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Sha Y, Liu W, Li L, Serafimovski M, Isachenko V, Li Y, Chen J, Zhao B, Wang Y, Wei X. Pathogenic Variants in ACTRT1 Cause Acephalic Spermatozoa Syndrome. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:676246. [PMID: 34422805 PMCID: PMC8377740 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.676246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Acephalic spermatozoa syndrome is a rare type of teratozoospermia, but its pathogenesis is largely unknown. Here, we performed whole-exome sequencing for 34 patients with acephalic spermatozoa syndrome and identified pathogenic variants in the X-linked gene, ACTRT1, in two patients. Sanger sequencing confirmed the pathogenic variants of ACTRT1 in the patients. Both pathogenic variants of ACTRT1 were highly conserved, and in silico analysis revealed that they were deleterious and rare. Actrt1-knockout mice exhibited a similar acephalic spermatozoa phenotype. Therefore, we speculated that mutations in ACTRT1 account for acephalic spermatozoa syndrome. Moreover, the patients in this study conceived their children through artificial insemination. This study provides further insights for clinicians and researchers regarding the genetic etiology and therapeutic strategies for acephalic spermatozoa patients with pathogenic variants in ACTRT1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanwei Sha
- Department of Andrology, United Diagnostic and Research Center for Clinical Genetics, School of Public Health & Women and Children's Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Wensheng Liu
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Research Group for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Lin Li
- Central Laboratory, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Mario Serafimovski
- Center for Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Vladimir Isachenko
- Research Group for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Youzhu Li
- Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Bangrong Zhao
- NHC Key Laboratory of Family Planning and Healthy/Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine of Hebei Provincial, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yifeng Wang
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoli Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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