia Teves
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Eduardo R S Roldan
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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19
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Tapia Contreras C, Hoyer-Fender S. The Transformation of the Centrosome into the Basal Body: Similarities and Dissimilarities between Somatic and Male Germ Cells and Their Relevance for Male Fertility. Cells 2021; 10:2266. [PMID: 34571916 PMCID: PMC8471410 DOI: 10.3390/cells10092266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The sperm flagellum is essential for the transport of the genetic material toward the oocyte and thus the transmission of the genetic information to the next generation. During the haploid phase of spermatogenesis, i.e., spermiogenesis, a morphological and molecular restructuring of the male germ cell, the round spermatid, takes place that includes the silencing and compaction of the nucleus, the formation of the acrosomal vesicle from the Golgi apparatus, the formation of the sperm tail, and, finally, the shedding of excessive cytoplasm. Sperm tail formation starts in the round spermatid stage when the pair of centrioles moves toward the posterior pole of the nucleus. The sperm tail, eventually, becomes located opposed to the acrosomal vesicle, which develops at the anterior pole of the nucleus. The centriole pair tightly attaches to the nucleus, forming a nuclear membrane indentation. An articular structure is formed around the centriole pair known as the connecting piece, situated in the neck region and linking the sperm head to the tail, also named the head-to-tail coupling apparatus or, in short, HTCA. Finally, the sperm tail grows out from the distal centriole that is now transformed into the basal body of the flagellum. However, a centriole pair is found in nearly all cells of the body. In somatic cells, it accumulates a large mass of proteins, the pericentriolar material (PCM), that together constitute the centrosome, which is the main microtubule-organizing center of the cell, essential not only for the structuring of the cytoskeleton and the overall cellular organization but also for mitotic spindle formation and chromosome segregation. However, in post-mitotic (G1 or G0) cells, the centrosome is transformed into the basal body. In this case, one of the centrioles, which is always the oldest or mother centriole, grows the axoneme of a cilium. Most cells of the body carry a single cilium known as the primary cilium that serves as an antenna sensing the cell's environment. Besides, specialized cells develop multiple motile cilia differing in substructure from the immotile primary cilia that are essential in moving fluids or cargos over the cellular surface. Impairment of cilia formation causes numerous severe syndromes that are collectively subsumed as ciliopathies. This comparative overview serves to illustrate the molecular mechanisms of basal body formation, their similarities, and dissimilarities, in somatic versus male germ cells, by discussing the involved proteins/genes and their expression, localization, and function. The review, thus, aimed to provide a deeper knowledge of the molecular players that is essential for the expansion of clinical diagnostics and treatment of male fertility disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sigrid Hoyer-Fender
- Göttingen Center of Molecular Biosciences, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute for Zoology and Anthropology-Developmental Biology, Faculty of Biology and Psychology, Georg-August University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany;
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20
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Wu B, Gao H, Liu C, Li W. The coupling apparatus of the sperm head and tail†. Biol Reprod 2021; 102:988-998. [PMID: 31995163 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioaa016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Revised: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 01/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A strong sperm head-tail coupling apparatus (HTCA) is needed to ensure the integrity of spermatozoa during their fierce competition to fertilize the egg. A lot of HTCA-specific components have evolved to strengthen the attachment of the tail to the implantation fossa at the sperm head. Defects in HTCA formation lead to acephalic spermatozoa syndrome and pathologies of some male infertility. Recent studies have provided insights into the pathogenic molecular mechanisms of acephalic spermatozoa syndrome. Here, we summarize the proteins involved in sperm neck development and focus on their roles in the formation of HTCA. In addition, we discuss the fine structures of the sperm neck in different species from an evolutionary view, highlighting the potential conservative mechanism of HTCA formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingbing Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.,Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hui Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Chao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Wei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.,Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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21
