Increased male fertility using fertility-related biomarkers.
Conventional semen analyses are used to evaluate male factor fertility/infertility in humans and other animals. However, their clinical value remains controversial. Therefore, new tools that more accurately assess male fertility based on sperm function and fertilization mechanism are of interest worldwide. While protein markers in spermatozoa that might help differentiate fertile and infertile sperm have been identified, studies are in their infancy, and the markers require validation in field trials. In the present study, to discover more sensitive biomarkers in spermatozoa for predicting male fertility, we assessed protein expression in capacitated spermatozoa. The results demonstrated that cytochrome b-c1 complex subunit 2 (UQCRC2) was abundantly expressed in high-litter size spermatozoa (>3-fold). On the other hand, equatorin, beta-tubulin, cytochrome b-c1 complex subunit 1 (UQCRC1), speriolin, Ras-related protein Rab-2A (RAB2A), spermadhesin AQN-3, and seminal plasma sperm motility inhibitor were abundantly expressed in low-litter size spermatozoa (>3-fold). Moreover, RAB2A and UQCRC1 expression negatively correlated with litter size, while UQCRC2 expression positively correlated with litter size. Finally, the putative biomarkers predicted litter size in field trials. Our study suggests that biomarkers present in spermatozoa after capacitation can help differentiate superior male fertility from below-average fertility with high sensitivity.
Department of Animal Science &Technology, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-Do 456-756, Korea.
Woo-Sung
WS
Kwon
Department of Animal Science &Technology, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-Do 456-756, Korea.
Md Saidur
MS
Rahman
Department of Animal Science &Technology, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-Do 456-756, Korea.
Do-Yeal
DY
Ryu
Department of Animal Science &Technology, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-Do 456-756, Korea.
Yoo-Jin
YJ
Park
Department of Animal Science &Technology, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-Do 456-756, Korea.
Myung-Geol
MG
Pang
D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D005298:Fertility / Q000235:genetics*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D040901:Proteomics; D012661:Semen / Q000378:metabolism; D055101:Semen Analysis; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000235:genetics; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013552:Swine
D015415:Biomarkers