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Zhang X, Xue J, Jiang S, Zheng H, Wang C. Forkhead-associated phosphopeptide binding domain 1 (FHAD1) deficiency impaired murine sperm motility. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17142. [PMID: 38563001 PMCID: PMC10984166 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Genetic knockout-based studies conducted in mice provide a powerful means of assessing the significance of a gene for fertility. Forkhead-associated phosphopeptide binding domain 1 (FHAD1) contains a conserved FHA domain, that is present in many proteins with phospho-threonine reader activity. How FHAD1 functions in male fertility, however, remains uncertain. Methods Fhad1-/- mice were generated by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout, after which qPCR was used to evaluate changes in gene expression, with subsequent analyses of spermatogenesis and fertility. The testis phenotypes were also examined using immunofluorescence and histological staining, while sperm concentrations and motility were quantified via computer-aided sperm analysis. Cellular apoptosis was assessed using a TUNEL staining assay. Results The Fhad1-/-mice did not exhibit any abnormal changes in fertility or testicular morphology compared to wild-type littermates. Histological analyses confirmed that the testicular morphology of both Fhad1-/-and Fhad1+/+ mice was normal, with both exhibiting intact seminiferous tubules. Relative to Fhad1+/+ mice, however, Fhad1-/-did exhibit reductions in the total and progressive motility of epididymal sperm. Analyses of meiotic division in Fhad1-/-mice also revealed higher levels of apoptotic death during the first wave of spermatogenesis. Discussion The findings suggest that FHAD1 is involved in both meiosis and the modulation of sperm motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Zhang
- Department of Reproductive Health and Infertility Clinic, The Affiliated Huai’an No. 1 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai’an, Jiangsu, China
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jiangyang Xue
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- The Central Laboratory of Birth Defects Prevention and Control, Ningbo Key Laboratory for the Prevention and Treatment of Embryogenic Diseases, Women and Children’s Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shan Jiang
- College of Nursing, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Haoyu Zheng
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- Department of Gynaecology, The Affiliated Huai’an No. 1 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai’an, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chang Wang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- College of Nursing, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, China
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Sieper MH, Gaikwad AS, Fros M, Weber P, Di Persio S, Oud MS, Kliesch S, Neuhaus N, Stallmeyer B, Tüttelmann F, Wyrwoll MJ. Scrutinizing the human TEX genes in the context of human male infertility. Andrology 2024; 12:570-584. [PMID: 37594251 DOI: 10.1111/andr.13511] [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: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Infertility affects around 15% of all couples worldwide and is increasingly linked to variants in genes specifically expressed in the testis. Well-established causes of male infertility include pathogenic variants in the genes TEX11, TEX14, and TEX15, while few studies have recently reported variants in TEX13B, TEX13C, FAM9A (TEX39A), and FAM9B (TEX39B). OBJECTIVES We aimed at screening for novel potential candidate genes among the human TEX ("testis expressed") genes as well as verifying previously described disease associations in this set of genes. MATERIALS AND METHODS To this end, we screened the exome sequencing data of 1305 men, including 1056 crypto- and azoospermic individuals, and determined cell-specific expression by analyzing testis-specific single-cell RNA sequencing data for genes with identified variants. To investigate the overarching role in male fertility, we generated testis-specific knockdown (KD) models of all 10 orthologous TEX genes in Drosophila melanogaster. RESULTS We detected rare potential disease-causing variants in TEX10, TEX13A, TEX13B, TEX13C, TEX13D, ZFAND3 (TEX27), TEX33, FAM9A (TEX39A), and FAM9B (TEX39B), in 28 infertile men, of which 15 men carried variants in TEX10, TEX27, and TEX33. The KD of TEX2, TEX9, TEX10, TEX13, ZFAND3 (TEX27), TEX28, TEX30, NFX1 (TEX42), TEX261, and UTP4 (TEX292) in Drosophila resulted in normal fertility. DISCUSSION Based on our findings, the autosomal dominant predicted genes TEX10 and ZFAND3 (TEX27) and the autosomal recessive predicted gene TEX33, which all three are conceivably required for germ cell maturation, were identified as novel potential candidate genes for human non-obstructive azoospermia. We additionally identified hemizygous loss-of-function (LoF) variants in TEX13B, TEX13C, and FAM9A (TEX39A) as unlikely monogenic culprits of male infertility as LoF variants were also found in control men. CONCLUSION Our findings concerning the X-linked genes TEX13B, TEX13C, and FAM9A (TEX39A) contradict previous reports and will decrease false-positive reports in genetic diagnostics of azoospermic men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie H Sieper
- Institute of Reproductive Genetics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Avinash S Gaikwad
- Institute of Reproductive Genetics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Marion Fros
- Institute of Reproductive Genetics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Philipp Weber
- Institute of Reproductive Genetics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Sara Di Persio