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Zhang Y, Yang L, Huang L, Liu G, Nie X, Zhang X, Xing X. SUN5 Interacting With Nesprin3 Plays an Essential Role in Sperm Head-to-Tail Linkage: Research on Sun5 Gene Knockout Mice. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:684826. [PMID: 34268309 PMCID: PMC8276135 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.684826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Acephalic spermatozoa syndrome is a rare genetic and reproductive disease. Recent studies have shown that approximately 33–47% of patients with acephalic spermatozoa syndrome have SUN5 mutations, but the molecular mechanism underlying this phenomenon has not been elucidated. In this study, we generated Sun5 knockout mice and found that the head-to-tail linkage was broken in Sun5–/– mice, which was similar to human acephalic spermatozoa syndrome. Furthermore, ultrastructural imaging revealed that the head-tail coupling apparatus (HTCA) and the centrosome were distant from the nucleus at steps 9–10 during spermatid elongation. With the manchette disappearing at steps 13–14, the head and the tail segregated. To explore the molecular mechanism underlying this process, bioinformatic analysis was performed and showed that Sun5 may interact with Nesprin3. Further coimmunoprecipitation (Co-IP) and immunofluorescence assays confirmed that Sun5 and Nesprin3 were indeed bona fide interaction partners that formed the linker of the nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complex participating in the connection of the head and tail of spermatozoa. Nesprin3 was located posterior and anterior to the nucleus during spermiogenesis in wild-type mice, whereas it lost its localization at the implantation fossa of the posterior region in Sun5–/– mice. Without correct localization of Nesprin3 at the nuclear membrane, the centrosome, which is the originator of the flagellum, was distant from the nucleus, which led to the separation of the head and tail. In addition, isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation results showed that 47 proteins were upregulated, and 56 proteins were downregulated, in the testis in Sun5–/– mice, and the downregulation of spermatogenesis-related proteins (Odf1 and Odf2) may also contribute to the damage to the spermatozoa head-to-tail linkage. Our findings suggested that Sun5 is essential for the localization of Nesprin3 at the posterior nuclear membrane, which plays an essential role in the sperm head-tail connection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunfei Zhang
- Center for Experimental Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Linfei Yang
- Center for Experimental Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Lihua Huang
- Center for Experimental Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Gang Liu
- The Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xinmin Nie
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xinxing Zhang
- Center for Experimental Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiaowei Xing
- Center for Experimental Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
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22
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Khanal S, Leung MR, Royfman A, Fishman EL, Saltzman B, Bloomfield-Gadêlha H, Zeev-Ben-Mordehai T, Avidor-Reiss T. A dynamic basal complex modulates mammalian sperm movement. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3808. [PMID: 34155206 PMCID: PMC8217517 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24011-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Reproductive success depends on efficient sperm movement driven by axonemal dynein-mediated microtubule sliding. Models predict sliding at the base of the tail - the centriole - but such sliding has never been observed. Centrioles are ancient organelles with a conserved architecture; their rigidity is thought to restrict microtubule sliding. Here, we show that, in mammalian sperm, the atypical distal centriole (DC) and its surrounding atypical pericentriolar matrix form a dynamic basal complex (DBC) that facilitates a cascade of internal sliding deformations, coupling tail beating with asymmetric head kinking. During asymmetric tail beating, the DC's right side and its surroundings slide ~300 nm rostrally relative to the left side. The deformation throughout the DBC is transmitted to the head-tail junction; thus, the head tilts to the left, generating a kinking motion. These findings suggest that the DBC evolved as a dynamic linker coupling sperm head and tail into a single self-coordinated system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sushil Khanal
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Miguel Ricardo Leung
- The Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, The University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Abigail Royfman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Emily L Fishman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Barbara Saltzman
- School of Population Health, College of Health and Human Services, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Hermes Bloomfield-Gadêlha
- Department of Engineering Mathematics and Bristol Robotics Laboratory, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Tzviya Zeev-Ben-Mordehai
- The Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, The University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Tomer Avidor-Reiss
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA.
- Department of Urology, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA.
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23
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Altered Gene Expression in the Testis of Infertile Patients with Nonobstructive Azoospermia. COMPUTATIONAL AND MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN MEDICINE 2021; 2021:5533483. [PMID: 34221106 PMCID: PMC8211532 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5533483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Background The molecular mechanism of nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to identify gene expression changes in NOA patients and to explore potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Methods The gene expression profiles of GSE45885 and GSE145467 were collected from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and the differences between NOA and normal spermatogenesis were analyzed. Enrichment analysis was performed to explore biological functions for common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in GSE45885 and GSE145467. Coexpression analysis of DEGs in GSE45885 was performed, and two modules with the highest correlation with NOA were screened. Key genes were then screened from the intersection genes of the two modules and common DEGs and PPI network. The expression of key genes was validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) experiments. Finally, through miRTarBase, miRDB, and RAID, the miRNAs were predicted to regulate key genes, respectively. Results A total of 345 common DEGs were identified and they were mainly related to spermatogenesis, insulin signaling pathway. Coexpression analysis of DEGs in GSE45885 yielded eight modules; MEblack and MEturquoise had the highest correlation with NOA. Six genes in MEturquoise and RNF141 in MEblack were identified as key genes. qRT-PCR experiments validated the differential expression of key genes between NOA and control. Furthermore, RNF141 was regulated by the largest number of miRNAs. Conclusion Our findings suggest that the significant change expression of key genes may be potential markers and therapeutic targets of NOA and may have some impact on the development of NOA.
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24
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Wu B, Yu X, Liu C, Wang L, Huang T, Lu G, Chen ZJ, Li W, Liu H. Essential Role of CFAP53 in Sperm Flagellum Biogenesis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:676910. [PMID: 34124066 PMCID: PMC8195676 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.676910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The sperm flagellum is essential for male fertility. Despite vigorous research progress toward understanding the pathogenesis of flagellum-related diseases, much remains unknown about the mechanisms underlying the flagellum biogenesis itself. Here, we show that the cilia and flagella associated protein 53 (Cfap53) gene is predominantly expressed in testes, and it is essential for sperm flagellum biogenesis. The knockout of this gene resulted in complete infertility in male mice but not in the females. CFAP53 localized to the manchette and sperm tail during spermiogenesis, the knockout of this gene impaired flagellum biogenesis. Furthermore, we identified two manchette and sperm tail-associated proteins that interacted with CFAP53 during spermiogenesis. Together, our results suggest that CFAP53 is an essential protein for sperm flagellum biogenesis, and its mutations might be associated with multiple morphological abnormalities of the flagella (MMAF).
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingbing Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Innovation Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaochen Yu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Key laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of the Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Jinan, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, China
- National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Chao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Innovation Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lina Wang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Clinical Research Center of Respiratory Diseases, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Tao Huang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Key laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of the Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Jinan, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, China
- National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Gang Lu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Key laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of the Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Jinan, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, China
- National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- CUHK-SDU Joint Laboratory on Reproductive Genetics, School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Zi-Jiang Chen
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Key laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of the Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Jinan, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, China
- National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- CUHK-SDU Joint Laboratory on Reproductive Genetics, School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Wei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Innovation Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hongbin Liu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Key laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of the Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Jinan, China
- Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, China
- National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- CUHK-SDU Joint Laboratory on Reproductive Genetics, School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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25
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Priyanka PP, Yenugu S. Coiled-Coil Domain-Containing (CCDC) Proteins: Functional Roles in General and Male Reproductive Physiology. Reprod Sci 2021; 28:2725-2734. [PMID: 33942254 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-021-00595-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The coiled-coil domain-containing (CCDC) proteins have been implicated in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. Their functional roles vary from their interaction with molecular components of signaling pathways to determining the physiological functions at the cellular and organ level. Thus, they govern important functions like gametogenesis, embryonic development, hematopoiesis, angiogenesis, and ciliary development. Further, they are implicated in the pathogenesis of a large number of cancers. Polymorphisms in CCDC genes are associated with the risk of lifetime diseases. Because of their role in many biological processes, they have been extensively studied. This review concisely presents the functional role of CCDC proteins that have been studied in the last decade. Studies on CCDC proteins continue to be an active area of investigation because of their indispensable functions. However, there is ample opportunity to further understand the involvement of CCDC proteins in many more functions. It is anticipated that basing on the available literature, the functional role of CCDC proteins will be explored much further.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Suresh Yenugu
- Department of Animal Biology, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, 500046, India.
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26
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He H, Yu F, Shen W, Chen K, Zhang L, Lou S, Zhang Q, Chen S, Yuan X, Jia X, Zhou Y. The Novel Key Genes of Non-obstructive Azoospermia Affect Spermatogenesis: Transcriptomic Analysis Based on RNA-Seq and scRNA-Seq Data. Front Genet 2021; 12:608629. [PMID: 33732283 PMCID: PMC7959792 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.608629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) is one of the most important causes of male infertility. It is mainly characterized by the absence of sperm in semen repeatedly or the number of sperm is small and not fully developed. At present, its pathogenesis remains largely unknown. The goal of this study is to identify hub genes that might affect biomarkers related to spermatogenesis. Using the clinically significant transcriptome and single-cell sequencing data sets on the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, we identified candidate hub genes related to spermatogenesis. Based on them, we performed Gene Ontology (GO) functional enrichment analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment pathway analyses, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), cell cluster analysis, and pseudo-chronological analysis. We identified a total of 430 differentially expressed genes, of which three have not been reported related to spermatogenesis (C22orf23, TSACC, and TTC25), and the expression of these three hub genes was different in each type of sperm cells. The results of the pseudo-chronological analysis of the three hub genes indicated that TTC25 was in a low expression state during the whole process of sperm development, while the expression of C22orf23 had two fluctuations in the differentiating spermatogonia and late primary spermatocyte stages, and TSACC showed an upward trend from the spermatogonial stem cell stage to the spermatogenesis stage. Our research found that the three hub genes were different in the trajectory of sperm development, indicating that they might play important roles in different sperm cells. This result is of great significance for revealing the pathogenic mechanism of NOA and further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haihong He
- Department of Emergency Laboratory, Clinical Laboratory Medical Center, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Fan Yu
- Department of Emergency Laboratory, Clinical Laboratory Medical Center, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wang Shen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Jiangmen TCM Hospital of Ji'nan University, Jiangmen, China
| | - Keyan Chen
- Department of Emergency Laboratory, Clinical Laboratory Medical Center, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lijun Zhang
- Department of Emergency Laboratory, Clinical Laboratory Medical Center, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shuang Lou
- Department of Emergency Laboratory, Clinical Laboratory Medical Center, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qiaomin Zhang
- Department of Emergency Laboratory, Clinical Laboratory Medical Center, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Siping Chen
- Department of Emergency Laboratory, Clinical Laboratory Medical Center, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xinhua Yuan
- Department of Emergency Laboratory, Clinical Laboratory Medical Center, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xingwang Jia
- Department of Emergency Laboratory, Clinical Laboratory Medical Center, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yiwen Zhou
- Department of Emergency Laboratory, Clinical Laboratory Medical Center, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
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Pleuger C, Lehti MS, Dunleavy JE, Fietz D, O'Bryan MK. Haploid male germ cells-the Grand Central Station of protein transport. Hum Reprod Update 2020; 26:474-500. [PMID: 32318721 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmaa004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The precise movement of proteins and vesicles is an essential ability for all eukaryotic cells. Nowhere is this more evident than during the remarkable transformation that occurs in spermiogenesis-the transformation of haploid round spermatids into sperm. These transformations are critically dependent upon both the microtubule and the actin cytoskeleton, and defects in these processes are thought to underpin a significant percentage of human male infertility. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE This review is aimed at summarising and synthesising the current state of knowledge around protein/vesicle transport during haploid male germ cell development and identifying knowledge gaps and challenges for future research. To achieve this, we summarise the key discoveries related to protein transport using the mouse as a model system. Where relevant, we anchored these insights to knowledge in the field of human spermiogenesis and the causality of human male infertility. SEARCH METHODS Relevant studies published in English were identified using PubMed using a range of search terms related to the core focus of the review-protein/vesicle transport, intra-flagellar transport, intra-manchette transport, Golgi, acrosome, manchette, axoneme, outer dense fibres and fibrous sheath. Searches were not restricted to a particular time frame or species although the emphasis within the review is on mammalian spermiogenesis. OUTCOMES Spermiogenesis is the final phase of sperm development. It results in the transformation of a round cell into a highly polarised sperm with the capacity for fertility. It is critically dependent on the cytoskeleton and its ability to transport protein complexes and vesicles over long distances and often between distinct