Volume 13, Issue 5 pp. 1105-1116
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Whole-exome sequencing identifies ADGB as a novel causative gene for male infertility in humans: from motility to fertilization

Yang Gao

Yang Gao

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China

NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), Hefei, Anhui, China

Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, Anhui, China

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Liting Liu

Liting Liu

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China

NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), Hefei, Anhui, China

Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, Anhui, China

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Shixiong Tian

Shixiong Tian

Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Human Phenome Institute, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China

Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China

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Chunyu Liu

Chunyu Liu

Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Human Phenome Institute, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China

Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China

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Mingrong Lv

Mingrong Lv

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China

NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), Hefei, Anhui, China

Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, Anhui, China

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Huan Wu

Huan Wu

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China

NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), Hefei, Anhui, China

Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, Anhui, China

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Dongdong Tang

Dongdong Tang

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China

NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), Hefei, Anhui, China

Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, Anhui, China

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Bing Song

Bing Song

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China

NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), Hefei, Anhui, China

Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, Anhui, China

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Qunshan Shen

Qunshan Shen

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China

Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Genetics, Hefei, Anhui, China

Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center of Biopreservation and Artificial Organs, Hefei, Anhui, China

Anhui Provincial Human Sperm Bank, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China

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Yuping Xu

Yuping Xu

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China

NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), Hefei, Anhui, China

Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, Anhui, China

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Ping Zhou

Ping Zhou

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China

NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), Hefei, Anhui, China

Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, Anhui, China

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Zhaolian Wei

Zhaolian Wei

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China

NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), Hefei, Anhui, China

Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, Anhui, China

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Feng Zhang

Corresponding Author

Feng Zhang

Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Human Phenome Institute, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China

Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China

Correspondence

Xiaojin He, Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 650 Xinsongjiang Road, Shanghai 200080, China.

Email: [email protected]

Yunxia Cao, Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China.

Email: [email protected]

Feng Zhang, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.

Email: [email protected]

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Yunxia Cao

Corresponding Author

Yunxia Cao

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China

NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), Hefei, Anhui, China

Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Hefei, Anhui, China

Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, China

Correspondence

Xiaojin He, Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 650 Xinsongjiang Road, Shanghai 200080, China.

Email: [email protected]

Yunxia Cao, Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China.

Email: [email protected]

Feng Zhang, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.

Email: [email protected]

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Xiaojin He

Corresponding Author

Xiaojin He

NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), Hefei, Anhui, China

Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

Correspondence

Xiaojin He, Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 650 Xinsongjiang Road, Shanghai 200080, China.

Email: [email protected]

Yunxia Cao, Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China.

Email: [email protected]

Feng Zhang, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.

Email: [email protected]

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First published: 22 February 2024
Citations: 3

Yang Gao, Liting Liu, and Shixiong Tian contributed equally to this work.

Abstract

Objectives

In male mice, adgb-knockout has been reported to cause male infertility with spermatogenesis defects involving flagella and acrosome. However, this remains unclear for humans.

Materials and methods

Sequencing studies were conducted in a research hospital on samples from three unrelated infertile men with severe asthenoteratozoospermia from Han Chinese families. Data were collected through rigorous in silico analysis. Sanger sequencing were performed to identify pathogenic mutations. Sperm cells from patients were characterized using electron microscopy and used to verify the pathogenicity of the genetic factors through functional assays. Intracytoplasmic sperm injections (ICSI) assays were performed in ADGB-affected males.

Main results

Herein, in a cohort of 105 Han Chinese men with idiopathic asthenoteratozoospermia, we reported the identification of bi-allelic deleterious variants of ADGB in three infertile men from unrelated families using whole-exome sequencing. We found one homozygous frameshift ADGB variant (NM_024694.4: c.2801_2802del:p.K934Rfs*33), one homozygous missense ADGB variant (NM_024694.4: c.C3167T:p.T1056I), and one compound heterozygous ADGB variant (NM_024694.4: c.C3167T:p.T1056I; c.C3197T:p.A1066V). These variants were rare in general population and were predicted to be damaging by multiple bioinformatics tools. Further, the spermatozoa from patients harboring ADGB variants showed multiple acrosome and flagellum malformations under light and electron microscopy. Functional assays revealed the structural defects associated with dysregulation of ADGB and multiple spermatogenesis proteins. Notably, the fertilization success via ICSI treatment in all three patients, as well as the normal expression of PLCζ but CaM deficiency in the spermatozoa, suggesting that ICSI other than in vitro fertilization (IVF) is an optimal treatment for ADGB-deficient patients.

Discussion and conclusion

Our findings provide new information for the molecular diagnosis of asthenoteratozoospermia and valuable reference for personalized genetic counselling and clinical treatment for these patients. The underlying risk of IVF failure behind sperm defects was highlighted.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

All data relevant to the study are included in the paper or uploaded as supporting information.

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