DJ-1 deficiency causes metabolic abnormality in ornidazole-induced asthenozoospermia

Reproduction. 2020 Dec;160(6):931-941. doi: 10.1530/REP-20-0097.

Abstract

Asthenozoospermia (AS), defined as low-motility spermatozoa in the ejaculate, is a frequent cause of human male infertility. DJ-1 (also known as PARK7), a protein highly associated with male sterility, binds to the mitochondrial complex I subunit to protect mitochondrial function. However, its involvement in spermatogenesis has not been fully elucidated. Previously, the levels of DJ-1 were shown to be significantly decreased in testicular tissues of rats with ornidazole (ORN)-induced AS. Here, we used a rat model to investigate the localization and expression levels of DJ-1 and its interacting NDUFS3 and NDUFA4 mitochondrial complex I subunits, as well as AS-induced metabolic alterations in testicular tissues. ORN significantly reduced the levels of DJ-1 in the nucleus of secondary spermatocytes, while increasing the expression of NDUFS3 in the cytoplasm of primary spermatocytes. Further, NDUFA4 showed higher expression after treatment with ORN. The principal ORN-induced changes in metabolic small molecules related to the accumulation of glucose, glutamine, and N-acetyl aspartate, enhancement of purine pathway, increase of the phosphatidic acid (PA) (18:0/18:1), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) (16:0/18:1), and PA (18:0/20:4) lipid metabolites, and imbalance in the concentrations of Na+ and K+. However, we did not observe any abnormalities of certain small metabolic molecules and metal ions in semen samples from patients with AS. In conclusion, these results suggest that DJ-1 deficiency in testicular tissues might be closely related to the localization of NDUFS3 and content of NDUFA4, thus causing abnormalities in the mitochondrial energy metabolism and multiple other metabolic pathways.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Antitrichomonal Agents / toxicity*
  • Asthenozoospermia / chemically induced
  • Asthenozoospermia / metabolism*
  • Asthenozoospermia / pathology
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Metabolome / drug effects*
  • Middle Aged
  • Mitochondrial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Ornidazole / toxicity*
  • Protein Deglycase DJ-1 / deficiency*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antitrichomonal Agents
  • Mitochondrial Proteins
  • Ornidazole
  • Protein Deglycase DJ-1