Among infertile men, a diagnosis of unilateral varicocele is made in 90% of varicocele cases and bilateral in the remaining varicocele cases. However, there are reports of under-diagnosis of bilateral varicocele among...Among infertile men, a diagnosis of unilateral varicocele is made in 90% of varicocele cases and bilateral in the remaining varicocele cases. However, there are reports of under-diagnosis of bilateral varicocele among infertile men and that its prevalence is greater than 10%. In this prospective study, we aimed to examine the differentially expressed proteins （DEP） extracted from spermatozoa cells of patients with bilateral varicocele and fertile donors. Subjects consisted of 17 men diagnosed with bilateral varicocele and 10 proven fertile men as healthy controls. Using the LTQ-orbitrap elite hybrid mass spectrometry system, proteomic analysis was done on pooled samples from 3 patients with bilateral varicocele and 5 fertile men. From these samples, 73 DEP were identified of which 58 proteins were differentially expressed, with 7 proteins unique to the bilateral varicocele group and 8 proteins to the fertile control group. Majority of the DEPs were observed to be associated with metabolic processes, stress responses, oxidoreductase activity, enzyme regulation, and immune system processes. Seven DEP were involved in sperm function such as capacitation, motility, and sperm-zona binding. Proteins TEKT3 and TCP11 were validated by Western blot analysis and may serve as potential biomarkers for bilateral varicocele. In this study, we have demonstrated for the first time the presence of DEP and identified proteins with distinct reproductive functions which are altered in infertile men with bilateral varicocele. Functional proteomic profiling provides insight into the mechanistic implications of bilateral varicocele-associated male infertility.展开更多
Dysfunctional spermatozoa maturation is the main reason for the decrease in sperm motility and morphology in infertile men. Ejaculated spermatozoa from healthy fertile men were separated into four fractions using thre...Dysfunctional spermatozoa maturation is the main reason for the decrease in sperm motility and morphology in infertile men. Ejaculated spermatozoa from healthy fertile men were separated into four fractions using three-layer density gradient. Proteins were extracted and bands were digested on a LTQ-Orbitrap Elite hybrid mass spectrometer system. Functional annotations of proteins were obtained using bioinformatics tools and pathway databases. Western blotting was performed to verify the expression levels of the proteins of interest. 1469 proteins were identified in four fractions of spermatozoa. The number of detected proteins decreased according to the maturation level of spermatozoa. During spermatozoa maturation, proteins involved in gamete generation, cell motility, energy metabolism and oxidative phosphorylation processes showed increasing expression levels and those involved in protein biosynthesis, protein transport, protein ubiquitination, and response to oxidative stress processes showed decreasing expression levels. We validated four proteins （HSP 70 1A, clusterin, tektin 2 and tektin 3） by Western blotting. The study shows protein markers that may provide insight into the ejaculated spermatozoa proteins in different stages of sperm maturation that may be altered or modified in infertile men.展开更多
Dysfunctional sperm maturation is the primary reason for the poor sperm motility and morphology in infertile men.Spermatozoa from infertile men were fractioned on three-layer density gradient(80%,60%,and 40%).Fraction...Dysfunctional sperm maturation is the primary reason for the poor sperm motility and morphology in infertile men.Spermatozoa from infertile men were fractioned on three-layer density gradient(80%,60%,and 40%).Fraction 1(Fl)refers to the least mature stage having the lowest den sity,whereas the fraction 4(F4)in eludes the most dense and morphologically mature motile spermatozoa.Fraction 2(F2)and fraction 3(F3)represent the intermediate stages.Proteins were extracted and separated by dimensional gel.Bands were digested with trypsin and analyzed on a LTQ-Orbitrap Elite hybrid mass spectrometer system.Functional annotations of proteins were obtained using bioinformatics tools and pathway databases.A total of 1585 proteins were detected in the four fractions of spermatozoa.A dysregulated protein turnover and protein folding may lead to accumulation of defective proteins or proteins that otherwise would have been eliminated during the process of maturation,resulting in the impairment of sperm fun ction.Aberra nt chaper one expressi on may be a major con tributing factor to the defective sperm function.Androge n receptor was predicted as a transcription regulator in one of the networks and the affected pathways were chaperone-mediated stress response,proteosomal pathway,and sperm function.The down regulation of key pathways and protei ns which compromises the fertilizi ng potential of spermatozoa may provide in sight into the mecha nisms that lead to male infertility.展开更多
