Differential gene susceptibility to sperm DNA damage: analysis of developmental key genes in trout

PLoS One. 2014 Dec 5;9(12):e114161. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114161. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Sperm chromatin in mammals is packaged in different blocks associated to protamines (PDNA), histones (HDNA), or nuclear matrix proteins. Differential packaging has been related to early or late transcription and also to differential susceptibility to genotoxic damage. Genes located in the more accessible HDNA could be more susceptible to injuries than those located in PDNA, being potential biomarkers of paternal DNA damage. Fish sperm chromatin organization is much diversified, some species lacking protamines and some others totally depleted of histones. Analyzing genotoxic damage in a species homogeneously compacted with some sperm nuclear basic protein type, could help in deciphering the clues of differential susceptibility to damage. In the present study we analyzed in rainbow trout the differential susceptibility of nine genes to UV irradiation and H2O2 treatment. The absence of histones in the sperm nuclei was confirmed by Western blot. The chromatin fractionation in sensitive and resistant regions to PvuII (presumably HDNA-like and PDNA-like, respectively) revealed that the nine genes locate in the same resistant region. The number of lesions promoted was quantified using a qPCR approach. Location of 8-hydroxyguanosine (8-OHdG) was analyzed by immunocytochemistry and confocal microscopy. UV irradiation promoted similar number of lesions in all the analyzed genes and a homogenous distribution of 8-OHdG within the nuclei. 8-OHdG was located in the peripheral area of the nucleus after H2O2 treatment, which promoted a significantly higher number of lesions in developmental-related genes (8.76-10.95 lesions/10 kb) than in rDNA genes (1.05-1.67 lesions/10 kb). We showed for the first time, that differential susceptibility to damage is dependent on the genotoxic mechanism and relies on positional differences between genes. Sensitive genes were also analyzed in cryopreserved sperm showing a lower number of lesions than the previous treatments and a predominant peripheral distribution of oxidative damage (8-OHdG).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chromatin / drug effects*
  • Chromatin / genetics
  • Chromatin / radiation effects*
  • DNA Damage / drug effects*
  • DNA Damage / radiation effects*
  • DNA, Ribosomal / drug effects
  • DNA, Ribosomal / radiation effects
  • Histones / genetics*
  • Hydrogen Peroxide / pharmacology
  • Male
  • Nuclear Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics
  • Nucleosomes / drug effects
  • Nucleosomes / radiation effects
  • Spermatozoa / drug effects
  • Spermatozoa / radiation effects
  • Trout
  • Ultraviolet Rays

Substances

  • Chromatin
  • DNA, Ribosomal
  • Histones
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Nucleosomes
  • Hydrogen Peroxide

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Junta de Castilla y León (Spain) (project LE365A11-2 and EDU/828/2014), the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (project AGL2011-27787) and Fondo Social Europeo. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.