Pang Won-Ki, Amjad Shehreen, Ryu Do-Yeal, Adegoke Elikanah Olusayo, Rahman Md Saidur, Park Yoo-Jin, Pang Myung-Geol
Department of Animal Science & Technology and BET Research Institute, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, 17546, Republic of Korea.
J Anim Sci Biotechnol. 2022 Jul 7;13(1):84. doi: 10.1186/s40104-022-00729-9.
Male infertility is an important issue that causes low production in the animal industry. To solve the male fertility crisis in the animal industry, the prediction of sperm quality is the most important step. Sperm RNA is the potential marker for male fertility prediction. We hypothesized that the expression of functional genes related to fertilization will be the best target for male fertility prediction markers. To investigate optimum male fertility prediction marker, we compared target genes expression level and a wide range of field data acquired from artificial insemination of boar semen.
Among the genes related to acrosomal vesicle exocytosis and sperm-oocyte fusion, equatorin (EQTN), zona pellucida sperm-binding protein 4 (ZP4), and sperm acrosome membrane-associated protein 3 exhibited high accuracy (70%, 90%, and 70%, respectively) as markers to evaluate male fertility. Combinations of EQTN-ZP4, ZP4-protein unc-13 homolog B, and ZP4-regulating synaptic membrane exocytosis protein 1 (RIMS1) showed the highest prediction value, and all these markers are involved in the acrosome reaction.
The EQTN-ZP4 model was efficient in clustering the high-fertility group and may be useful for selection of animal that has superior fertility in the livestock industry. Compared to the EQTN-ZP4 model, the ZP4-RIMS1 model was more efficient in clustering the low-fertility group and may be useful in the diagnosis of male infertility in humans and other animals. The appointed translational animal model and established biomarker combination can be widely used in various scientific fields such as biomedical science.
雄性不育是导致畜牧业产量低下的一个重要问题。为了解决畜牧业中的雄性生育危机，精子质量预测是最重要的一步。精子RNA是预测雄性生育能力的潜在标志物。我们假设与受精相关的功能基因的表达将是雄性生育能力预测标志物的最佳靶点。为了研究最佳的雄性生育能力预测标志物，我们比较了靶基因的表达水平以及从猪精液人工授精获得的广泛现场数据。
在与顶体小泡胞吐作用和精卵融合相关的基因中，赤道蛋白（EQTN）、透明带精子结合蛋白4（ZP4）和精子顶体膜相关蛋白3作为评估雄性生育能力的标志物表现出较高的准确性（分别为70%、90%和70%）。EQTN-ZP组合、ZP4-unc-13同源蛋白B和ZP4-调节突触膜胞吐蛋白1（RIMS1）的组合显示出最高的预测价值，并且所有这些标志物都参与顶体反应。
EQTN-ZP4模型在对高生育力组进行聚类方面是有效的，可能有助于在畜牧业中选择具有优异生育力的动物。与EQTN-ZP4模型相比，ZP4-RIMS1模型在对低生育力组进行聚类方面更有效，可能有助于诊断人类和其他动物的雄性不育。指定的转化动物模型和建立的生物标志物组合可广泛应用于生物医学科学等各个科学领域。
