• PMID: 29247344
• Gene Name: ROPN1
• Condition: Asthenozoospermia, Male infertility
• Association: Associated
• Population size: 120
• Population details: 120 (60 normozoospermic and 60 asthenozoospermic)
• Sex: Male
• Infertility type: Male infertility
• Associated genes: ROPN1,CABYR
• Other associated phenotypes: Asthenozoospermia, Male infertility

Molecular study of human sperm RNA: Ropporin and CABYR in asthenozoospermia

Pelloni M, Paoli D, Majoli M, Pallotti F, Carlini T, Lenzi A, Lombardo F.

BACKGROUND: Sperm motility is an essential aspect of human fertility. Sperm contain an abundance of transcripts, thought to be remnants of mRNA, which comprise a genetic fingerprint and can be considered a historic record of gene expression during spermatogenesis. The aberrant expression of numerous genes has been found to contribute to impaired sperm motility; these include ROPN1 (rhophilin associated tail protein 1), which encodes a component of the fibrous sheath of the mammalian sperm flagella, and CABYR (calcium-binding tyrosine-(Y)-phosphorylation-regulated protein), which plays an important role in calcium activation and modulation. The aim of this study was to investigate ROPN1 and CABYR gene co-expression in asthenozoospermic semen samples in comparison with normozoospermic samples. METHODS: We studied 120 semen samples (60 normozoospermic and 60 asthenozoospermic) from Caucasian patients attending our centre for an andrological check-up. Total RNA was extracted from purified spermatozoa with RNeasy mini kit. ROPN1 and CABYR mRNA expression was analysed using RT-qPCR. Continuous variables were described as means ± standard deviations. RESULTS: ROPN1 and CABYR mRNA were simultaneously downregulated in asthenozoospermic in comparison with normozoospermic samples. There was also a positive correlation between total progressive motility and ROPN1 and CABYR gene expression and between total motile sperm number and ROPN1 and CABYR gene expression. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrated downregulation of both ROPN1 and CABYR in asthenozoospermic samples and importantly, a positive correlation between the expression of the two genes, suggesting that ROPN1 and CABYR co-expression is a prerequisite for normal flagellar function and sperm motility. FAU - Pelloni, M AU - Pelloni M AD - Laboratory of Seminology-Sperm Bank "Loredana Gandini", Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161, Rome, Italy. FAU - Paoli, D AU - Paoli D AD - Laboratory of Seminology-Sperm Bank "Loredana Gandini", Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161, Rome, Italy. donatella.paoli@uniroma1.it. FAU - Majoli, M AU - Majoli M AD - Laboratory of Seminology-Sperm Bank "Loredana Gandini", Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161, Rome, Italy. FAU - Pallotti, F AU - Pallotti F AD - Laboratory of Seminology-Sperm Bank "Loredana Gandini", Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161, Rome, Italy. FAU - Carlini, T AU - Carlini T AD - Laboratory of Seminology-Sperm Bank "Loredana Gandini", Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161, Rome, Italy. FAU - Lenzi, A AU - Lenzi A AD - Laboratory of Seminology-Sperm Bank "Loredana Gandini", Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161, Rome, Italy.