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Updated: Jul 9, 2026
Phosphopeptide Analysis of Rodent Epididymal Spermatozoa
Published on: December 30, 2014
Identification of human spermatogenesis-related proteins by comparative proteomic analysis: a preliminary study
1Department of Histology and Embryology, Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Objective:
To identify human spermatogenesis-related proteins.
Design:
Prospective study.
Setting:
University research laboratory.
Patient(S):
Three fertile men with normal spermatogenesis, 3 azoospermic patients with sloughing and disorganization of germ cells.
Intervention(S):
Testicular tissue samples were collected by biopsy after informed consent.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
The protein expressional profiles of human testes of fertile men and azoospermic patients were compared using a proteomic approach by combining two-dimensional gel electrophoresis analyses and mass spectrometry. Bioinformatic analysis helped to reveal the regulation pathway. Expression of some selected proteins in normal and pathological testes was analyzed by immunohistochemistry.
Result(S):
Ten protein spots were identified as expressing differentially between the normal testes and pathological testes with sloughing and disorganization of germ cells; these included the phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase, peroxiredoxin 4 (Prx4), heat shock protein beta-1 (HSP27), and cathepsin D (CTSD). Bioinformatic analysis revealed that many differentially expressed proteins participate in cellular proliferation, apoptosis, and cell death and helped us to focus on a few of them. Immunohistochemical analysis of Prx4, HSP27, and CTSD confirmed the results obtained by proteomic analysis.
Conclusion(S):
These 10 proteins may help in elucidating the pathways involved in human spermatogenesis.
