title: Expression of CatSper family transcripts in the mouse testis during post-natal development and human ejaculated spermatozoa: relationship to sperm motility.
abstract: CatSper is a unique sperm cation channel-like protein family exclusively expressed in the testis and plays important roles in sperm functions. The temporal expression profiles of CatSper1-4 mRNAs in the mouse testis during post-natal development through adulthood were investigated using real-time RT-PCR. The CatSper2 transcript was present in the testis of the 8-day-old mice, and was repressed in the adult testis after two sharp up-regulations at day 18 and 35. CatSper1 and CatSper3, 4 mRNAs were detectable in the testis of 18-day and 15-day-old mice, respectively. After sharp up-regulation at day 25 and 35, respectively, they were maximal at the adult testis stage. The differences between the temporal expression profiles of the CatSper transcripts in post-natal mouse testis development suggest different regulation to their transcription, and potentially contribute to the possibility of forming heteromeric channels among these four CatSper family members. CatSper1-3 transcripts were identified to be present in the human ejaculated spermatozoa by RT-PCR. Significantly higher levels of CatSper2 and CatSper3 mRNAs revealed by real-time RT-PCR were observed in the high-motile spermatozoa than in the low-motile fraction and suggests that CatSper2 and CatSper3 transcripts in the human ejaculated spermatozoa could be the potential targets for further study and male infertility screening.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Family Planning Research Institute, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Gang
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiao-Fang
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Ai-Hua
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Xiang-Bing
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Cheng-Liang
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Xiong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004542:Ejaculation; D006801:Humans; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D029589:Seminal Plasma Proteins; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism*; D013737:Testis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C438823:CATSPER1 protein, human; C482695:CATSPER2 protein, human; C522690:CATSPER3 protein, human; D015220:Calcium Channels; C488642:Catsper1 protein, mouse; D007473:Ion Channels; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D029589:Seminal Plasma Proteins