Sperm Associated Antigens: Vigorous Influencers in Life
Samaneh Faraji,
Mohsen Sharafi,
Abdolhossein Shahverdi,
Rouhollah Fathi
Affiliations
Samaneh Faraji
Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Basic Science and Advanced Technologies in Biology, University of Science and Culture, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
Mohsen Sharafi
Department of Embryology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
Abdolhossein Shahverdi
Department of Embryology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
Rouhollah Fathi
Department of Embryology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
Sperm associated antigens (SPAGs) are specific proteins in terms of performance and evolution, that have common expressions in the testes or sperm cells. Moreover, the humoral immune response against some of SPAGs can result in immunological infertilities. On the other hand, recent studies have explored several new properties of SPAGs and shed light on sperm's function, the impact of anti-sperm antibodies (ASA) in immunological infertility, and some tumors related to SPAGs. This article presents an exhaustive review of SPAGs and their roles in the cell cycle, signaling pathways, fertility, sperm-oocyte cross-talk as well as their unfavorable positions as prognostic factors in many types of cancers.
