PATE-B和α7 nAChR相互作用促进人精子运动的功能研究

精子成熟关键蛋白的研究一直是男性生育调控热点。我们在前期工作中首次鉴定到关键蛋白PATE-B可参与精子运动调控并与弱精症相关，结合已有报道我们推测PATE-B极有可能作为配体结合精子膜蛋白α7nAChR并激活相关信号通路进而调控精子运动。本课题将从基础研究结合临床应用的角度：①通过监测PATE-B重组蛋白、α7nAChR拮抗剂或激动剂对人精子活力和胞内相应信号分子的影响用于研究PATE-B调控精子运动的机理；②通过大样本筛查弱精症中的PATE-B并用其重组蛋白改善弱精运动指标用于评估其临床应用价值；③通过测定不同年龄组人精子样本中的PATE-B用于衡量其作为潜在精子质量评价分子的可行性。本课题通过研究PATE-B和α7nAChR相互作用促进精子运动的机制和功能，为弱精症的诊断、治疗和精子质量评价提供新的靶点和思路，具有重要的理论意义和临床应用价值。

Discovery of major sperm maturation-associated proteins is "hot-spots" for the male fertility research. In our previous study, we firstly confirmed that PATE-B was involved in human sperm motility and negatively associated with asthenozoospermia. Here,we hypothesize that PATE-B can enhance human sperm motility by interaction with sperm α7nAChR, and then couple the signal to further downstream signaling processes. Now,our study is geared toward the basic research project: ① Monitoring of sperm motility and expressions of major signal molecules under the different co-incubation conditions indicates the regulation mechanism of human sperm motility through interaction of PATE-B and α7nAChR. ②In asthenozoospermia, PATE-B quantification and its rescue for sperm motility were performed to evaluate its clinical value for diagnosis and treatment. ③ Quantitative analysis of PATE-B in semen of different age groups (30-70 year olds) assess its availbility as a potential target for sperm quality evaluation. Our study will clarify the regulation mechanism of human sperm motility induced by the interaction of PATE-B and α7nAChR; and provide the basis of development of diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for infertility or targest for male contraception and sperm quality evaluation.