Could the glycosylation analysis of seminal plasma clusterin become a novel male infertility biomarker?. Issue 5 (28th March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Janiszewska, Ewa; Kratz, Ewa Maria
• Is Part Of: Molecular reproduction and development. Volume 87:Issue 5(2020)
• Page Start: 515
• Page End: 524
• Publication Date: 2020-03-28
• Subjects: clusterin -- male fertility -- semen quality -- seminal clusterin glycosylation; Reproduction -- Periodicals; Molecular biology -- Periodicals; Molecular genetics -- Periodicals; Embryology -- Periodicals; 571.8
• DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23340
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1040-452X

Abstract

Abstract: Male infertility is becoming a rapidly growing problem around the world, mainly in the highly developed countries. Seminal proteome composition seems to be one of the crucial factors of the proper course of fertilization ‐ clusterin (CLU) is among the most important ones. CLU, as one of the crucial seminal plasma glycoproteins, plays a very important role in sperm capacitation and immune tolerance in the female reproductive tract. CLU is also known as a sensitive marker of oxidative stress. It has six n ‐glycosylation sites and also exhibits chaperone activity. An analysis of changes in the profile and degree of CLU glycosylation may shed some new light on the molecular mechanisms of the fertilization process and may be used as an additional diagnostic marker of male fertility. This study constitutes a review of the recently available literature concerning human seminal CLU, including changes in its glycosylation, analyzed in the context of human reproduction. Abstract : Clusterin (CLU) is a multifunctional glycoprotein, participating in: lipid transportation (1), cell adhesion and cytoprotection (2), cell damage induced by MAC inhibition (Membrane Attack Complex consisting of complement proteins known as C5b, C6, C7 and C8) (3), immune tolerance for male antigens in the female reproductive tract induction (4), sperm cells protection from the MAC (5), oxidative stress regulation (via chaperone activity) (6). Clusterin, as one of the crucial seminal plasma glycoproteins, plays a very important role in sperm capacitation and immune tolerance in the female reproductive tract, being also a sensitive marker of oxidative stress. CLU is highly glycosylated and also exhibits chaperone activity. An analysis of CLU glycosylation may shed some new light on the molecular mechanisms of the fertilization process, and may be used as an additional diagnostic marker of male fertility.