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Manon S Oud
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Sabine Kliesch
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Nina Neuhaus
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Birgit Stallmeyer
- Institute of Reproductive Genetics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Frank Tüttelmann
- Institute of Reproductive Genetics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Margot J Wyrwoll
- Institute of Reproductive Genetics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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Castille J, Thépot D, Fouchécourt S, Dalbies-Tran R, Passet B, Daniel-Carlier N, Vilotte JL, Monget P. The paralogs' enigma of germ-cell specific genes dispensable for fertility: the case of 19 oogenesin genes†. Biol Reprod 2023; 109:408-414. [PMID: 37561421 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioad092] [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: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene knockout experiments have shown that many genes are dispensable for a given biological function. In this review, we make an assessment of male and female germ cell-specific genes dispensable for the function of reproduction in mice, the inactivation of which does not affect fertility. In particular, we describe the deletion of a 1 Mb block containing nineteen paralogous genes of the oogenesin/Pramel family specifically expressed in female and/or male germ cells, which has no consequences in both sexes. We discuss this notion of dispensability and the experiments that need to be carried out to definitively conclude that a gene is dispensable for a function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johan Castille
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | | | | | | | - Bruno Passet
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | | | - Jean-Luc Vilotte
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Philippe Monget
- PRC INRAE, CNRS, IFCE, Université de Tours, Nouzilly, France
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Xiong X, Huang X, Zhu Y, Hai Z, Fei X, Pan B, Yang Q, Xiong Y, Fu W, Lan D, Zhang X, Li J. Testis-specific knockout of Kdm2a reveals nonessential roles in male fertility but partially compromises spermatogenesis. Theriogenology 2023; 209:9-20. [PMID: 37354760 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.06.008] [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: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
Lysine-specific histone demethylase 2 (Kdm2a) is a regulatory factor of histone modifications that participates in gametogenesis and embryonic development. The mis-regulation of Kdm2a can lead to aberrant gene expression, thereby contributing to abnormal cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and tumorigenesis. However, due to the potential confounding effects that are secondary to the loss of Kdm2a function from the soma in existing whole-animal mutants, the in vivo function of Kdm2a in spermatogenesis for male fertility remains unknown. Herein, we focus on exploring the spatiotemporal expression profile and biological functions of Kdm2a in the spermatogenesis and fertility of male mice. A testis-specific knockout Kdm2a model (Kdm2a cKO) was established by using the Stra8-Cre/loxP recombinase system to explore the roles of Kdm2a in male fertility. Our results showed that Kdm2a was ubiquitously expressed and dynamically distributed in multiple tissues and cell types in the testis of mice. Surprisingly, Kdm2a-deficient adult males were completely fertile and comparable with their control (Kdm2aflox/flox) counterparts. Despite the significantly reduced total number of sperm and density of seminiferous tubules in Kdm2a cKO testis accompanied by the degeneration of spermatogenesis, the fertilization ability and embryonic developmental competence of the Kdm2a cKO were comparable with those of their control littermates, suggesting that Kdm2a disruption did not markedly affect male fertility, at least during younger ages. Furthermore, Kdm2a homozygous mutants exhibited a lower total number and motility of sperm than the control group and showed notably affected serum 17β-estradiol concentration. Interestingly, the transcriptome sequencing revealed that the loss of Kdm2a remarkably upregulated the expression level of Kdm2b. This effect, in turn, may induce compensative effects in the case of Kdm2a deficiency to maintain normal male reproduction. Together, our results reveal that Kdm2a shows spatiotemporal expression during testicular development and that its loss is insufficient to compromise the production of spermatozoa completely. The homologous Kdm2b gene might compensate for the loss of Kdm2a. Our work provides a novel Kdm2a cKO mouse allowing for the efficient deletion of Kdm2a in a testis-specific manner, and further investigated the biological function of Kdm2a and the compensatory effects of Kdm2b. Our study will advance our understanding of underlying mechanisms in spermatogenesis and male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianrong Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Exploitation of Ministry of Education, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, PR China
| | - Xiangyue Huang
- Key Laboratory for Animal Science of State Ethnic Affairs Commission, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, PR China
| | - Yanjin Zhu
- Key Laboratory for Animal Science of State Ethnic Affairs Commission, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, PR China
| | - Zhuo Hai
- Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Exploitation of Ministry of Education, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, PR China
| | - Xixi Fei
- Key Laboratory for Animal Science of State Ethnic Affairs Commission, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, PR China
