Proteomics of human spermatozoa, protamine content and assisted reproduction outcome.
It is well known that alterations in the expression of the major sperm nuclear proteins (protamines) are related to infertility in man. In addition, other minor proteins extracted from human spermatozoa are being analysed by 2-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-D PAGE) and identified by MALDI-TOF MS analysis. The function of the identified proteins turns out to be energy production, transcription, protein synthesis, transport, folding and turnover, cell cycle, apoptosis and oxidative stress, signal transduction, cytoskeleton, flagella and cell movement, cell recognition, metabolism and unknown function. Many of the proteins identified using MALDI-TOF had not been yet been described as being expressed in human spermatozoa. Substantial differences have been detected in the levels of some of the newly identified human sperm proteins in the different groups of infertile patients. Present research efforts are targeting the potential correlations among changes in the proteomic composition, protamine content, DNA integrity and assisted reproduction outcome.
Oliva
Rafael
R
Human Genetics Research Group, IDIBAPS, Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. roliva@ub.edu
Martínez-Heredia
Juan
J
de Mateo
Sara
S
Gázquez
Cristina
C
Oriola
Josep
J
Estanyol
Josep Maria
JM
Guimerà
Marta
M
Balasch
Juan
J
Ballescà
José Luis
JL
D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D011479:Protamines / Q000032:analysis*; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism*
D011479:Protamines