@article{c80f028af9eb40e8800363e85705279a,
title = "β-Defensin 19/119 mediates sperm chemotaxis and is associated with idiopathic infertility",
abstract = "Sperm chemotaxis is required for guiding sperm toward the egg. However, the molecular identity of physiological chemoattractant and its involvement in infertility remain elusive. Here, we identify DEFB19/119 (mouse/human orthologs) as a physiological sperm chemoattractant. The epithelia of the female reproductive tract and the cumulus-oocyte complex secrete DEFB19/119 that elicits calcium mobilization via the CatSper channel and induces sperm chemotaxis in capacitated sperm. Manipulating the level of DEFB19 in mice determines the number of sperm arriving at the fertilization site. Importantly, we identify exon mutations in the DEFB119 gene in idiopathic infertile women with low level of DEFB119 in the follicular fluid. The level of DEFB119 correlates with the chemotactic potency of follicular fluid and predicts the infertile outcome with positive correlation. This study reveals the pivotal role of DEFB19/119 in sperm chemotaxis and demonstrates its potential application in the diagnosis of idiopathic infertility.",
keywords = "DEFB119, DEFB19, idiopathic infertility, sperm chemotaxis, β-defensin",
author = "Xiaofeng Li and Chun Yuan and Jianwu Shi and Hang Kang and Yufei Chen and Yonggang Duan and Jing Jin and Cheung, {Lai Ping} and Li, {Tin Chiu} and Ying Liu and Yugui Cui and Ruan, {Ye Chun} and Xiaohua Jiang and Zhiming Cai and Chan, {Hsiao Chang} and Ling Ji and Xuhui Zeng and Jiaying Liu and Hao Chen and Fok, {Kin Lam}",
note = "Funding Information: We thank Weizhen Wang for the preparation of the graphic abstract. The study was supported in part by the National Key R&D Program of China (2022YFC2703202 and 2018YFC1003602 to H.C.), National Natural Science Foundation of China (81801517 to L.X.F. 81771639 to K.L.F, 81671432, 81871202 to H.C. 81871201 to X.H.Z. 81901449 to C.Y. 82104216), National 973 project (2013CB967401 and 2013CB967404 to H.C.C.), General Research Fund of Research Grant Council of Hong Kong (CUHK 14101114 to H.C.C. 14120015 to H.C.C. 14129316 to K.L.F. and H.C.C. 14127316 to K.L.F.), Food and Health Bureau of Hong Kong (06170476 to K.L.F.), Lo Kwee Seong Start-up fund to K.L.F. Shenzhen Project of Science and Technology (grant no. JCYJ20190809094407602) to L.X.F, Jiangsu Innovation and Entrepreneurship Talent Plan (to H.C. No. JSSCRC20211543 to X.H.Z.), the Scientific Research Foundation of Peking University Shenzhen Hospital (KYQD2021104) to L.X.F. Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20191076) to C.Y. Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation to L.X.F. and the fund of Sanming Project of Medicine in Shenzhen (No. SZSM201812088). Conceptualization, H.C.C. K.L.F. and H.C.; methodology and investigation, X.L. Y.L. H.C. J.W.S. H.K. J.J. Y.F.C. C.Y. Y.C. J.L. and Y.C.R.; writing – original draft, K.L.F.; writing – review & editing, K.L.F. H.C. X.L. Y.C.R. X.H.Z. and H.C.C.; funding acquisition, K.L.F. H.C.C. and H.C.; resources, Y.D. Z.C. L.P.C. and T.C.L. The authors declare no competing interests. Funding Information: We thank Weizhen Wang for the preparation of the graphic abstract. The study was supported in part by the National Key R&D Program of China ( 2022YFC2703202 and 2018YFC1003602 to H.C.), National Natural Science Foundation of China ( 81801517 to L.X.F., 81771639 to K.L.F, 81671432 , 81871202 to H.C., 81871201 to X.H.Z., 81901449 to C.Y., 82104216), National 973 project ( 2013CB967401 and 2013CB967404 to H.C.C.), General Research Fund of Research Grant Council of Hong Kong (CUHK 14101114 to H.C.C., 14120015 to H.C.C., 14129316 to K.L.F. and H.C.C., 14127316 to K.L.F.), Food and Health Bureau of Hong Kong ( 06170476 to K.L.F.), Lo Kwee Seong Start-up fund to K.L.F., Shenzhen Project of Science and Technology (grant no. JCYJ20190809094407602 ) to L.X.F, Jiangsu Innovation and Entrepreneurship Talent Plan ( to H.C., No. JSSCRC20211543 to X.H.Z. ), the Scientific Research Foundation of Peking University Shenzhen Hospital ( KYQD2021104 ) to L.X.F., Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province ( BK20191076 ) to C.Y., Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation to L.X.F., and the fund of Sanming Project of Medicine in Shenzhen (No. SZSM201812088 ). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 The Author(s)",
year = "2022",
month = dec,
day = "20",
doi = "10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100825",
language = "English",
volume = "3",
journal = "Cell Reports Medicine",
issn = "2666-3791",
publisher = "Cell Press",
number = "12",
}