title: Acetylated α-tubulin is reduced in individuals with poor sperm motility.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the status of α-tubulin acetylation and of testis-specific acetylable α-tubulin isoforms in asthenozoospermia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Research study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Research institute and an infertility clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  50 men with normal sperm parameters, and 50 men with asthenozoospermia.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  Western blot analyses of α-tubulin, acetylated α-tubulin, and isoforms TUBA3C, TUBA4A, and TUBA8 in Percoll separated sperm and flow cytometry, real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, and immunofluorescent localization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A statistically significant decrease in the expression of acetylated α-tubulin in asthenozoosperm was seen with Western blot analysis, double immunostaining by direct immunofluorescence, and flow cytometric analysis. The transcript and protein of testis-specific acetylable α-tubulin isoform TUBA3C was decreased and TUBA4A was statistically significantly increased in asthenozoosperm as compared with normal spermatozoa. TUBA8 was reduced in asthenozoosperm. Similar observations were noted by indirect immunofluorescent localization. The potential transcription factors involved in the differential expression of TUBA4A and TUBA3C have been identified.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data suggest an association of α-tubulin acetylation with asthenozoospermia. Ours is the first report to demonstrate α-tubulin isoforms in sperm, implicating their role in motility. The differential expression of TUBA3C and TUBA4A suggests that tubulin acetylation may be governed by the isoform of α-tubulin that is expressed or silenced and that this in turn is transcriptionally controlled.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gamete Immunobiology, National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health (ICMR), Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: Shweta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhagwat
authors.affiliation: Department of Gamete Immunobiology, National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health (ICMR), Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: Veena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dalvi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB), Biotech Park, Bengaluru, India.
authors.forename: Darshan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chandrasekhar
authors.affiliation: Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB), Biotech Park, Bengaluru, India.
authors.forename: Tinsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matthew
authors.affiliation: Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB), Biotech Park, Bengaluru, India; Shodhaka Life Sciences, Pvt. Ltd., IBAB, Bengaluru, India.
authors.forename: Kshitish
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Acharya
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health (ICMR), Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: Rahul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gajbhiye
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health (ICMR), Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: Vijay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kulkarni
authors.affiliation: Confocal Microscopy Laboratory, National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health (ICMR), Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: Shobha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sonawane
authors.affiliation: Department of Gamete Immunobiology, National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health (ICMR), Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: Manish
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghosalkar
authors.affiliation: Department of Gamete Immunobiology, National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health (ICMR), Mumbai, India. Electronic address: partep@nirrh.res.in.
authors.forename: Priyanka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parte
mesh_terms: D000107:Acetylation; D053713:Azoospermia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D060066:Protein Interaction Maps / Q000502:physiology*; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology*; D014404:Tubulin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014404:Tubulin
keywords: Acetylation; alpha tubulin; asthenozoosperm; isoforms; testis-specific