SPATA20 and obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency: Compared with that in healthy controls, the expression of SPATA-20 is increased 5-fold in the spermatogenic cells of patients with type 1 diabetes,[34] and SPATA-20 in sperm may play a protective role in the oxidative stress environment associated with obesity.[35] An increase in SPATA 20 may represent a compensatory response to the potential oxidative stress of a high-fat diet.