XueXia Liu, BenJiao Gong, XueYing Zhang, Peng Zhu, FuJun Liu
Shandong Stem Cell Engineering Technology Research Center, Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Yantai, China.
School of Bioscience and Technology, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, China.
Reprod Sci. 2025 Apr 1. doi: 10.1007/s43032-025-01852-4.
The CMTM family plays pivotal roles in various physiological and pathological processes, including those associated with the male reproductive system. Among them, CMTM2 exhibits specific expression in testicular tissue; however, its relationship with spermatogenesis, sperm function, and the underlying molecular mechanisms remains unclear. This study systematically investigated the localization of CMTM2 in human testis and sperm, as well as its correlation with spermatogenesis and sperm quality. The results revealed that CMTM2 expression was specifically localized in human testis, predominantly in germ cells, with significantly lower levels observed in sperm from patients with asthenozoospermia and teratozoospermia compared to normospermic individuals. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed that CMTM2 was predominantly localized in the middle piece of sperm, with significant reductions in infertile samples. Western blot analysis confirmed decreased CMTM2 levels in sperm from asthenozoospermia, oligozoospermia, and teratozoospermia patients, indicating a strong correlation between CMTM2 expression and sperm quality. Furthermore, CMTM2 expression positively correlated with sperm progressive motility, but not with sperm concentration, suggesting its potential role in regulating sperm motility in both normal and asthenozoospermia patients. The findings suggested a significant correlation between the CMTM2 expression and spermatogenesis as well as sperm quality, thereby providing valuable insights for further investigations into the molecular mechanisms involved. These results lay a foundational basis for exploring the potential roles of other members within the CMTM family in male reproduction.
CMTM家族在各种生理和病理过程中发挥着关键作用，包括与男性生殖系统相关的过程。其中，CMTM2在睾丸组织中表现出特异性表达；然而，其与精子发生、精子功能及潜在分子机制的关系仍不清楚。本研究系统地研究了CMTM2在人类睾丸和精子中的定位，以及其与精子发生和精子质量的相关性。结果显示，CMTM2表达特异性定位于人类睾丸，主要在生殖细胞中，与正常精子个体相比，弱精子症和畸形精子症患者精子中的CMTM2水平显著降低。免疫荧光分析显示，CMTM2主要定位于精子的中段，在不育样本中显著减少。蛋白质免疫印迹分析证实，弱精子症、少精子症和畸形精子症患者精子中的CMTM2水平降低，表明CMTM2表达与精子质量密切相关。此外，CMTM2表达与精子前向运动呈正相关，但与精子浓度无关，提示其在正常和弱精子症患者中调节精子运动的潜在作用。这些发现表明CMTM2表达与精子发生及精子质量之间存在显著相关性，从而为进一步研究相关分子机制提供了有价值的见解。这些结果为探索CMTM家族其他成员在男性生殖中的潜在作用奠定了基础。
