title: Expression and potential roles of HLA-G in human spermatogenesis and early embryonic development.
abstract: As one of the non-classical major histocompatibility complex(MHC)-1 antigens, Human Leukocyte Antigen G (HLA-G), has been suggested as a prognostic marker to identify the embryo developmental potential. In the present study, we investigated the potential roles of HLA-G in human spermatogenesis and early embryonic development. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that HLA-G's expression was increased with increased Johnsen score in testicular tissues. There was no significant difference in HLA-G mRNA expression between testicular tissues with Johnsen score of 8-9 and normal sperm from ejaculated semen. HLA-G mRNA expression was detected in human zygotes, embryos and blastocysts but not in unfertilized oocytes. In testicular tissues where sperm was obtained by testicular sperm extraction (Johnsen score was 8 to 9), there were no correlations between HLA-G mRNA expression and fertilization, cleavage and high-quality embryo rates. At 48-72 h post-fertilization, HLA-G expression was higher in fast growing embryos. HLA-G specific siRNA injection into zygotes not only slowed down embryonic cleavage rate at 48 h post-fertilization, but also down-regulated the expression of embryo metabolism related gene (SLC2A1) and cell cycle-regulated gene (CCND2). Taken together, our findings suggested that HLA-G plays significant roles in human spermatogenesis and early embryonic development.
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Gui-Dong
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Program of Reproductive and Stem Cell Biology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Yi-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Sen-Lin
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhao-Feng
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wen-Yan
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hai-Xia
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ying-Pu
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000196:embryology*; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology*; D059951:HLA-G Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D012333:RNA, Messenger