OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of dexamethasone (DEX) on the expression of Dynein heavy chain (DHC) and Dynactin in the cytoplasm of fetal rat cerebral cortical neurons cultured METHODS: Primary cerebral cortical neurons of fetal rats were cultured RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the mRNA expression levels of DHC and Dynactin among the three groups at all time points ( CONCLUSIONS DEX affects the protein expression of DHC and Dynactin in the fetal rat cerebral cortical neurons cultured
Animals ; Cytoplasm ; Dexamethasone/pharmacology* ; Dynactin Complex/genetics* ; Dyneins ; Neurons ; Rats

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical feature and gene variant for two cases of primary male infertility caused by severe asthenospermia and to analyze the etiology of the disease. METHODS: Genomic DNA of peripheral blood samples of patients and their parents was extracted and gene variant analysis of the patients was conducted by using whole exome sequencing. Suspected pathogenic variant was verified by Sanger sequencing and pathogenic analysis. RESULTS: Whole exome sequencing showed that the DNAH1 gene of patient 1 had two heterozygous variants of c.2016T>G(p.Y672X) and c.6017T>G (p.V2006G). The DNAH1 gene of patient 2 had a homozygous variant of c.2610G>A(p.W870X), which were inherited from his father and mother, respectively. According to American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics standards and guidelines, the c.2016T>G (p.Y672X) and c.2610G>A (p.W870X) varaints of DNAH1 gene were predicted to be pathogenic (PVS1+PM2+PM3+PP3). CONCLUSION The two patients of multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella may be caused by DNAH1 gene variant, which has resulted in primary male infertility.
Dyneins/genetics* ; Genomics ; Humans ; Infertility, Male/genetics* ; Male ; Mutation ; Sperm Tail/pathology* ; Whole Exome Sequencing

OBJECTIVE: To report on the clinical characteristics of a family of short-rib polydactyly syndrome type III and its pathogenic variants. METHODS: Muscle samples from the the third fetus was collected after the induction of labor, and peripheral blood samples of its parents and grandparents were also collected. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was carried out for the pedigree. Candidate variants were verified by Sanger sequencing of the family. RESULTS: The proband was found to harbor a c.9819+1G>A variant and a c.4625C>A variant of the DYNC2H1 gene, which were respectively inherited from its mother and father. Sanger sequencing verified that the family has fit the autosomal recessive inheritance. CONCLUSION The c.9819+1G>A and c.4625C>A variants of the DYNC2H1 gene probably underlay the short-rib polydactyly syndrome type 3 in the proband.
Child ; Cytoplasmic Dyneins/genetics* ; Humans ; Mutation ; Pedigree ; Ribs ; Short Rib-Polydactyly Syndrome/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical characteristics and genetic basis of a child with Kartagener syndrome (KTS). METHODS: Trio-whole exome sequencing was carried out for the child and his parents, and candidate variants were verified by Sanger sequencing. Changes in protein structure due to missense variants were simulated and analyzed, and the Human Splicing Finder 3.0 (HSF 3.0) online platform was used to predict the effect of the variant of the non-coding region. RESULTS: The child had featured bronchiectasis, sinusitis and visceral inversion. Genetic testing revealed that he has harbored compound heterozygous variants of the DNAH5 gene, namely c.5174T>C and c.7610-3T>G. Sanger sequencing confirmed the existence of the variants. The variants were not found in the dbSNP, 1000 Genomes, ExAC, ClinVar and HGMD databases. Protein structural analysis suggested that the c.5174T>C (p.Leu1725Pro) variant may affect the stability of local structure and its biological activity. The results of HSF 3.0 analysis suggested that the c.7610-3T>G variant has probably destroyed a splicing receptor to affect the transcription process. CONCLUSION The compound heterozygous variants of the DNAH5 gene probably underlay the pathogenesis in the child. Above finding may facilitate the understanding of the clinical characteristics and genetic basis of KTS, and further expand the spectrum of DNAH5 gene variants.
Male ; Humans ; Child ; Mutation ; Kartagener Syndrome/genetics* ; Genetic Testing ; Mutation, Missense ; Exome Sequencing ; Axonemal Dyneins/genetics*

Humans ; Consanguinity ; Exome Sequencing ; Mutation/genetics* ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Ciliary Motility Disorders ; Axonemal Dyneins/genetics*

Asthenoteratozoospermia is one of the most severe types of qualitative sperm defects. Most cases are due to mutations in genes encoding the components of sperm flagella, which have an ultrastructure similar to that of motile cilia. Coiled-coil domain containing 103 (CCDC103) is an outer dynein arm assembly factor, and pathogenic variants of CCDC103 cause primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD). However, whether CCDC103 pathogenic variants cause severe asthenoteratozoospermia has yet to be determined. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed for two individuals with nonsyndromic asthenoteratozoospermia in a consanguineous family. A homozygous CCDC103 variant segregating recessively with an infertility phenotype was identified (ENST00000035776.2, c.461A>C, p.His154Pro). CCDC103 p.His154Pro was previously reported as a high prevalence mutation causing PCD, though the reproductive phenotype of these PCD individuals is unknown. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of affected individuals' spermatozoa showed that the mid-piece was severely damaged with disorganized dynein arms, similar to the abnormal ultrastructure of respiratory ciliary of PCD individuals with the same mutation. Thus, our findings expand the phenotype spectrum of CCDC103 p.His154Pro as a novel pathogenic gene for nonsyndromic asthenospermia.
Asthenozoospermia/pathology* ; Dyneins/genetics* ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Male ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; Mutation ; Mutation, Missense ; Sperm Tail/metabolism*

