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Tribune News Network
Doha
A cutting-edge research conducted by a faculty member from Qatar University College of Medicine (QU-CMED) in collaboration with researchers from Cardiff University, UK showed that an important sperm protein required for the egg fertilisation process, known as phospholipase C zeta (PLC), is ineffective in individuals suffering from infertility.
Led by CMED Assistant Professor of Biochemistry Dr Michail Nomikos, the team could start the fertilisation process in the lab by injecting eggs with a higher amount of the PLC protein from the infertile men than found naturally in their sperm. These results suggest that this type of infertility could become reversible with medical assistance.
"Our research aims to address and understand the complex mechanism of how such a small molecule like PLC is able to kick-start the generation of a new life," Dr Michail Nomikos said.
He added,"This study discovered that recombinant PLC protein can successfully replace sperm and trigger development of the egg, up to the blastocyst embryo stage. This research has given hope to many couples facing problems of male infertility. We are currently developing the use of recombinant PLC protein as a therapeutic agent to treat such cases of male infertility. The research also focuses on the production of PLC antibodies, which could be used for potential clinical diagnosis of such cases of male infertility."
Recent clinical studies have reported on infertile males with normal sperm parameters (morphology and motility), however their sperm fails to initiate fertilisation. Even though their sperm can fuse with the egg, after this event, nothing happens. It was discovered that sperm from these infertile patients lack a proper functioning version of a sperm protein, called Phospholipase C zeta (PLC). Sperm PLC is essential to trigger the first stage of fertilisation by initiating a process called"egg activation". Before fertilisation, the egg is in a dormant (sleeping) state and all the biological processes required for the growth and development of an embryo are on pause. Upon fertilisation, when a sperm fuses with the egg, the sperm PLC protein is delivered into the egg and stimulates all the critical events of egg activation that trigger early embryo development.
This sperm protein, which has been called the"spark of life" was discovered in 2002 by Chair of Cardiff University Calcium Signaling Laboratory Prof Tony Lai and his team.
Prof Tony Lai said:"The identification and characterisation of another male infertility-linked PLC mutation necessitates that we begin to consider use of recombinant PLC protein in a clinical setting, with the aim being to rescue such cases of egg activation failure."