| | - Bangting Pan
- Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Exploitation of Ministry of Education, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, PR China
| | - Qinhui Yang
- Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Exploitation of Ministry of Education, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, PR China
| | - Yan Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Exploitation of Ministry of Education, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, PR China
| | - Wei Fu
- Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Exploitation of Ministry of Education, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, PR China
| | - Daoliang Lan
- Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Exploitation of Ministry of Education, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, PR China
| | - Xiaojian Zhang
- Center for Assisted Reproduction, Sichuan Academy of Medical Science, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, 610072, PR China
| | - Jian Li
- Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Exploitation of Ministry of Education, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, PR China; Key Laboratory for Animal Science of State Ethnic Affairs Commission, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, PR China.
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He J, Su L, Wang W, Li Y, Meng L, Tan C, Lin G, Tan YQ, Zhang Q, Tu C. C9orf131 and C10orf120 are not essential for male fertility in humans or mice. Dev Biol 2023; 497:11-17. [PMID: 36871790 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2023.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023]
Abstract
Male infertility affects approximately 7% of childbearing couples and is a major health issue. Although nearly 50% idiopathic infertile men are assumed to have a genetic basis, the underlying causes remain largely unknown in most infertility cases. Here, we report two rare homozygous variants in two previously uncharacterized genes, C9orf131 and C10orf120, identified in two unrelated men with asthenozoospermia. Both genes were predominantly expressed in the testes. Furthermore, C9orf131 and C10orf120 knockout mice were successfully generated using the CRISPR-Cas9 technology. However, both C9orf131-/- and C10orf120-/- adult male mice were fertile, with testis-to-body weight ratios comparable to those of wild-type mice. No overt differences were found between wild-type, C9orf131-/-, and C10orf120-/- mice regarding testicular/epididymal tissue morphology, sperm count, sperm motility, or sperm morphology. Moreover, TUNEL assays indicated that the number of apoptotic germ cells in testes was not significantly different between the three groups. In summary, these findings suggest that C9orf131 and C10orf120 are redundant genes in male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin He
- Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China
| | - Lilan Su
- Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China
| | - Weili Wang
- Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China; Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, 410000, China
| | - Yong Li
- Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China
| | - Lanlan Meng
- Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China; Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, 410000, China
| | - Chen Tan
- Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China
| | - Ge Lin
- Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China; Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, 410000, China
| | - Yue-Qiu Tan
- Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China; Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, 410000, China
| | - Qianjun Zhang
- Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China; Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, 410000, China.
| | - Chaofeng Tu
- Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China; Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, 410000, China.
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Bi-allelic variants in human WDR63 cause male infertility via abnormal inner dynein arms assembly. Cell Discov 2021; 7:110. [PMID: 34782613 PMCID: PMC8593051 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-021-00327-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Inner dynein arm (IDA), composed of a series of protein complex, is necessary to cilia and flagella bend formation and beating. Previous studies indicated that defects of IDA protein complex result in multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagellum (MMAF) and male infertility. However, the genetic causes and molecular mechanisms in the IDAs need further exploration. Here we identified two loss-of-function variants of WDR63 in both MMAF and non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) affected cohorts. WDR63 encodes an IDA-associated protein that is dominantly expressed in testis. We next generated Wdr63-knockout (Wdr63-KO) mice through the CRISPR-Cas9 technology. Remarkably, Wdr63-KO induced decreased sperm number, abnormal flagellar morphology and male infertility. In addition, transmission electron microscopy assay showed severely disorganized "9 + 2" axoneme and absent inner dynein arms in the spermatozoa from Wdr63-KO male mice. Mechanistically, we found that WDR63 interacted with WDR78 mainly via WD40-repeat domain and is necessary for IDA assembly. Furthermore, WDR63-associated male infertility in human and mice could be overcome by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that bi-allelic variants of WDR63 cause male infertility via abnormal inner dynein arms assembly and flagella formation and can be used as a genetic diagnostic indicator for infertility males.
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Yang P, Tang W, Li H, Hua R, Yuan Y, Zhang Y, Zhu Y, Cui Y, Sha J. T-complex protein 1 subunit zeta-2 (CCT6B) deficiency induces murine teratospermia. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11545. [PMID: 34141486 PMCID: PMC8176918 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The CCT complex is an important mediator of microtubule assembly and intracellular protein folding. Owing to its high expression in spermatids, CCT knockdown can disrupt spermatogenesis. In the present report, we therefore evaluated the in vivo functionality of the testis-specific CCT complex component CCT6B using a murine knockout model system. Methods A CRISPR/Cas9 approach was used to generate Cct6b−/− mice, after which candidate gene expression in these animals was evaluated via qPCR and Western blotting. Testicular and epididymal phenotypes were assessed through histological and immunofluorescent staining assays, while a computer-assisted sperm analyzer was employed to assess semen quality. Results Cct6b−/− mice were successfully generated, and exhibited no differences in development, fertility, appearance, testis weight, or sperm counts relative to control littermates. In addition, no differences in spermatogenesis were detected when comparingCct6b+/+ and Cct6b−/− testes. However, when progressive motility was analyzed, the ratio of normal sperm was significantly decreased in Cct6b−/− male mice, with nuclear base bending being the primary detected abnormality. In addition, slight decreases in Cct4 and Cct7 expression were detected. Conclusion These data indicated that CCT6B is an important regulator of murine spermatogenesis, with the loss of this protein resulting in CCT complex dysfunction, providing a foundation for further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiyin Yang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wenjing Tang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Huiling Li
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Rong Hua
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yan Yuan
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yunfei Zhu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yiqiang Cui
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jiahao Sha
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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Bellil H, Ghieh F, Hermel E, Mandon-Pepin B, Vialard F. Human testis-expressed (TEX) genes: a review focused on spermatogenesis and male fertility. Basic Clin Androl 2021; 31:9. [PMID: 33882832 PMCID: PMC8061069 DOI: 10.1186/s12610-021-00127-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Spermatogenesis is a complex process regulated by a multitude of genes. The identification and characterization of male-germ-cell-specific genes is crucial to understanding the mechanisms through which the cells develop. The term “TEX gene” was coined by Wang et al. (Nat Genet. 2001; 27: 422–6) after they used cDNA suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) to identify new transcripts that were present only in purified mouse spermatogonia. TEX (Testis expressed) orthologues have been found in other vertebrates (mammals, birds, and reptiles), invertebrates, and yeasts. To date, 69 TEX genes have been described in different species and different tissues. To evaluate the expression of each TEX/tex gene, we compiled data from 7 different RNA-Seq mRNA databases in humans, and 4 in the mouse according to the expression atlas database. Various studies have highlighted a role for many of these genes in spermatogenesis. Here, we review current knowledge on the TEX genes and their roles in spermatogenesis and fertilization in humans and, comparatively, in other species (notably the mouse). As expected, TEX genes appear to have a major role in reproduction in general and in spermatogenesis in humans but also in all mammals such as the mouse. Most of them are expressed specifically or predominantly in the testis. As most of the TEX genes are highly conserved in mammals, defects in the male (gene mutations in humans and gene-null mice) lead to infertility. In the future, cumulative data on the human TEX genes’ physiological functions and pathophysiological dysfunctions should become available and is likely to confirm the essential role of this family in the reproductive process. Thirteen TEX genes are now referenced in the OMIM database, and 3 have been linked to a specific phenotype. TEX11 (on Xq13.1) is currently the gene most frequently reported as being associated with azoospermia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hela Bellil
- Département de Génétique, CHI de Poissy St Germain en Laye, Poissy, France
| | - Farah Ghieh
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, F-78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France.,Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, BREED, F-94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Emeline Hermel
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, F-78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France.,Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, BREED, F-94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Béatrice Mandon-Pepin
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, F-78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France.,Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, BREED, F-94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - François Vialard
- Département de Génétique, CHI de Poissy St Germain en Laye, Poissy, France. .,Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, F-78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France. .,Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, BREED, F-94700, Maisons-Alfort, France.
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