Phospholipase C Zeta: a Hidden Face of Sperm for Oocyte Activation and Early Embryonic Development

Overview

Journal Obstet Gynecol Sci

Specialty Gynecology & Obstetrics

Date 2024 Aug 1

PMID 39086217

Authors

Soukaina Azil

Modou Mamoune Mbaye

Noureddine Louanjli

Bouchra Ghazi

Moncef Benkhalifa

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Oocyte activation is a fundamental event in mammalian fertilization and is initiated by a cascade of calcium signaling and oscillation pathways. Phospholipase C zeta (PLCζ) is involved in modulating cortical granule exocytosis, releasing oocyte meiotic arrest, regulating gene expression, and early embryogenesis. These processes are considered to be initiated and controlled by PLCζ activity via the inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate pathway. The decrease or absence of functional PLCζ due to mutational defects in protein expression or maintenance can impair male fertility. In this literature review, we highlight the significance of PLCζ as a sperm factor involved in oocyte activation, its mechanism of action, the signaling pathway involved, and its close association with oocyte activation. Finally, we discuss the relationship between male infertility and PLCζ deficiency.

References

Taylor S, Yoon S, Morshedi M, Lacey D, Jellerette T, Fissore R . Complete globozoospermia associated with PLCζ deficiency treated with calcium ionophore and ICSI results in pregnancy. Reprod Biomed Online. 2010; 20(4):559-64. PMC: 2847674. DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2009.12.024. View

Kashir J, Nomikos M, Swann K, Lai F . PLCζ or PAWP: revisiting the putative mammalian sperm factor that triggers egg activation and embryogenesis. Mol Hum Reprod. 2015; 21(5):383-8. DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gav009. View

Chithiwala Z, Lee H, Hill D, Jellerette-Nolan T, Fissore R, Grow D . Phospholipase C-zeta deficiency as a cause for repetitive oocyte fertilization failure during ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization with ICSI: a case report. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2015; 32(9):1415-9. PMC: 4595401. DOI: 10.1007/s10815-015-0531-1. View

Nomikos M, Blayney L, Larman M, Campbell K, Rossbach A, Saunders C . Role of phospholipase C-zeta domains in Ca2+-dependent phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate hydrolysis and cytoplasmic Ca2+ oscillations. J Biol Chem. 2005; 280(35):31011-8. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M500629200. View

Sutovsky P, Manandhar G, Wu A, Oko R . Interactions of sperm perinuclear theca with the oocyte: implications for oocyte activation, anti-polyspermy defense, and assisted reproduction. Microsc Res Tech. 2003; 61(4):362-78. DOI: 10.1002/jemt.10350. View

Kashir J, Konstantinidis M, Jones C, Heindryckx B, De Sutter P, Parrington J . Characterization of two heterozygous mutations of the oocyte activation factor phospholipase C zeta (PLCζ) from an infertile man by use of minisequencing of individual sperm and expression in somatic cells. Fertil Steril. 2012; 98(2):423-31. DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2012.05.002. View

Nomikos M, Swann K, Lai F . Starting a new life: sperm PLC-zeta mobilizes the Ca2+ signal that induces egg activation and embryo development: an essential phospholipase C with implications for male infertility. Bioessays. 2011; 34(2):126-34. DOI: 10.1002/bies.201100127. View

Swann K, Saunders C, Rogers N, Lai F . PLCzeta(zeta): a sperm protein that triggers Ca2+ oscillations and egg activation in mammals. Semin Cell Dev Biol. 2006; 17(2):264-73. DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2006.03.009. View

Kamali-Dolat Abadi M, Tavalaee M, Shahverdi A, Nasr-Esfahani M . Evaluation of PLCζ and PAWP Expression in Globozoospermic Individuals. Cell J. 2016; 18(3):438-45. PMC: 5011332. DOI: 10.22074/cellj.2016.4572. View

10.

Ramadan W, Kashir J, Jones C, Coward K . Oocyte activation and phospholipase C zeta (PLCζ): diagnostic and therapeutic implications for assisted reproductive technology. Cell Commun Signal. 2012; 10(1):12. PMC: 3393615. DOI: 10.1186/1478-811X-10-12. View

11.

Hachem A, Godwin J, Ruas M, Lee H, Ferrer Buitrago M, Ardestani G . PLCζ is the physiological trigger of the Ca oscillations that induce embryogenesis in mammals but conception can occur in its absence. Development. 2017; 144(16):2914-2924. PMC: 5592814. DOI: 10.1242/dev.150227. View

12.

Nozawa K, Satouh Y, Fujimoto T, Oji A, Ikawa M . Sperm-borne phospholipase C zeta-1 ensures monospermic fertilization in mice. Sci Rep. 2018; 8(1):1315. PMC: 5778054. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-19497-6. View

13.

Yoda A, Oda S, Shikano T, Kouchi Z, Awaji T, Shirakawa H . Ca2+ oscillation-inducing phospholipase C zeta expressed in mouse eggs is accumulated to the pronucleus during egg activation. Dev Biol. 2004; 268(2):245-57. DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2003.12.028. View

14.

Amdani S, Yeste M, Jones C, Coward K . Phospholipase C zeta (PLCζ) and male infertility: Clinical update and topical developments. Adv Biol Regul. 2015; 61:58-67. DOI: 10.1016/j.jbior.2015.11.009. View

15.

Khatun A, Rahman M, Pang M . Clinical assessment of the male fertility. Obstet Gynecol Sci. 2018; 61(2):179-191. PMC: 5854897. DOI: 10.5468/ogs.2018.61.2.179. View

16.

Koscinski I, Elinati E, Fossard C, Redin C, Muller J, Velez de la Calle J . DPY19L2 deletion as a major cause of globozoospermia. Am J Hum Genet. 2011; 88(3):344-50. PMC: 3059416. DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2011.01.018. View

17.

Gonzalez-Castro R, Amoroso-Sanches F, Stokes J, Graham J, Carnevale E . Localisation of phospholipase Cζ1 (PLCZ1) and postacrosomal WW-binding protein (WBP2 N-terminal like) on equine spermatozoa and flow cytometry quantification of PLCZ1 and association with cleavage in vitro. Reprod Fertil Dev. 2019; 31(12):1778-1792. DOI: 10.1071/RD19217. View

18.

Amdani S, Yeste M, Jones C, Coward K . Sperm Factors and Oocyte Activation: Current Controversies and Considerations. Biol Reprod. 2015; 93(2):50. DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.115.130609. View

19.

Yanagimachi R . Fertility of mammalian spermatozoa: its development and relativity. Zygote. 1994; 2(4):371-2. DOI: 10.1017/s0967199400002240. View

20.

Granados-Gonzalez V, Aknin-Seifer I, Touraine R, Chouteau J, Wolf J, Levy R . Preliminary study on the role of the human IZUMO gene in oocyte-spermatozoa fusion failure. Fertil Steril. 2007; 90(4):1246-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2007.09.008. View