HPV Infection Affects Human Sperm Functionality by Inhibition of Aquaporin-8

Overview

Journal Cells

Publisher MDPI

Specialties Biochemistry
Biophysics
Cell Biology
Molecular Biology

Date 2020 May 21

PMID 32429588

Citations 15

Authors

Giorgia Pellavio

Federica Todaro

Paola Alberizzi

Claudia Scotti

Giulia Gastaldi

Marco Lolicato

Claudia Omes

Laura Caliogna

Rossella E Nappi

Umberto Laforenza

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Human sperm cells express different aquaporins (AQPs), AQP3, 7, 8, 11, which are localized both in the plasma membrane and in intracellular structures. Besides cell volume regulation and end stage of cytoplasm removal during sperm maturation, the role of AQPs extends also to reactive oxygen species (ROS) elimination. Moreover, oxidative stress has been shown to inhibit AQP-mediated HO permeability. A decrease in AQPs functionality is related to a decrease in sperm cells number and motility. Here we investigate the possible effect of human Papillomavirus (HPV) on both expression and function of AQPs in human sperm cells of patients undergoing infertility couple evaluation. Stopped-flow light-scattering experiments demonstrated that HPV infection heavily reduced water permeability of sperm cells in normospermic samples. Confocal immunofluorescence experiments showed a colocalization of HPV L1 protein with AQP8 (Pearson's correlation coefficient of 0.61), confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation experiments. No interaction of HPV with AQP3 and AQP7 was observed. A 3D model simulation of L1 protein and AQP8 interaction was also performed. Present findings may suggest that HPV infection directly inhibits AQP8 functionality and probably makes sperm cells more sensitive to oxidative stress.

Citing Articles

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