cytoplasmic compartments. The development of the acrosome covering the sperm head, the sperm tail within the ciliary lobe, the manchette and its role in sperm head shaping and protein transport into the tail, and the assembly of mitochondria into the mid-piece of sperm, may all be viewed as a series of overlapping and interconnected train tracks. Defects in this redistribution network lead to male infertility characterised by abnormal sperm morphology (teratozoospermia) and/or abnormal sperm motility (asthenozoospermia) and are likely to be causal of, or contribute to, a significant percentage of human male infertility. WIDER IMPLICATIONS A greater understanding of the mechanisms of protein transport in spermiogenesis offers the potential to precisely diagnose cases of male infertility and to forecast implications for children conceived using gametes containing these mutations. The manipulation of these processes will offer opportunities for male-based contraceptive development. Further, as increasingly evidenced in the literature, we believe that the continuous and spatiotemporally restrained nature of spermiogenesis provides an outstanding model system to identify, and de-code, cytoskeletal elements and transport mechanisms of relevance to multiple tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Pleuger
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton 3800, Australia.,Institute for Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Giessen 35392, Germany.,Hessian Centre of Reproductive Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen 35392, Germany
| | - Mari S Lehti
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton 3800, Australia.,Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku 20520, Finland
| | | | - Daniela Fietz
- Institute for Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Giessen 35392, Germany.,Hessian Centre of Reproductive Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen 35392, Germany
| | - Moira K O'Bryan
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton 3800, Australia
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28
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Avidor-Reiss T, Carr A, Fishman EL. The sperm centrioles. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2020; 518:110987. [PMID: 32810575 PMCID: PMC7606549 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2020.110987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Centrioles are eukaryotic subcellular structures that produce and regulate massive cytoskeleton superstructures. They form centrosomes and cilia, regulate new centriole formation, anchor cilia to the cell, and regulate cilia function. These basic centriolar functions are executed in sperm cells during their amplification from spermatogonial stem cells during their differentiation to spermatozoa, and finally, after fertilization, when the sperm fuses with the egg. However, sperm centrioles exhibit many unique characteristics not commonly observed in other cell types, including structural remodeling, centriole-flagellum transition zone migration, and cell membrane association during meiosis. Here, we discuss five roles of sperm centrioles: orchestrating early spermatogenic cell divisions, forming the spermatozoon flagella, linking the spermatozoon head and tail, controlling sperm tail beating, and organizing the cytoskeleton of the zygote post-fertilization. We present the historic discovery of the centriole as a sperm factor that initiates embryogenesis, and recent genetic studies in humans and other mammals evaluating the current evidence for the five functions of sperm centrioles. We also examine information connecting the various sperm centriole functions to distinct clinical phenotypes. The emerging picture is that centrioles are essential sperm components with remarkable functional diversity and specialization that will require extensive and in-depth future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomer Avidor-Reiss
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA; Department of Urology, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA.
| | - Alexa Carr
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
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Liu L, Li F, Wen Z, Li T, Lv M, Zhao X, Zhang W, Liu J, Wang L, Ma X. Preliminary investigation of the function of hsa_circ_0049356 in nonobstructive azoospermia patients. Andrologia 2020; 52:e13814. [PMID: 32894622 DOI: 10.1111/and.13814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA), which is considered the most severe form of male infertility, has placed a heavy burden on families and society. As vital regulators of transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels, Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) are closely related to all the pathophysiological processes involved in infertility in males, especially spermatogenesis. Our study explored the expression levels of circ_0049356 in both the whole blood and seminal plasma samples of idiopathic NOA patients via quantitative real-time PCR. Furthermore, the relative expression of its host gene (CARM1) was also determined using the same methods. In addition, as circRNAs have been demonstrated to regulate gene expression as miRNAs sponge, we predicted a total of five miRNAs and 101 mRNAs as putative downstream targets and constructed a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network. Based on the predictions, Gene Ontology and KEGG pathway analyses were performed for further bioinformatics analysis to explore the potential function and investigate the circ_0049356-miRNA-mRNA interactions. Our results show target mRNAs that have been predicted to regulate guanyl-nucleotide exchange factor activity to mediate the GTP/GDP exchange, and downstream targets possibly involved in the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton, which play a significant role in cytoskeleton rearrangement of germ cells during spermatogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Liu
- The Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Embryo of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, China
| | | | - Zhen Wen
- Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Tao Li
- Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Meng Lv
- Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiaodong Zhao
- The Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Embryo of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- The Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Embryo of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jing Liu
- The Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Embryo of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, China
| | - Liyan Wang
- The Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Embryo of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiaoling Ma
- The Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Embryo of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, China
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30
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Bi-allelic Loss-of-function Variants in CFAP58 Cause Flagellar Axoneme and Mitochondrial Sheath Defects and Asthenoteratozoospermia in Humans and Mice. Am J Hum Genet 2020; 107:514-526. [PMID: 32791035 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2020.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella (MMAF) is a severe form of asthenoteratozoospermia. Although recent studies have revealed several MMAF-associated genes and demonstrated MMAF to be a genetically heterogeneous disease, at least one-third of the cases are still not well understood for their etiology. Here, we identified bi-allelic loss-of-function variants in CFAP58 by using whole-exome sequencing in five (5.6%) unrelated individuals from a cohort of 90 MMAF-affected Chinese men. Each of the men harboring bi-allelic CFAP58 variants presented typical MMAF phenotypes. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated striking flagellar defects with axonemal and mitochondrial sheath malformations. CFAP58 is predominantly expressed in the testis and encodes a cilia- and flagella-associated protein. Immunofluorescence assays showed that CFAP58 localized at the entire flagella of control sperm and predominantly concentrated in the mid-piece. Immunoblotting and immunofluorescence assays showed that the abundances of axoneme ultrastructure markers SPAG6 and SPEF2 and a mitochondrial sheath protein, HSP60, were significantly reduced in the spermatozoa from men harboring bi-allelic CFAP58 variants. We generated Cfap58-knockout mice via CRISPR/Cas9 technology. The male mice were infertile and presented with severe flagellar defects, consistent with the sperm phenotypes in MMAF-affected men. Overall, our findings in humans and mice strongly suggest that CFAP58 plays a vital role in sperm flagellogenesis and demonstrate that bi-allelic loss-of-function variants in CFAP58 can cause axoneme and peri-axoneme malformations leading to male infertility. This study provides crucial insights for understanding and counseling of MMAF-associated asthenoteratozoospermia.
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31
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Tapia Contreras C, Hoyer-Fender S. The WD40-protein CFAP52/WDR16 is a centrosome/basal body protein and localizes to the manchette and the flagellum in male germ cells. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14240. [PMID: 32859975 PMCID: PMC7455747 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71120-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Development of spermatozoa requires remodelling and formation of particular structures. In elongating spermatids, the transient microtubular manchette contributes to the formation of the head-tail coupling apparatus (HTCA) and the sperm tail. The HTCA derives from the centrosome in that the proximal centriole inserts into the nuclear indentation and the distal centriole gives rise to the sperm flagellum. Although impairments in the formation of HTCA and sperm tail cause male infertility their molecular constituents are only partially known. The WD40-protein CFAP52 is implicated in motile cilia, but its relevance for male germ cell differentiation is not known. Here we show that CFAP52 is widespread expressed and localizes to a subset of microtubular structures. In male germ cells, CFAP52 is a component of the transient manchette and the sperm tail. However, expression of Cfap52 is not restricted to motile cilia-bearing cells. In NIH3T3 cells, CFAP52 localizes to the centrosome, the basal body, and the mitotic spindle poles, but not to the primary cilium. Our results demonstrate that CFAP52 is not restricted to motile cilia but instead most likely functions in constituting the centrosome/basal body matrix and the sperm tail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constanza Tapia Contreras
- Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institute of Zoology and Anthropology - Developmental Biology, GZMB, Ernst-Caspari-Haus, Justus-Von-Liebig-Weg11, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sigrid Hoyer-Fender
- Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institute of Zoology and Anthropology - Developmental Biology, GZMB, Ernst-Caspari-Haus, Justus-Von-Liebig-Weg11, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
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32
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Bo D, Jiang X, Liu G, Xu F, Hu R, Wassie T, Chong Y, Ahmed S, Liu C, Girmay S. Multipathway synergy promotes testicular transition from growth to spermatogenesis in early-puberty goats. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:372. [PMID: 32450814 PMCID: PMC7249689 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-6767-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The microscopic process of postnatal testicular development in early-puberty animals is poorly understood. Therefore, in this study, 21 male Yiling goats with average ages of 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 days old (each age group comprised three goats) were used to study the changes in organs, tissues and transcriptomes during postnatal testicle development to obtain a broad and deep insight into the dynamic process of testicular transition from growth to spermatogenesis in early-puberty animals. RESULTS The inflection point of testicular weight was at 119 days postpartum (dpp), and the testicular weight increased rapidly from 119 dpp to 150 dpp. Spermatozoa were observed in the testis at 90 dpp by using haematoxylin-eosin staining. We found from the transcriptome analysis of testes that the testicular development of Yiling goat from birth to 180 dpp experienced three stages, namely, growth, transition and spermatogenesis stages. The goats in the testicular growth stage (0-60 dpp) showed a high expression of growth-related genes in neurogenesis, angiogenesis and cell junction, and a low expression of spermatogenesis-related genes. The goats aged 60-120 dpp were in the transitional stage which had a gradually decreased growth-related gene transcription levels and increased spermatogenesis-related gene transcription levels. The goats aged 120-180 dpp were in the spermatogenesis stage. At this stage, highly expressed spermatogenesis-related genes, downregulated testicular growth- and immune-related genes and a shift in the focus of testicular development into spermatogenesis were observed. Additionally, we found several novel hub genes, which may play key roles in spermatogenesis, androgen synthesis and secretion, angiogenesis, cell junction and neurogenesis. Moreover, the results of this study were compared with previous studies on goat or other species, and some gene expression patterns shared in early-puberty mammals were discovered. CONCLUSIONS The postnatal development of the testis undergoes a process of transition from organ growth to spermatogenesis. During this process, spermatogenesis-related genes are upregulated, whereas neurogenesis-, angiogenesis-, cell junction-, muscle- and immune-related genes are downregulated. In conclusion, the multipathway synergy promotes testicular transition from growth to spermatogenesis in early-puberty goats and may be a common rule shared by mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongdong Bo
- Laboratory of Small Ruminant Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Xunping Jiang
- Laboratory of Small Ruminant Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Guiqiong Liu
- Laboratory of Small Ruminant Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China.
| | - Feng Xu
- Laboratory of Small Ruminant Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruixue Hu
- Laboratory of Small Ruminant Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Teketay Wassie
- Laboratory of Small Ruminant Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuqing Chong
- Laboratory of Small Ruminant Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Sohail Ahmed
- Laboratory of Small Ruminant Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Chenhui Liu
- Laboratory of Small Ruminant Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Shishay Girmay
- Laboratory of Small Ruminant Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
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Teves ME, Roldan ERS, Krapf D, Strauss III JF, Bhagat V, Sapao P. Sperm Differentiation: The Role of Trafficking of Proteins. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E3702. [PMID: 32456358 PMCID: PMC7279445 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21103702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 05/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Sperm differentiation encompasses a complex sequence of morphological changes that takes place in the seminiferous epithelium. In this process, haploid round spermatids undergo substantial structural and functional alterations, resulting in highly polarized sperm. Hallmark changes during the differentiation process include the formation of new organelles, chromatin condensation and nuclear shaping, elimination of residual cytoplasm, and assembly of the sperm flagella. To achieve these transformations, spermatids have unique mechanisms for protein trafficking that operate in a coordinated fashion. Microtubules and filaments of actin are the main tracks used to facilitate the transport mechanisms, assisted by motor and non-motor proteins, for delivery of vesicular and non-vesicular cargos to specific sites. This review integrates recent findings regarding the role of protein trafficking in sperm differentiation. Although a complete characterization of the interactome of proteins involved in these temporal and spatial processes is not yet known, we propose a model based on the current literature as a framework for future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria E. Teves
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond VA 23298, USA;
| | - Eduardo R. S. Roldan
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), 28006-Madrid, Spain
| | - Diego Krapf
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA;
| | - Jerome F. Strauss III
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond VA 23298, USA;
| | - Virali Bhagat
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond VA 23298, USA;
| | - Paulene Sapao
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond VA, 23298, USA;
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