Involvement of the prostate and testis expression (PATE)-like proteins in sperm-oocyte interaction

Abstract

background:The prostate and testis expression (PATE)-like family of proteins are expressed mainly in the male genital tract. They are localized in the sperm head and are homologous to SP-10, the acrosomal vesicle protein also named ACRV1. Our aim was to characterize the expression and functional role of three PATE-like proteins in the testis and ejaculated sperm. methods:The expression and localization of PATE-like proteins in human testis biopsies (n ¼ 95) and sperm cells were assessed by RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining (at least 600 sperm cells per specimen). The function of the PATE protein was tested by the hemizona assay and hamster egg penetration test (HEPT).results: PATE and PATE-M genes and proteins were present almost exclusively in germ cells in the testis: immunoflourescence showed that the percentage of germ cells positive for PATE, PATE-M and PATE-B was 85, 50 and 2%, respectively. PATE and PATE-M proteins were localized in the equatorial segment of the sperm head, while PATE-B protein was localized in the post-acrosomal region. A polyclonal antibody (Ab, at 1:50 and 1:200 dilutions) against the PATE protein did not inhibit sperm -zona binding in the hemizona assay (hemizona index of 89.6 + 10 and 87 + 36%, respectively). However, there was inhibition of sperm -oolemma fusion and penetration in the HEPT (penetration index: without Ab 7

Effect of immunization against prostate- and testis-expressed (PATE) proteins on sperm function and fecundity in the rat

“…Incubation of mouse spermatozoa with polyclonal antibody specific to PATE inhibited sperm-oolemma fusion and not sperm-zona binding (Margalit et al, 2012). Similarly, SP-10, a protein similar to PATE was found to play a role in sperm-egg binding and oolemma penetration (Hamatani et al, 2006).…”

“…Although the human PATE proteins were found to be involved in sperm-oolemma fusion and penetration, but not in sperm-zona binding (Margalit et al, 2012), their role in sperm maturation and capacitation are not yet reported. Because of their segment-specific expression in the epididymis, differential localization on the sperm and difference in their functional roles, it is possible that they may also play varied roles in sperm function.…”

“…Although few studies have reported that the PATE proteins are localized in the male reproductive tissues and spermatozoa (Soler-Garcia et al, 2005;Turunen et al, 2011;Margalit et al, 2012;Levitin et al, 2008), their precise function is not yet known. Among the ten rat Pate genes identified, we focused on the characterization of two of them; namely, Pate and Pate-F, since the mRNA expression of Pate is restricted to corpus and cauda and that of Pate-F was specific to the caput (Rajesh and Yenugu, 2012).…”

shRNA mediated ablation of prostate and testis expressed (Pate) messenger RNA results in impaired sperm function and fertility

“…Their three-dimensional structures indicate that they are similar to the three-fingered proteins (Ploug & Ellis, 1994;Fry et al, 2003), uPAR and murine Ly-6 GPI-anchored proteins (Ploug & Ellis, 1994), and activin receptors (Ploug, 2003). PATE proteins are abundantly expressed in the male reproductive tract and on the spermatozoa (Soler-Garcia et al, 2005;Levitin et al, 2008;Turunen et al, 2011;Margalit et al, 2012). We also demonstrated their expression pattern in the male reproductive tract of rat and the dynamics of expression during sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction, besides their role in fecundity (Rajesh & Yenugu, 2012, 2015.…”

“…PATE proteins conserve two characteristic motifs that contain 10 cysteine residues: C [XX]C[X7-8]C[X6]C[X7-8]C and C[X3]C[X15-16]CC[X4-5]CN; with a dipeptide sequence (cysteine-asparagine) at the C-terminal formed with the 10th cysteine of the second motif (Bera et al, 2002). PATE proteins are abundantly expressed in the male reproductive tract and on the spermatozoa (Soler-Garcia et al, 2005;Levitin et al, 2008;Turunen et al, 2011;Margalit et al, 2012). PATE proteins are abundantly expressed in the male reproductive tract and on the spermatozoa (Soler-Garcia et al, 2005;Levitin et al, 2008;Turunen et al, 2011;Margalit et al, 2012).…”