Columbia University researchers link amyloid proteins to sperm RNA transport

Scientists at Columbia University’s Zuckerman Institute have discovered that amyloid fibrils, protein clumps commonly associated with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, play a functional role in semen. According to research published in the journal Molecular Cell, these positively charged amyloid fibrils latch onto negatively charged RNA molecules within seminal fluid.

In laboratory tests, sperm cells absorbed these lab-made fibrils. Furthermore, in mouse fertilization experiments conducted in a controlled environment, the RNA carried by these fibrils successfully reached early embryos, where it was subsequently translated into protein.

This mechanism provides a potential explanation for how paternal factors, such as diet, might influence offspring. Previous studies have noted that male mice on high-fat diets carry altered RNA in their sperm, which can lead to metabolic changes in their pups. While the study identifies a possible route for RNA to enter sperm, researchers noted that the direct effects of diet on human children remain untested.