PHGPx in spermatogenesis: how many functions?
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.
Puglisi
Rossella
R
Department of Histology and Medical Embryology, University of Rome La Sapienza, 00161 Rome, Italy.
Tramer
Federica
F
Carlomagno
Gianfranco
G
Gandini
Loredana
L
Panfili
Enrico
E
Stefanini
Mario
M
Lenzi
Andrea
A
Mangia
Franco
F
Boitani
Carla
C
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*
D007527:Isoenzymes; D000080662:Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase