1. Inherited defects of piRNA biogenesis cause transposon de-repression, impaired spermatogenesis, and human male infertility
- Author
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Birgit Stallmeyer, Clara Bühlmann, Rytis Stakaitis, Ann-Kristin Dicke, Farah Ghieh, Luisa Meier, Ansgar Zoch, David MacKenzie MacLeod, Johanna Steingröver, Özlem Okutman, Daniela Fietz, Adrian Pilatz, Antoni Riera-Escamilla, Miguel J. Xavier, Christian Ruckert, Sara Di Persio, Nina Neuhaus, Ali Sami Gurbuz, Ahmet Şalvarci, Nicolas Le May, Kevin McEleny, Corinna Friedrich, Godfried van der Heijden, Margot J. Wyrwoll, Sabine Kliesch, Joris A. Veltman, Csilla Krausz, Stéphane Viville, Donald F. Conrad, Dónal O’Carroll, and Frank Tüttelmann
- Subjects
Science - Abstract
Abstract piRNAs are crucial for transposon silencing, germ cell maturation, and fertility in male mice. Here, we report on the genetic landscape of piRNA dysfunction in humans and present 39 infertile men carrying biallelic variants in 14 different piRNA pathway genes, including PIWIL1, GTSF1, GPAT2, MAEL, TDRD1, and DDX4. In some affected men, the testicular phenotypes differ from those of the respective knockout mice and range from complete germ cell loss to the production of a few morphologically abnormal sperm. A reduced number of pachytene piRNAs was detected in the testicular tissue of variant carriers, demonstrating impaired piRNA biogenesis. Furthermore, LINE1 expression in spermatogonia links impaired piRNA biogenesis to transposon de-silencing and serves to classify variants as functionally relevant. These results establish the disrupted piRNA pathway as a major cause of human spermatogenic failure and provide insights into transposon silencing in human male germ cells.
- Published
- 2024
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