文摘Among infertile men, a diagnosis of unilateral varicocele is made in 90% of varicocele cases and bilateral in the remaining varicocele cases. However, there are reports of under-diagnosis of bilateral varicocele among infertile men and that its prevalence is greater than 10%. In this prospective study, we aimed to examine the differentially expressed proteins （DEP） extracted from spermatozoa cells of patients with bilateral varicocele and fertile donors. Subjects consisted of 17 men diagnosed with bilateral varicocele and 10 proven fertile men as healthy controls. Using the LTQ-orbitrap elite hybrid mass spectrometry system, proteomic analysis was done on pooled samples from 3 patients with bilateral varicocele and 5 fertile men. From these samples, 73 DEP were identified of which 58 proteins were differentially expressed, with 7 proteins unique to the bilateral varicocele group and 8 proteins to the fertile control group. Majority of the DEPs were observed to be associated with metabolic processes, stress responses, oxidoreductase activity, enzyme regulation, and immune system processes. Seven DEP were involved in sperm function such as capacitation, motility, and sperm-zona binding. Proteins TEKT3 and TCP11 were validated by Western blot analysis and may serve as potential biomarkers for bilateral varicocele. In this study, we have demonstrated for the first time the presence of DEP and identified proteins with distinct reproductive functions which are altered in infertile men with bilateral varicocele. Functional proteomic profiling provides insight into the mechanistic implications of bilateral varicocele-associated male infertility.
文摘Dysfunctional spermatozoa maturation is the main reason for the decrease in sperm motility and morphology in infertile men. Ejaculated spermatozoa from healthy fertile men were separated into four fractions using three-layer density gradient. Proteins were extracted and bands were digested on a LTQ-Orbitrap Elite hybrid mass spectrometer system. Functional annotations of proteins were obtained using bioinformatics tools and pathway databases. Western blotting was performed to verify the expression levels of the proteins of interest. 1469 proteins were identified in four fractions of spermatozoa. The number of detected proteins decreased according to the maturation level of spermatozoa. During spermatozoa maturation, proteins involved in gamete generation, cell motility, energy metabolism and oxidative phosphorylation processes showed increasing expression levels and those involved in protein biosynthesis, protein transport, protein ubiquitination, and response to oxidative stress processes showed decreasing expression levels. We validated four proteins （HSP 70 1A, clusterin, tektin 2 and tektin 3） by Western blotting. The study shows protein markers that may provide insight into the ejaculated spermatozoa proteins in different stages of sperm maturation that may be altered or modified in infertile men.
文摘Dysfunctional sperm maturation is the primary reason for the poor sperm motility and morphology in infertile men.Spermatozoa from infertile men were fractioned on three-layer density gradient(80%,60%,and 40%).Fraction 1(Fl)refers to the least mature stage having the lowest den sity,whereas the fraction 4(F4)in eludes the most dense and morphologically mature motile spermatozoa.Fraction 2(F2)and fraction 3(F3)represent the intermediate stages.Proteins were extracted and separated by dimensional gel.Bands were digested with trypsin and analyzed on a LTQ-Orbitrap Elite hybrid mass spectrometer system.Functional annotations of proteins were obtained using bioinformatics tools and pathway databases.A total of 1585 proteins were detected in the four fractions of spermatozoa.A dysregulated protein turnover and protein folding may lead to accumulation of defective proteins or proteins that otherwise would have been eliminated during the process of maturation,resulting in the impairment of sperm fun ction.Aberra nt chaper one expressi on may be a major con tributing factor to the defective sperm function.Androge n receptor was predicted as a transcription regulator in one of the networks and the affected pathways were chaperone-mediated stress response,proteosomal pathway,and sperm function.The down regulation of key pathways and protei ns which compromises the fertilizi ng potential of spermatozoa may provide in sight into the mecha nisms that lead to male infertility.
