Suppression of Non-Random Fertilization by MHC Class I Antigens

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Yoko Kuroki¹  Mami Miyado²  Mitsutoshi Yamada³  Akihiro Nakamura³  Akihiro Umezawa⁴  Kenji Miyado⁴  Yoshitaka Miyamoto⁴  Woojin Kang⁴  Maito Hanai⁵  Junki Kamiya⁵  Natsuko Kawano⁵  Seiya Kanai⁵  Ryota Takagi⁵  Yoshiki Hayashi⁶  Keiichi Yoshida⁷ 

[1] Department of Genome Medicine, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development, Tokyo 157-8535, Japan;Department of Molecular Endocrinology, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development, Tokyo 157-8535, Japan;Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan;Department of Reproductive Biology, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development, Tokyo 157-8535, Japan;Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Department of Life Sciences, School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kanagawa 214-8571, Japan;Life Science Center for Survival Dynamics, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance (TARA), University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan;Next-generation Precision Medicine Research Center, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka Prefectural Hospital Organization, Osaka 541-8567, Japan;

关键词: MHC class I;    sex ratio;    polyspermy block;    non-random fertilization;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijms21228731

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Hermaphroditic invertebrates and plants have a self-recognition system on the cell surface of sperm and eggs, which prevents their self-fusion and enhances non-self-fusion, thereby contributing to genetic variation. However, the system of sperm–egg recognition in mammals is under debate. To address this issue, we explored the role of major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC class I, also known as histocompatibility 2-K^b or H2-K^b and H2-D^b in mice) antigens by analyzing H2-K^b-/-H2-D^b-/-β2-microglobulin (β2M)^-/- triple-knockout (T-KO) male mice with full fertility. T-KO sperm exhibited an increased sperm number in the perivitelline space of wild-type (WT) eggs in vitro. Moreover, T-KO sperm showed multiple fusion with zona pellucida (ZP)-free WT eggs, implying that the ability of polyspermy block for sperm from T-KO males was weakened in WT eggs. When T-KO male mice were intercrossed with WT female mice, the percentage of females in progeny increased. We speculate that WT eggs prefer fusion with T-KO sperm, more specifically X-chromosome-bearing sperm (X sperm), suggesting the presence of preferential (non-random) fertilization in mammals, including humans.

【 授权许可】

Unknown