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a congenital, motile ciliopathy with pleiotropic symptoms. Although nearly 50 causative genes have been identified, they only account for approximately 70% of definitive PCD cases. Dynein axonemal heavy chain 10 (DNAH10) encodes a subunit of the inner arm dynein heavy chain in motile cilia and sperm flagella. Based on the common axoneme structure of motile cilia and sperm flagella, DNAH10 variants are likely to cause PCD. Using exome sequencing, we identified a novel DNAH10 homozygous variant (c.589C > T, p.R197W) in a patient with PCD from a consanguineous family. The patient manifested sinusitis, bronchiectasis, situs inversus, and asthenoteratozoospermia. Immunostaining analysis showed the absence of DNAH10 and DNALI1 in the respiratory cilia, and transmission electron microscopy revealed strikingly disordered axoneme 9+2 architecture and inner dynein arm defects in the respiratory cilia and sperm flagella. Subsequently, animal models of Dnah10-knockin mice harboring missense variants and Dnah10-knockout mice recapitulated the phenotypes of PCD, including chronic respiratory infection, male infertility, and hydrocephalus. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to report DNAH10 deficiency related to PCD in human and mouse models, which suggests that DNAH10 recessive mutation is causative of PCD.
Humans ; Male ; Animals ; Mice ; Semen/metabolism* ; Dyneins/metabolism* ; Cilia/metabolism* ; Mutation ; Ciliary Motility Disorders/genetics*

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare hereditary orphan condition that results in variable phenotypes, including infertility. About 50 gene variants are reported in the scientific literature to cause PCD, and among them, dynein axonemal assembly factor 4 ( DNAAF4 ) has been recently reported. DNAAF4 has been implicated in the preassembly of a multiunit dynein protein essential for the normal function of locomotory cilia as well as flagella. In the current study, a single patient belonging to a Chinese family was recruited, having been diagnosed with PCD and asthenoteratozoospermia. The affected individual was a 32-year-old male from a nonconsanguineous family. He also had abnormal spine structure and spinal cord bends at angles diagnosed with scoliosis. Medical reports, laboratory results, and imaging data were investigated. Whole-exome sequencing, Sanger sequencing, immunofluorescence analysis, hematoxylin-eosin staining, and in silico functional analysis, including protein modeling and docking studies, were used. The results identified DNAAF4 disease-related variants and confirmed their pathogenicity. Genetic analysis through whole-exome sequencing identified two pathogenic biallelic variants in the affected individual. The identified variants were a hemizygous splice site c.784-1G>A and heterozygous 20.1 Kb deletion at the DNAAF4 locus, resulting in a truncated and functionless DNAAF4 protein. Immunofluorescence analysis indicated that the inner dynein arm was not present in the sperm flagellum, and sperm morphological analysis revealed small sperm with twisted and curved flagella or lacking flagella. The current study found novel biallelic variants causing PCD and asthenoteratozoospermia, extending the range of DNAAF4 pathogenic variants in PCD and associated with the etiology of asthenoteratozoospermia. These findings will improve our understanding of the etiology of PCD.
Adult ; Humans ; Male ; Asthenozoospermia/genetics* ; Dyneins/genetics* ; East Asian People ; Kartagener Syndrome/genetics* ; Mutation ; Proteins/genetics* ; Semen/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic basis for a patient with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD). METHODS: High-throughput sequencing and bioinformatic analysis were carried out to identify pathogenic variant in the patient. Suspected variant was verified by Sanger sequencing among the family members, and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) was used to achieve the pregnancy. RESULTS: The patient had obstructive azoospermia, measurement of nasal NO exhalation at 84 ppb, and typical symptoms of PCD in nasal sinuses and lungs. DNA sequencing showed that he had carried biallelic variants of the DNAH5 gene, namely c.1489C>T (p.Q497X) in exon 11 and c.6304C>T (p.R2102C) in exon 38. His wife achieved clinical pregnancy with the assistance of ICSI. CONCLUSION Above finding has enriched the spectrum of DNAH5 gene variants, though the latters did not affect the outcome of pregnancy by ICSI.
Axonemal Dyneins/genetics* ; Exons ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Humans ; Kartagener Syndrome/genetics* ; Male ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic

Approximately 2,300 genes are found to be associated with spermiogenesis and their expressions play important roles in the regulation of spermiogenesis. In recent years, more and more attention has been focused on the studies of the genes associated with oligospermia, asthenospermia and teratospermia and their molecular mechanisms. Some genes, such as GSTM1, DNMT3L, and CYP1A1, have been shown to be potentially associated with oligospermia; some, such as CATSPER1, CRISP2, SEPT4, TCTE3, TEKT4, and DNAH1, with asthenospermia; and still others, such as DPY19L2 and AURKC, with teratospermia. These findings have provided a molecular basis for the studies of the pathogenesis of oligospermia, asthenospermia and teratospermia, as well as a new approach to the exploration of new diagnostic and therapeutic techniques.
Asthenozoospermia ; genetics ; Aurora Kinase C ; genetics ; Calcium Channels ; genetics ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 ; genetics ; Cytoplasmic Dyneins ; DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases ; genetics ; Dyneins ; genetics ; Glutathione Transferase ; genetics ; Glycoproteins ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; Microtubule Proteins ; genetics ; Oligospermia ; genetics ; Spermatogenesis ; genetics ; Teratozoospermia ; genetics