New Mechanism of Fertility Maintenance by sperm dynein light chain related gene

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K06442
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 42030:Animal life science-related
• Research Institution: Osaka University (2021-2022); Tohoku University (2020)
• Principal Investigator: Hiradate Yuki 大阪大学, 免疫学フロンティア研究センター, 特任助教(常勤) (20649157)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: CRISPR/Cas9 / ノックアウトマウス / マンシェット構造 / 非閉塞性無精子症 / 精子完成

Outline of Final Research Achievements

There remain a number of genes in the testis that are expressed but whose function remains unknown. Through the generation of knockout mice and screening by mating tests, Axdnd1 was identified as a novel gene essential for male fertility and further phenotypic analysis was performed. Histological observation revealed shrinkage of testicular tissue associated with apoptosis and marked spermatogenesis defects in the deficient mice. In addition, the transiently formed manchette structure was abnormally formed during the process from round spermatid to complete sperm morphogenesis. These results indicate that Axdnd1 is an essential gene for sperm morphogenesis.

Free Research Field

生殖生物学、発生工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

新規の雄性妊孕性に不可欠な遺伝子としてAxdnd１を特定し、その原因が精子形態形成不全に伴うことであることを明らかにした。知見は男性不妊症の発生メカニズムの解明に外挿することが可能で、新たな治療法開発につながる可能性がある。