Association of ESX1 gene variants with non-obstructive azoospermia in Chinese males.

ABSTRACT: Genetic factors are one of the most important causes of non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA). ESX1 is an X-linked testis-biased expressed gene, and a potential biomarker for testicular sperm retrieval in NOA patients, yet few systematic studies have investigated its association with NOA. Here, we performed selected exonic sequencing in a large cohort of Chinese males, and four novel missense mutations (including one compound mutation), one novel synonymous mutation of ESX1 unique to NOA patients were identified. We analyzed the effects of ESX1 mutations on cyclin A degradation and cell cycle progression by immunoprecipitation assay and flow cytometry, and found that the compound mutant p.[P365R; L366V] ESX1 compromised the stabilizing effect of ESX1 on polyubiquitinated cyclin A, thereby caus

SUBMITTER: Ma Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7907365 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature