UC Berkeley

Study question

Does a man (patient 1) with a previously described deficiency in principle cation channel of sperm (CatSper) function have a mutation in the CatSper-epsilon (CATSPERE) and/or CatSper-zeta (CATSPERZ) gene?

Summary answer

Patient 1 has a homozygous in-frame 6-bp deletion in exon 18 (c.2393_2398delCTATGG, rs761237686) of CATSPERE.

What is known already

CatSper is the principal calcium channel of mammalian spermatozoa. Spermatozoa from patient 1 had a specific loss of CatSper function and were unable to fertilize at IVF. Loss of CatSper function could not be attributed to genetic abnormalities in coding regions of seven CatSper subunits. Two additional subunits (CatSper-epsilon (CATPSERE) and CatSper-zeta (CATSPERZ)) were recently identified, and are now proposed to contribute to the formation of the mature channel complex.

Study design, size, duration

This was a basic medical research study analysing genomic data from a single patient (patient 1) for defects in CATSPERE and CATSPERZ.

Participants/materials, setting, methods

The original exome sequencing data for patient 1 were analysed for mutations in CATSPERE and CATSPERZ. Sanger sequencing was conducted to confirm the presence of a rare variant.

Main results and the role of chance

Patient 1 is homozygous for an in-frame 6-bp deletion in exon 18 (c.2393_2398delCTATGG, rs761237686) of CATSPERE that is predicted to be highly deleterious.

Limitations, reasons for caution

The nature of the molecular deficit caused by the rs761237686 variant and whether it is exclusively responsible for the loss of CatSper function remain to be elucidated.

Wider implications of the findings

Population genetics are available for a significant number of predicted deleterious variants of CatSper subunits. The consequence of homozygous and compound heterozygous forms on sperm fertilization potential could be significant. Selective targeting of CatSper subunit expression maybe a feasible strategy for the development of novel contraceptives.

Study funding/competing interest(s)

This study was funded by project grants from the MRC (MR/K013343/1 and MR/012492/1), Chief Scientist Office/NHS research Scotland. This work was also supported by NIH R01GM111802, Pew Biomedical Scholars Award 00028642 and Packer Wentz Endowment Will to P.V.L. C.L.R.B is the editor-in-chief of Molecular Human Reproduction, has received lecturing fees from Merck and Ferring, and is on the Scientific Advisory Panel for Ohana BioSciences. C.L.R.B was chair of the World Health Organization Expert Synthesis Group on Diagnosis of Male infertility (2012-2016).