Paternal contributors in recurrent pregnancy loss: Cues from comparative proteome profiling of seminal extracellular vesicles

Recent evidence entail paternal factors as plausible contributors in spontaneous recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). Seminal extracellular vesicles secreted from cells of male reproductive tract carry regulatory proteins and RNAs. They are proposed to regulate sperm maturation and function while their fusion to endometrial stromal cells helps in decidualization. Nevertheless, the mechanism(s) involved in these processes are poorly understood. This study aims at elucidating the molecular basis of paternal contribution by comparative proteomics (label-free LC-MS/MS) of isolated seminal extracellular vesicles from fertile men and partners of patients with RPL (n = 21 per group). Bioinformatics analysis revealed the identified differentially expressed proteins to be involved in DNA replication, recombination and repair, gene expression, cellular assembly and organization, cell death, and survival. Major disease pathways affected were identified as developmental, hereditary, and immunological disorders. Of the three identified hub genes regulating the above disease pathways, two (HNRNPC and HNRNPU) are overexpressed while RUVBL1 is underexpressed along with over expression of HIST1H1C, DDX1, surmising defective chromatin packaging, and histone removal in spermatozoa resulting in improper expression in paternal genes thereby leading to abnormal embryo development. Besides, alteration in GSTP1 expression points oxidative predominance in RPL group. Differential expression of C3, C4a/C4b, CFB, and GDF 15 may be involved in altered maternal immune response to paternal antigens resulting in impaired decidualization.

Automated summary

This study investigates the paternal factors contributing to spontaneous recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) through comparative proteomics of seminal extracellular vesicles. The identified differentially expressed proteins are involved in processes such as DNA replication, gene expression, and immune response, potentially affecting embryo development.