Proteomic characteristics of spermatozoa in normozoospermic patients with infertility

• DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2012.06.021
• Publication Date: 2012-07-05T22:05:16Z
• Authors: Wangjie Xu; Hongliang Hu; Zhaoxia Wang; Xiaohui Chen; Fang Yang; Zijue Zhu; Peng Fang; Jingbo Dai; Lianyun Wang; Huijuan Shi; Zheng Li; Zhongdong Qiao
• Keywords: Adult; Male; Proteomics; 0301 basic medicine; Proteome; Sperm Count; Spermatozoa; 3. Good health; Semen Analysis; Young Adult; 03 medical and health sciences; Case-Control Studies; Sperm Motility; Cluster Analysis; Humans; Infertility, Male; Metabolic Networks and Pathways

Male infertility is a vexing yet common problem for men all over the world. However, its etiology remains unknown in most cases. The aim of this study was to screen and investigate the differentially expressed proteins in the sperm of infertile patients, whose sperm clinical parameters met the WHO guidelines. Using MALDI-TOF/TOF analysis, we identified 24 differentially expressed proteins from the 31 most abundant different protein spots in 2D gels of sperm samples, then verified and analyzed localization in sperm of the proteins. Following data mining analysis showed that these 24 proteins were categorized into five functional clustering groups: sexual reproduction, response to wounding, metabolic process, cell growth and/or maintenance, not clear. Additionally, 9 of the 24 differentially expressed proteins are involved in a main pathway network including TGF-β1, MYC, β-estradiol, MYCN, and TP53, which are known to be involved in cell communication, proliferation and differentiation. The observed differences in signaling and metabolic pathways between the infertile sperm and the normal fertile spermatozoa have implications in sperm motility, capacitation, acrosomal reaction and sperm-oocyte communication. These proteins are potential diagnostic markers, and the study of these proteins could help gain further insight into the pathogenic mechanisms in infertility.