Infertility represents a significant health concern,with sperm quantity and quality being crucial determinants of male fertility.Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia(OAT)is characterized by reduced sperm motility,lower sperm ...Infertility represents a significant health concern,with sperm quantity and quality being crucial determinants of male fertility.Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia(OAT)is characterized by reduced sperm motility,lower sperm concentration,and morphological abnormalities in sperm heads and flagella.Although variants in several genes have been implicated in OAT,its genetic etiologies and pathogenetic mechanisms remain inadequately understood.In this study,we identified a homozygous nonsense mutation(c.916C>T,p.Arg306*)in the coiled-coil domain containing 146(CCDC146)gene in an infertile male patient with OAT.This mutation resulted in the production of a truncated CCDC146 protein(amino acids 1-305),retaining only two out of five coiled-coil domains.To validate the pathogenicity of the CCDC146 mutation,we generated a mouse model(Ccdc146^(mut/mut))with a similar mutation to that of the patient.Consistently,the Ccdc146mut/mut mice exhibited infertility,characterized by significantly reduced sperm counts,diminished motility,and multiple defects in sperm heads and flagella.Furthermore,the levels of axonemal proteins,including DNAH17,DNAH1,and SPAG6,were significantly reduced in the sperm of Ccdc146^(mut/mut) mice.Additionally,both human and mouse CCDC146 interacted with intraflagellar transport protein 20(IFT20),but this interaction was lost in the mutated versions,leading to the degradation of IFT20.This study identified a novel deleterious homozygous nonsense mutation in CCDC146 that causes male infertility,potentially by disrupting axonemal protein transportation.These findings offer valuable insights for genetic counseling and understanding the mechanisms underlying CCDC146 mutant-associated infertility in human males.展开更多
After natural or artificial insemination, the spermatozoon starts a journey from the site of deposition to the place of fertilization. However, only a small subset of the spermatozoa deposited achieves their goal： to...After natural or artificial insemination, the spermatozoon starts a journey from the site of deposition to the place of fertilization. However, only a small subset of the spermatozoa deposited achieves their goal： to reach and fertilize the egg. Factors involved in controlling sperm transport and fertilization include the female reproductive tract environment, cell-cell interactions, gene expression, and phenotypic sperm traits. Some of the significant determinants of fertilization are known （i.e., motility or DNA status）, but many sperm traits are still indecipherable. One example is the influence of sperm dimensions and shape upon transport within the female genital tract towards the oocyte. Biophysical associations between sperm size and motility may influence the progression of spermatozoa through the female reproductive tract, but uncertainties remain concerning how sperm morphology influences the fertilization process, and whether only the sperm dimensions per se are involved. Moreover, such explanations do not allow the possibility that the female tract is capable of distinguishing fertile spermatozoa on the basis of their morphology, as seems to be the case with biochemical, molecular, and genetic properties. This review focuses on the influence of sperm size and shape in evolution and their putative role in sperm transport and selection within the uterus and the ability to fertilize the oocyte.展开更多
精子鞭毛多发形态异常(multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella,MMAF)是一种遗传缺陷导致的畸形精子症。由于精子鞭毛缺失、短小、卷曲、弯折或不规则,以及不同畸形的组合,患者的精子活力低下,超微结构呈现以鞭毛...精子鞭毛多发形态异常(multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella,MMAF)是一种遗传缺陷导致的畸形精子症。由于精子鞭毛缺失、短小、卷曲、弯折或不规则,以及不同畸形的组合,患者的精子活力低下,超微结构呈现以鞭毛轴丝中心微管缺失为主要特征的鞭毛组装异常,以及纤维鞘、外周致密纤维、线粒体鞘和动力蛋白臂等结构的缺陷。MMAF男性无法自然生育,需借助辅助生殖技术获得后代。由于MMAF分子病因的异质性,导致患者的辅助生殖结局不尽相同。本文总结了已发现的MMAF候选基因及其功能机制,为MMAF的临床诊疗和研究提供参考。展开更多
精子具有高度特异性的结构特征,这是其所具有的独特受精功能所必需的。其中,精子鞭毛是精子产生运动所必需的一种特定细胞器。鞭毛的完整性对正常精子功能的维持至关重要,鞭毛缺陷常导致精子的运动能力减弱或缺失,从而引起男性不育。鞭...精子具有高度特异性的结构特征,这是其所具有的独特受精功能所必需的。其中,精子鞭毛是精子产生运动所必需的一种特定细胞器。鞭毛的完整性对正常精子功能的维持至关重要,鞭毛缺陷常导致精子的运动能力减弱或缺失,从而引起男性不育。鞭毛多发形态异常(multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagellum,MMAF)是导致男性不育的最严重的精子鞭毛缺陷之一,其特征是精子鞭毛存在变短、卷曲、缺失和不规则的现象。人类精子鞭毛中存在1000种以上的蛋白,因而形成MMAF的病因具有明显遗传异质性。近年来,对MMAF表型的基因组学研究已经鉴定出20余种导致MMAF和不育的突变基因。本文总结了导致MMAF的相关基因编码的蛋白信息、定位特征及其潜在的功能。展开更多
基金supported by the National Key Research and Developmental Program of China(2021YFC2700202,2022YFC2702601,2019YFA0802600,2022YFA0806303)National Natural Science Foundation of China(32470915,32000587,32270901,82171601)+1 种基金Global Select Project(DJK-LX-2022010)of the Institute of Health and Medicine,Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center,Joint Fund for New Medicine of USTC(YD9100002034)Scientific Research Foundation for Scholars of the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC(RC2023054)。
文摘Infertility represents a significant health concern,with sperm quantity and quality being crucial determinants of male fertility.Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia(OAT)is characterized by reduced sperm motility,lower sperm concentration,and morphological abnormalities in sperm heads and flagella.Although variants in several genes have been implicated in OAT,its genetic etiologies and pathogenetic mechanisms remain inadequately understood.In this study,we identified a homozygous nonsense mutation(c.916C>T,p.Arg306*)in the coiled-coil domain containing 146(CCDC146)gene in an infertile male patient with OAT.This mutation resulted in the production of a truncated CCDC146 protein(amino acids 1-305),retaining only two out of five coiled-coil domains.To validate the pathogenicity of the CCDC146 mutation,we generated a mouse model(Ccdc146^(mut/mut))with a similar mutation to that of the patient.Consistently,the Ccdc146mut/mut mice exhibited infertility,characterized by significantly reduced sperm counts,diminished motility,and multiple defects in sperm heads and flagella.Furthermore,the levels of axonemal proteins,including DNAH17,DNAH1,and SPAG6,were significantly reduced in the sperm of Ccdc146^(mut/mut) mice.Additionally,both human and mouse CCDC146 interacted with intraflagellar transport protein 20(IFT20),but this interaction was lost in the mutated versions,leading to the degradation of IFT20.This study identified a novel deleterious homozygous nonsense mutation in CCDC146 that causes male infertility,potentially by disrupting axonemal protein transportation.These findings offer valuable insights for genetic counseling and understanding the mechanisms underlying CCDC146 mutant-associated infertility in human males.
文摘After natural or artificial insemination, the spermatozoon starts a journey from the site of deposition to the place of fertilization. However, only a small subset of the spermatozoa deposited achieves their goal： to reach and fertilize the egg. Factors involved in controlling sperm transport and fertilization include the female reproductive tract environment, cell-cell interactions, gene expression, and phenotypic sperm traits. Some of the significant determinants of fertilization are known （i.e., motility or DNA status）, but many sperm traits are still indecipherable. One example is the influence of sperm dimensions and shape upon transport within the female genital tract towards the oocyte. Biophysical associations between sperm size and motility may influence the progression of spermatozoa through the female reproductive tract, but uncertainties remain concerning how sperm morphology influences the fertilization process, and whether only the sperm dimensions per se are involved. Moreover, such explanations do not allow the possibility that the female tract is capable of distinguishing fertile spermatozoa on the basis of their morphology, as seems to be the case with biochemical, molecular, and genetic properties. This review focuses on the influence of sperm size and shape in evolution and their putative role in sperm transport and selection within the uterus and the ability to fertilize the oocyte.
文摘精子鞭毛多发形态异常(multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella,MMAF)是一种遗传缺陷导致的畸形精子症。由于精子鞭毛缺失、短小、卷曲、弯折或不规则,以及不同畸形的组合,患者的精子活力低下,超微结构呈现以鞭毛轴丝中心微管缺失为主要特征的鞭毛组装异常,以及纤维鞘、外周致密纤维、线粒体鞘和动力蛋白臂等结构的缺陷。MMAF男性无法自然生育,需借助辅助生殖技术获得后代。由于MMAF分子病因的异质性,导致患者的辅助生殖结局不尽相同。本文总结了已发现的MMAF候选基因及其功能机制,为MMAF的临床诊疗和研究提供参考。
文摘精子具有高度特异性的结构特征,这是其所具有的独特受精功能所必需的。其中,精子鞭毛是精子产生运动所必需的一种特定细胞器。鞭毛的完整性对正常精子功能的维持至关重要,鞭毛缺陷常导致精子的运动能力减弱或缺失,从而引起男性不育。鞭毛多发形态异常(multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagellum,MMAF)是导致男性不育的最严重的精子鞭毛缺陷之一,其特征是精子鞭毛存在变短、卷曲、缺失和不规则的现象。人类精子鞭毛中存在1000种以上的蛋白,因而形成MMAF的病因具有明显遗传异质性。近年来,对MMAF表型的基因组学研究已经鉴定出20余种导致MMAF和不育的突变基因。本文总结了导致MMAF的相关基因编码的蛋白信息、定位特征及其潜在的功能。
