title: PHGPx in spermatogenesis: how many functions?
abstract: Phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (PHGPx) is a unique intracellular enzyme that directly reduces lipid hydroperoxides in membranes and has the ability to use protein thiol groups as donor substrates. Three isoforms of PHGPx have so far been identified, namely, a mitochondrial, a cytosolic and a nuclear variant. This article is focused on recent evidence demonstrating that (1) mitochondrial and nuclear PHGPx isoforms display a different pattern of expression during male germ cell differentiation; (2) different PHGPx isoforms play specific and independent functions during sperm maturation. The data are discussed in light of the idea that PHGPx is a moonlighting protein, changing roles depending on the intracellular localization, expression in a specific cell type and different partners which it interacts with.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Medical Embryology, University of Rome La Sapienza, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Rossella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Puglisi
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tramer
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carlomagno
authors.forename: Loredana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gandini
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Panfili
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stefanini
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lenzi
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mangia
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boitani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005298:Fertility; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D000080662:Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase; D051381:Rats; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D007527:Isoenzymes; D000080662:Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase