The Sperm Epigenome: Implications for Assisted Reproductive Technologies. 2019

Douglas T Carrell
Andrology and IVF Laboratories, Department of Surgery, and Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. douglas.carrell@hsc.utah.edu.

Compared to other cells, sperm undergo dramatic remodeling of their chromatin during late spermiogenesis in which approximately 95% of histones are removed and replaced with protamines. Despite this large-scale remodeling, key developmental genes, some miRNA genes, and imprinted genes retain their association with histone. The developmental genes have a unique epigenetic signature, termed bivalency, that poises the genes for embryonic activation. Anomalies in that epigenetic poising signature, either in the form of DNA methylation aberrations, improper protamination, or altered histone modifications, are associated with infertility and reduced embryogenesis capability. Additionally, some small noncoding RNAs are retained, while others are actively added to the sperm and appear to affect embryogenesis. Therefore, initial studies have begun to formulate pathways by which the sperm epigenome can be used as a diagnostic tool in the clinic. While in their infancy, these assays likely portend improved diagnostics and added information for patients and clinicians. Recent studies also highlight the possibility that the sperm epigenome can be used to evaluate lifestyle and environmental risks to the patient and potentially to the offspring.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008019 Life Style Typical way of life or manner of living characteristic of an individual or group. (From APA, Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms, 8th ed) Lifestyle Factors,Life Style Induced Illness,Lifestyle,Factor, Lifestyle,Life Styles,Lifestyle Factor,Lifestyles
D008297 Male Males
D002843 Chromatin The material of CHROMOSOMES. It is a complex of DNA; HISTONES; and nonhistone proteins (CHROMOSOMAL PROTEINS, NON-HISTONE) found within the nucleus of a cell. Chromatins
D004777 Environment The external elements and conditions which surround, influence, and affect the life and development of an organism or population. Environmental Impact,Environmental Impacts,Impact, Environmental,Impacts, Environmental,Environments
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012307 Risk Factors An aspect of personal behavior or lifestyle, environmental exposure, inborn or inherited characteristic, which, based on epidemiological evidence, is known to be associated with a health-related condition considered important to prevent. Health Correlates,Risk Factor Scores,Risk Scores,Social Risk Factors,Population at Risk,Populations at Risk,Correlates, Health,Factor, Risk,Factor, Social Risk,Factors, Social Risk,Risk Factor,Risk Factor Score,Risk Factor, Social,Risk Factors, Social,Risk Score,Score, Risk,Score, Risk Factor,Social Risk Factor
D013091 Spermatogenesis The process of germ cell development in the male from the primordial germ cells, through SPERMATOGONIA; SPERMATOCYTES; SPERMATIDS; to the mature haploid SPERMATOZOA. Spermatocytogenesis,Spermiogenesis
D013094 Spermatozoa Mature male germ cells derived from SPERMATIDS. As spermatids move toward the lumen of the SEMINIFEROUS TUBULES, they undergo extensive structural changes including the loss of cytoplasm, condensation of CHROMATIN into the SPERM HEAD, formation of the ACROSOME cap, the SPERM MIDPIECE and the SPERM TAIL that provides motility. Sperm,Spermatozoon,X-Bearing Sperm,X-Chromosome-Bearing Sperm,Y-Bearing Sperm,Y-Chromosome-Bearing Sperm,Sperm, X-Bearing,Sperm, X-Chromosome-Bearing,Sperm, Y-Bearing,Sperm, Y-Chromosome-Bearing,Sperms, X-Bearing,Sperms, X-Chromosome-Bearing,Sperms, Y-Bearing,Sperms, Y-Chromosome-Bearing,X Bearing Sperm,X Chromosome Bearing Sperm,X-Bearing Sperms,X-Chromosome-Bearing Sperms,Y Bearing Sperm,Y Chromosome Bearing Sperm,Y-Bearing Sperms,Y-Chromosome-Bearing Sperms
D044127 Epigenesis, Genetic A genetic process by which the adult organism is realized via mechanisms that lead to the restriction in the possible fates of cells, eventually leading to their differentiated state. Mechanisms involved cause heritable changes to cells without changes to DNA sequence such as DNA METHYLATION; HISTONE modification; DNA REPLICATION TIMING; NUCLEOSOME positioning; and heterochromatization which result in selective gene expression or repression. Epigenetic Processes,Epigenetic Process,Epigenetics Processes,Genetic Epigenesis,Process, Epigenetic,Processes, Epigenetic,Processes, Epigenetics
D027724 Reproductive Techniques, Assisted Clinical and laboratory techniques used to enhance fertility in humans and animals. Reproductive Technology, Assisted,Assisted Reproductive Technics,Assisted Reproductive Techniques,Assisted Reproductive Technic,Assisted Reproductive Technique,Assisted Reproductive Technologies,Assisted Reproductive Technology,Reproductive Technic, Assisted,Reproductive Technics, Assisted,Reproductive Technique, Assisted,Reproductive Technologies, Assisted,Technic, Assisted Reproductive,Technics, Assisted Reproductive,Technique, Assisted Reproductive,Techniques, Assisted Reproductive,Technologies, Assisted Reproductive,Technology, Assisted Reproductive

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