Oligoasthenoteratozoospermic (OAT) men display altered phospholipase C ζ (PLCζ) localization and a lower percentage of sperm cells expressing PLCζ and post-acrosomal sheath WW domain-binding protein (PAWP)

Nahid Azad; Hamid Nazarian; Marefat Ghaffari Novin; Reza Masteri Farahani; Abbas Piryaei; Mohammad Hassan Heidari; Meghdad Abdollahpour Alitappeh

doi:10.17305/bjbms.2017.2208

Authors

Nahid Azad Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Hamid Nazarian Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Marefat Ghaffari Novin Infertility and Reproductive Health Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Reza Masteri Farahani Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Abbas Piryaei Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Urogenital Stem Cell Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mohammad Hassan Heidari Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Meghdad Abdollahpour Alitappeh Basic and Molecular Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Disorders Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17305/bjbms.2017.2208

Keywords:

Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia, OAT, phospholipase C ζ, PLCζ, post-acrosomal sheath WW domain-binding protein, PAWP, semen quality, sperm cells

Abstract

Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT) is demonstrated to be one of the most common causes of male subfertility. Phospholipase C ζ (PLCζ), a sperm-specific protein, is considered to be one of the sperm-borne oocyte activating factors (SOAFs), which play a vital role in fertilization. The post-acrosomal sheath WW domain-binding protein (PAWP) is another candidate for SOAF. The aim of this study was to compare the PLCζ localization patterns and percentage of PLCζ- and PAWP-positive sperm cells in patients with OAT and fertile men with normozoospermia. A total of 40 men included in this study were classified into two groups: OAT (n = 25) and control group (n = 15). Semen samples were collected and analyzed using conventional semen analysis according to the World Health Organization guidelines. The percentage of PLCζ- and PAWP-positive sperm cells and localization patterns of PLCζ were evaluated using immunofluorescence staining. The mean percentage of sperm cells expressing PAWP and PLCζ was significantly lower in OAT compared to control group (52.8 ± 4.2 vs. 76.8 ± 5 and 63.4 ± 3.5 vs. 86.7 ± 2.1, respectively). In addition, statistically significant differences were found with regard to the PLCζ localization patterns, including equatorial, acrosomal + equatorial, and equatorial + post-acrosomal pattern, between the two groups (p < 0.01). The present study showed a lower percentage of sperm cells expressing PLCζ and PAWP, as well as altered localization patterns of PLCζ in men with OAT. Given the role of PLCζ and PAWP in fertilization, as two major candidates for SOAFs, our findings indicate that PLCζ and PAWP impairments may be one of the possible etiologies of decreased fertility in OAT.

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Author Biographies

Nahid Azad, Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences
Hamid Nazarian, Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences
Reza Masteri Farahani, Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences
Abbas Piryaei, Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Urogenital Stem Cell Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences
Mohammad Hassan Heidari, Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences

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