TY - JOUR
T1 - The immunity-related GTPase IRGC mediates interaction between lipid droplets and mitochondria to facilitate sperm motility
AU - Li, Jinyu
AU - Xu, Xiaohui
AU - Liu, Jiane
AU - Zhang, Sudan
AU - Wang, Tuanlao
AU - Liu, Yifei
AU - Wang, Zheng
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was funded by grants from National Natural Science Foundation of China (32070859 to ZW; 32200653 to XX), Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (ZR2020MC083 to ZW; ZR2021MH350 to JL) and Taishan Scholars Program of Shandong Province (TS20190931 to ZW).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.
PY - 2023/6
Y1 - 2023/6
N2 - The immunity-related GTPases (IRGs) belong to the interferon-inducible GTPase protein family, which mediates cell autonomous and innate immunity response to intracellular pathogens. Yet, the cellular and physiological function of IRGC, a member of the IRG subfamily, has not been elucidated. Here, we show that testis-specific IRGC is specifically and highly expressed in mature spermatozoa and is required for sperm motility. IRGC induction results in the clustering of lipid droplets and initiation of their physical contact with mitochondria. When examining clinical semen samples, IRGC expression is significantly lower in asthenozoospermia patients relative to healthy individuals. These unique effects of IRGC identify it as an important player in sperm motility, and show the potential of lipid metabolism-targeting therapeutic intervention aimed at controlling asthenozoospermia.
AB - The immunity-related GTPases (IRGs) belong to the interferon-inducible GTPase protein family, which mediates cell autonomous and innate immunity response to intracellular pathogens. Yet, the cellular and physiological function of IRGC, a member of the IRG subfamily, has not been elucidated. Here, we show that testis-specific IRGC is specifically and highly expressed in mature spermatozoa and is required for sperm motility. IRGC induction results in the clustering of lipid droplets and initiation of their physical contact with mitochondria. When examining clinical semen samples, IRGC expression is significantly lower in asthenozoospermia patients relative to healthy individuals. These unique effects of IRGC identify it as an important player in sperm motility, and show the potential of lipid metabolism-targeting therapeutic intervention aimed at controlling asthenozoospermia.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85159874165&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85159874165&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/1873-3468.14640
DO - 10.1002/1873-3468.14640
M3 - Article
C2 - 37195149
AN - SCOPUS:85159874165
SN - 0014-5793
VL - 597
SP - 1595
EP - 1605
JO - FEBS Letters
JF - FEBS Letters
IS - 12
ER -