Molecular basis of sperm quality control: challenging approach toward a new therapeutic strategy for male infertility

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K15715
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Obstetrics and gynecology
• Research Institution: National Cancer Center Japan
• Principal Investigator: Tsuneki Masayuki 国立研究開発法人国立がん研究センター, 研究所, 研究員 (40714944)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 荒川 博文 国立研究開発法人国立がん研究センター, 研究所, 分野長 (70313088) ; 中村 康之 国立研究開発法人国立がん研究センター, 研究所, 主任研究員 (90569063)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 男性不妊 / 酸化ストレス / 精子 / ミトコンドリア / Mieap

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Mieap plays a critical role in mitochondrial quality control. Mieap-deficient mice exhibited impaired mobility and morphology of the sperms. In this study, we examined the role of Mieap in sperm development and maturation in the testis, caput epididymis, corpus epididymis, and cauda epidydimis by proteomics and electron microscopic analyses. As the result, abnormal morphology was detected in the caput epididymis to the cauda epidydimis, but not in the testis, of the Mieap-deficient mice. On the other hand, some kinases and glycolysis-related proteins are significantly altered in the testis and epidydimis of the Mieap-deficient mice. These results suggest that Mieap plays a role in the mitochondrial quality control of the sperm development.

Free Research Field

病理学