Deficiency for Lcn8 causes epididymal sperm maturation defects in mice

• Published in: Biochemical and biophysical research communications Vol. 548; pp. 7 - 13
• Main Authors: Wen, Zongzhuang, Liu, Dongyue, Zhu, Haixia, Sun, Xiaoyang, Xiao, Yu, Lin, Zhuchun, Zhang, Aizhen, Ye, Chao, Gao, Jiangang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 09.04.2021
• Subjects: Animals; Base Sequence; CRISPR-Cas Systems - genetics; CRISPR/Cas9; Epididymis; Epididymis - pathology; Fertility; Lcn8; Lcn9; Lipocalins - metabolism; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mouse model; Sperm maturation; Sperm Maturation - physiology; Spermatogenesis; Spermatozoa; Epididymis; Mouse model; Sperm maturation; CRISPR/Cas9; Lcn8; Lcn9
• ISSN: 0006-291X; 1090-2104
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.02.052

Lipocalin family members, LCN8 and LCN9, are specifically expressed in the initial segment of mouse caput epididymis. However, the biological functions of the molecules in vivo are yet to be clarified. In this study, CRISPR/Cas9 technology was used to generate Lcn8 and Lcn9 knockout mice, respectively. Lcn8−/− and Lcn9−/− male mice showed normal spermatogenesis and fertility. In the cauda epididymis of Lcn8−/− male mice, morphologically abnormal sperm was increased significantly, the proportion of progressive motility sperm was decreased, the proportion of immobilized sperm was elevated, and the sperm spontaneous acrosome reaction (AR) frequency was increased. Conversely, the knockout of Lcn9 did not have any effect on the ratio of morphologically abnormal sperm, sperm motility, and sperm spontaneous AR frequencies. These results demonstrated the role of LCN8 in maintaining the sperm quality in the epididymis, and suggested that the deficiency of LCN8 leads to epididymal sperm maturation defects. •Generation Lcn8 and Lcn9 knockout mice using CRISPR/Cas9.•Normal spermatogenesis and fertility in Lcn8−/− and Lcn9−/− male mice.•Lcn8 deficiency causes epididymal sperm maturation defects.