title: Mice overexpressing the mitochondrial phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase in male germ cells show abnormal spermatogenesis and reduced fertility.
abstract: To investigate the physiological effects of mitochondrial phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (mPHGPx) overexpression during early male germ cell differentiation, we have generated transgenic mice bearing the rat mPhgpx coding sequence driven by the mouse synaptonemal complex protein 1 promoter, allowing the transgene to be specifically activated in the testis from the zygotene to diplotene stages of the first meiotic division. Northern/Western blotting and immunocytochemical analyses of endogenous mPHGPx expression during spermatogenesis showed a low enzyme level in middle-late pachytene spermatocytes, but not in earlier meiotic stages, and a significant increase in mPHGPx content in round spermatids. The histological and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling analysis of transgenic testes revealed a number of spermatogenetic defects, including primary spermatocyte apoptosis, haploid cell loss, and seminiferous epithelium disorganization. In line with these features, adult transgenic male mice also displayed a reduction in fertility. Results obtained in this study suggest that mPHGPx expression is tightly regulated in pachytene spermatocytes, with any spatial-temporal increase in mPHGPx expression resulting in damage to spermatogenesis and eventual loss of haploid cells. Present findings in the mouse may be of interest to human male fertility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Medical Embryology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via A. Scarpa 14, 00161 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Rossella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Puglisi
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bevilacqua
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carlomagno
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lenzi
authors.forename: Loredana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gandini
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stefanini
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mangia
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boitani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006238:Haploidy; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D008540:Meiosis; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000201:enzymology*; D000080662:Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013087:Spermatids / Q000201:enzymology; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D012313:RNA; D000080662:Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase