ELOVL2 controls the level of n-628:5 and 30:5 fatty acids in testis, a prerequisite for male fertility and sperm maturation in mice

Damir Zadravec (1) , Petr Tvrdik (2) , Hervé Guillou (3) , Richard Haslam (4) , Tsutomu Kobayashi (1) , Johnathan Napier (4) , Mario Capecchi (2) , Anders Jacobsson (1)

1 The Wenner-Gren Institute
2 University of Utah
3 ToxAlim-TIM - Toxicologie Intégrative & Métabolisme
4 Rothamsted Research

ELOVL2 is a member of the mammalian microsomal fatty acid elongation enzyme family (ELOVL) involved in the elongation of very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) including polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) required for various cellular functions in mammals. Here, we used ELOVL2-ablated mice (Elovl2−/−) and show that PUFAs with 24–30 carbon atoms of the omega-6 family in testis are indispensable for normal sperm formation and fertility in male mice. Furthermore, heterozygote Elovl2+/− male mice exhibit haploinsufficiency with reduced levels of C28:5 and C30:5n-6 PUFAs which gives rise to impaired formation and function of haploid spermatides. These new insights reveal a novel mechanism involving ELOVL2-derived PUFAs in mammals and a previously unrecognized role for C28 and C30 n-6 PUFAs in male fertility. In accordance with its suggested function Elovl2−/− mice have distorted levels of C20 and C22 PUFAs (including DPA and DHA) in serum within both the n-3 and n-6 series. However, dietary supplementation of C22:6n-3 could not restore male fertility of Elovl2+/− mice suggesting that the changes in n-6 fatty acid composition seen in the testis of the Elovl2+/− mice, cannot be compensated for by increased C22:6n-3 content.

Domaines: Sciences du Vivant [q-bio]

Damir Zadravec, Petr Tvrdik, Hervé Guillou, Richard Haslam, Tsutomu Kobayashi, et al.. ELOVL2 controls the level of n-628:5 and 30:5 fatty acids in testis, a prerequisite for male fertility and sperm maturation in mice. 52. International Conference on the Bioscience of Lipids : Expanding the Horizons of Lipidomics, International Conference on the Bioscience of Lipids (ICBL). INT., Aug 2011, Varsovie, Poland. ⟨10.1016/j.chemphyslip.2011.05.035⟩. ⟨hal-02747851⟩