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Defective expression of Gα12 in the testes of azoospermia patients and in the spermatozoa with low motility

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Abstract

Antibody to the Gα12-subunit of guanine nucleotide regulatory proteins was used to determine whether the Gα12 is present in adult human spermatogenic cells and to determine its role in dyszoospermia. Immunoblots from testes and spermatozoa demonstrated the presence of Gα12 in the samples. Immunohistochemical analyses of testes found that Gα12 was expressed in the cytoplasm of Leydig cells and was expressed in spermatids from the elongating Sb phase to mature sperm. Indirect immunofluorescence of human spermatozoa revealed the presence of Gα12 in the neck region and the midpiece of the sperm. Gα12 in spermatids and spermatozoa partially co-localized with F-actin and α-tubulin. Immunohistochemical analyses of tissues from three patients with non-obstructive azoospermia showed abnormal expression of Gα12 in more than 45% of spermatids. Furthermore, Western blots and indirect immunofluorescence found defective expression of Gα12 in low-motility spermatozoa with midpieces that were bent on themselves. Therefore, it suggests that Gα12 plays a role in polarity and tail formation as spermatids mature. Furthermore, Gα12 may be a candidate protein responsible for azoospermia caused by spermatogenic disturbance or midpiece deformities.

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Acknowledgements

The research was supported by a grant from Chinese National Prominent Youth Foundation, no. 30425006, and Special Purpose for Prophase Investigation of Great Fundamental Research, no. 2004CCA06800.

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  1. Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, 140 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China

    Yanqiu Hu, Ying Lu, Zuomin Zhou, Yong Du, Jun Xing, Lei Wang, Min Lin & Jiahao Sha

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  1. Yanqiu Hu
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Correspondence to Jiahao Sha.

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Hu, Y., Lu, Y., Zhou, Z. et al. Defective expression of Gα12 in the testes of azoospermia patients and in the spermatozoa with low motility. J Mol Med 84, 416–424 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00109-005-0028-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00109-005-0028-y

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