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Novero AG, Rodríguez PT, De la Vega Beltrán JL, Schiavi-Ehrenhaus LJ, Luque GM, Carruba M, Stival C, Gentile I, Ritagliati C, Santi CM, Nishigaki T, Krapf D, Buffone MG, Darszon A, Treviño CL, Krapf D. The sodium-proton exchangers sNHE and NHE1 control plasma membrane hyperpolarization in mouse sperm. bioRxiv 2024:2024.03.04.583310. [PMID: 38496535 PMCID: PMC10942401 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.04.583310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Sperm capacitation, crucial for fertilization, occurs in the female reproductive tract and can be replicated in vitro using a medium rich in bicarbonate, calcium, and albumin. These components trigger the cAMP-PKA signaling cascade, proposed to promote hyperpolarization of the mouse sperm plasma membrane through activation of SLO3 K+ channel. Hyperpolarization is a hallmark of capacitation: proper membrane hyperpolarization renders higher in vitro fertilizing ability, while Slo3 KO mice are infertile. However, the precise regulation of SLO3 opening remains elusive. Our study challenges the involvement of PKA in this event and reveals the role of Na+/H+ exchangers. During capacitation, calcium increase through CatSper channels activates NHE1, while cAMP directly stimulates the sperm-specific NHE, collectively promoting the alkalinization threshold needed for SLO3 opening. Hyperpolarization then feeds back Na+/H+ activity. Our work is supported by pharmacology, and a plethora of KO mouse models, and proposes a novel pathway leading to hyperpolarization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Analia G Novero
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, CONICET-UNR, and Laboratorio de Medicina Reproductiva, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, UNR, Rosario SF2000, Argentina
| | | | | | - Liz J Schiavi-Ehrenhaus
- Instituto de Bíologia y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Guillermina M Luque
- Instituto de Bíologia y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Micaela Carruba
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, CONICET-UNR, and Laboratorio de Medicina Reproductiva, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, UNR, Rosario SF2000, Argentina
| | - Cintia Stival
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, CONICET-UNR, and Laboratorio de Medicina Reproductiva, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, UNR, Rosario SF2000, Argentina
| | - Iñaki Gentile
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, CONICET-UNR, and Laboratorio de Medicina Reproductiva, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, UNR, Rosario SF2000, Argentina
| | - Carla Ritagliati
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, CONICET-UNR, and Laboratorio de Medicina Reproductiva, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, UNR, Rosario SF2000, Argentina
| | - Celia M Santi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis Missouri 63110, USA
| | | | - Diego Krapf
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA
| | - Mariano G Buffone
- Instituto de Bíologia y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | | | - Dario Krapf
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, CONICET-UNR, and Laboratorio de Medicina Reproductiva, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, UNR, Rosario SF2000, Argentina
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Novero AG, Curcio C, Steeman TJ, Binolfi A, Krapf D, Buffone MG, Krapf D, Stival C. A versatile kinase mobility shift assay (KiMSA) for PKA analysis and cyclic AMP detection in sperm physiology (and beyond). Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1356566. [PMID: 38444827 PMCID: PMC10912184 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1356566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) is one of the most extensively distributed kinases among intracellular signal cascades, with a pivotal role in the regulation of various processes, including the capacitation of sperm cells. Traditional assessments of PKA activity relies on the utilization of [γ-32P] ATP and the Kemptide substrate. This methodology presents several major drawbacks, including high-costs and health risks derived from the manipulation of radioactive isotopes. In this work we introduce an enhanced non-radioactive assay for quantifying PKA activity, termed KiMSA which relies on the use of a fluorescent-labeled Kemptide (Kemptide-FITC). Once the kinase reaction is terminated, the products can be easily resolved through electrophoresis on an agarose gel and quantified by fluorescence densitometry. We show that the KiMSA assay is suitable for purified PKA, and also to address both basal and capacitation induced PKA activity in mouse sperm cells. Furthermore, the assay enables monitoring the inhibition of PKA with inhibitors such as sPKI and H-89 in live cells. Therefore, the experimental and optimal assay conditions are set so that the KiMSA assay can be used to either assess in vitro as well as in vivo PKA activity in sperm cells. Finally, this method allows for measurement of cAMP concentrations, rendering a versatile technique for the study of cAMP/PKA pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Analia G. Novero
- Cell Signal Transduction Networks, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR) (CONICET-UNR), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Catalina Curcio
- Cell Signal Transduction Networks, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR) (CONICET-UNR), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Tomás J. Steeman
- Cell Signal Transduction Networks, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR) (CONICET-UNR), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Andres Binolfi
- Cellular-Structural Biology Lab, IBR (CONICET-UNR), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Diego Krapf
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Mariano G. Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Dario Krapf
- Cell Signal Transduction Networks, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR) (CONICET-UNR), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Cintia Stival
- Cell Signal Transduction Networks, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR) (CONICET-UNR), Rosario, Argentina
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Jabloñski M, Luque GM, Gómez-Elías MD, Sanchez-Cardenas C, Xu X, de la Vega-Beltran JL, Corkidi G, Linares A, Abonza Amaro VX, Krapf D, Krapf D, Darszon A, Guerrero A, Buffone MG. Reorganization of the Flagellum Scaffolding Induces a Sperm Standstill During Fertilization. bioRxiv 2023:2023.06.22.546073. [PMID: 37904966 PMCID: PMC10614747 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.22.546073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian sperm delve into the female reproductive tract to fertilize the female gamete. The available information about how sperm regulate their motility during the final journey to the fertilization site is extremely limited. In this work, we investigated the structural and functional changes in the sperm flagellum after acrosomal exocytosis and during the interaction with the eggs. The evidence demonstrates that the double helix actin network surrounding the mitochondrial sheath of the midpiece undergoes structural changes prior to the motility cessation. This structural modification is accompanied by a decrease in diameter of the midpiece and is driven by intracellular calcium changes that occur concomitant with a reorganization of the actin helicoidal cortex. Although midpiece contraction may occur in a subset of cells that undergo acrosomal exocytosis, live-cell imaging during in vitro fertilization showed that the midpiece contraction is required for motility cessation after fusion is initiated. These findings provide the first evidence of the F-actin network's role in regulating sperm motility, adapting its function to meet specific cellular requirements during fertilization, and highlighting the broader significance of understanding sperm motility. Significant statement In this work, we demonstrate that the helical structure of polymerized actin in the flagellum undergoes a rearrangement at the time of sperm-egg fusion. This process is driven by intracellular calcium and promotes a decrease in the sperm midpiece diameter as well as the arrest in motility, which is observed after the fusion process is initiated.
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Oliver EI, Jabloñski M, Buffone MG, Darszon A. Two-pore channel 1 and Ca 2+ release-activated Ca 2+ channels contribute to the acrosomal pH-dependent intracellular Ca 2+ increase in mouse sperm. J Physiol 2023. [PMID: 37278367 DOI: 10.1113/jp284247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The acrosome is a lysosome-related vesicular organelle located in the sperm head. The acrosomal reaction (AR) is an exocytic process mediated by Ca2+ and essential for mammalian fertilization. Recent findings support the importance of acrosomal alkalinization for the AR. Mibefradil (Mib) and NNC 55-0396 (NNC) are two amphipathic weak bases that block the sperm-specific Ca2+ channel (CatSper) and induce acrosomal pH (pHa ) increase by accumulating in the acrosomal lumen of mammalian sperm. This accumulation and pHa elevation increase the intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+ ]i ) and trigger the AR by unknown mechanisms of Ca2+ transport. Here, we investigated the pathways associated with the pHa increase-induced Ca2+ signals using mouse sperm as a model. To address these questions, we used single-cell Ca2+ imaging, the lysosomotropic agent Gly-Phe-β-naphthylamide (GPN) and pharmacological tools. Our findings show that Mib and NNC increase pHa and release acrosomal Ca2+ without compromising acrosomal membrane integrity. Our GPN results indicate that the osmotic component does not significantly contribute to acrosomal Ca2+ release caused by pHa rise. Inhibition of two-pore channel 1 (TPC1) channels reduced the [Ca2+ ]i increase stimulated by acrosomal alkalinization. In addition, blockage of Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ (CRAC) channels diminished Ca2+ uptake triggered by pHa alkalinization. Finally, our findings contribute to understanding how pHa controls acrosomal Ca2+ efflux and extracellular Ca2+ entry during AR in mouse sperm. KEY POINTS: The acrosomal vesicle is a lysosome-related organelle located in the sperm head. The acrosome reaction (AR) is a highly regulated exocytic process mediated by Ca2+ , which is essential for fertilization. However, the molecular identity of Ca2+ transporters involved in the AR and their mechanisms to regulate Ca2+ fluxes are not fully understood. In mammalian sperm, acrosomal alkalinization induces intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+ ]i ) increase and triggers the AR by unknown molecular mechanisms of Ca2+ transport. In this study, we explored the molecular mechanisms underlying Ca2+ signals caused by acrosomal alkalinization using mouse sperm as a model. TPC1 and CRAC channels contribute to [Ca2+ ]i elevation during acrosomal alkalinization. Our findings expand our understanding of how the acrosomal pH participates in the physiological induction of the AR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrique I Oliver
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
- Centro de Investigación en Dinámica Celular, Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Básicas y Aplicadas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - Martina Jabloñski
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mariano G Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alberto Darszon
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
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5
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Luque GM, Schiavi-Ehrenhaus LJ, Jabloñski M, Balestrini PA, Novero AG, Torres NI, Osycka-Salut CE, Darszon A, Krapf D, Buffone MG. High-throughput screening method for discovering CatSper inhibitors using membrane depolarization caused by external calcium chelation and fluorescent cell barcoding. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1010306. [PMID: 36743410 PMCID: PMC9892719 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1010306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The exclusive expression of CatSper in sperm and its critical role in sperm function makes this channel an attractive target for contraception. The strategy of blocking CatSper as a male, non-hormonal contraceptive has not been fully explored due to the lack of robust screening methods to discover novel and specific inhibitors. The reason for this lack of appropriate methodology is the structural and functional complexity of this channel. We have developed a high-throughput method to screen drugs with the capacity to block CatSper in mammalian sperm. The assay is based on removing external free divalent cations by chelation, inducing CatSper to efficiently conduct monovalent cations. Since Na+ is highly concentrated in the extracellular milieu, a sudden influx depolarizes the cell. Using CatSper1 KO sperm we demonstrated that this depolarization depends on CatSper function. A membrane potential (Em) assay was combined with fluorescent cell barcoding (FCB), enabling higher throughput flow cytometry based on unique fluorescent signatures of different sperm samples. These differentially labeled samples incubated in distinct experimental conditions can be combined into one tube for simultaneous acquisition. In this way, acquisition times are highly reduced, which is essential to perform larger screening experiments for drug discovery using live cells. Altogether, a simple strategy for assessing CatSper was validated, and this assay was used to develop a high-throughput drug screening for new CatSper blockers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermina M. Luque
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina,*Correspondence: Guillermina M. Luque, ; Mariano G. Buffone,
| | | | - Martina Jabloñski
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Paula A. Balestrini
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Analia G. Novero
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (CONICET-UNR), Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Nicolás I. Torres
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Claudia E. Osycka-Salut
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Dario Krapf
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (CONICET-UNR), Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Mariano G. Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina,*Correspondence: Guillermina M. Luque, ; Mariano G. Buffone,
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Torres-García E, Pinto-Cámara R, Linares A, Martínez D, Abonza V, Brito-Alarcón E, Calcines-Cruz C, Valdés-Galindo G, Torres D, Jabloñski M, Torres-Martínez HH, Martínez JL, Hernández HO, Ocelotl-Oviedo JP, Garcés Y, Barchi M, D’Antuono R, Bošković A, Dubrovsky JG, Darszon A, Buffone MG, Morales RR, Rendon-Mancha JM, Wood CD, Hernández-García A, Krapf D, Crevenna ÁH, Guerrero A. Extending resolution within a single imaging frame. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7452. [PMID: 36460648 PMCID: PMC9718789 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34693-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The resolution of fluorescence microscopy images is limited by the physical properties of light. In the last decade, numerous super-resolution microscopy (SRM) approaches have been proposed to deal with such hindrance. Here we present Mean-Shift Super Resolution (MSSR), a new SRM algorithm based on the Mean Shift theory, which extends spatial resolution of single fluorescence images beyond the diffraction limit of light. MSSR works on low and high fluorophore densities, is not limited by the architecture of the optical setup and is applicable to single images as well as temporal series. The theoretical limit of spatial resolution, based on optimized real-world imaging conditions and analysis of temporal image stacks, has been measured to be 40 nm. Furthermore, MSSR has denoising capabilities that outperform other SRM approaches. Along with its wide accessibility, MSSR is a powerful, flexible, and generic tool for multidimensional and live cell imaging applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esley Torres-García
- grid.412873.b0000 0004 0484 1712Centro de Investigación en Ciencias, Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Básicas y Aplicadas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico ,grid.9486.30000 0001 2159 0001Laboratorio Nacional de Microscopía Avanzada, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico
| | - Raúl Pinto-Cámara
- grid.412873.b0000 0004 0484 1712Centro de Investigación en Ciencias, Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Básicas y Aplicadas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico ,grid.9486.30000 0001 2159 0001Laboratorio Nacional de Microscopía Avanzada, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico
| | - Alejandro Linares
- grid.9486.30000 0001 2159 0001Laboratorio Nacional de Microscopía Avanzada, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico ,grid.144532.5000000012169920XAnalytical and Quantitative Light Microscopy, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA USA
| | - Damián Martínez
- grid.9486.30000 0001 2159 0001Laboratorio Nacional de Microscopía Avanzada, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico
| | - Víctor Abonza
- grid.9486.30000 0001 2159 0001Laboratorio Nacional de Microscopía Avanzada, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico
| | - Eduardo Brito-Alarcón
- grid.9486.30000 0001 2159 0001Laboratorio Nacional de Microscopía Avanzada, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico
| | - Carlos Calcines-Cruz
- grid.9486.30000 0001 2159 0001Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Gustavo Valdés-Galindo
- grid.9486.30000 0001 2159 0001Departamento de Química de Biomacromoléculas, Instituto de Química. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - David Torres
- grid.9486.30000 0001 2159 0001Laboratorio Nacional de Microscopía Avanzada, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico
| | - Martina Jabloñski
- grid.464644.00000 0004 0637 7271Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME‐CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Héctor H. Torres-Martínez
- grid.9486.30000 0001 2159 0001Departamento de Biología Molecular de Plantas, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico
| | - José L. Martínez
- grid.9486.30000 0001 2159 0001Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico
| | - Haydee O. Hernández
- grid.9486.30000 0001 2159 0001Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - José P. Ocelotl-Oviedo
- grid.9486.30000 0001 2159 0001Laboratorio Nacional de Microscopía Avanzada, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico
| | - Yasel Garcés
- grid.9486.30000 0001 2159 0001Laboratorio Nacional de Microscopía Avanzada, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico ,grid.9486.30000 0001 2159 0001Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico
| | - Marco Barchi
- grid.6530.00000 0001 2300 0941Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Ana Bošković
- grid.418924.20000 0004 0627 3632Neurobiology and Epigenetics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Monterotondo, Rome Italy
| | - Joseph G. Dubrovsky
- grid.9486.30000 0001 2159 0001Departamento de Biología Molecular de Plantas, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico
| | - Alberto Darszon
- grid.9486.30000 0001 2159 0001Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico
| | - Mariano G. Buffone
- grid.464644.00000 0004 0637 7271Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME‐CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Roberto Rodríguez Morales
- grid.472559.80000 0004 0498 8706Instituto de Cibernética, Matemática y Física, Ciudad de la Habana, Cuba
| | - Juan Manuel Rendon-Mancha
- grid.412873.b0000 0004 0484 1712Centro de Investigación en Ciencias, Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Básicas y Aplicadas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico
| | - Christopher D. Wood
- grid.9486.30000 0001 2159 0001Laboratorio Nacional de Microscopía Avanzada, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico
| | - Armando Hernández-García
- grid.9486.30000 0001 2159 0001Departamento de Química de Biomacromoléculas, Instituto de Química. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Diego Krapf
- grid.47894.360000 0004 1936 8083Electrical and Computer Engineering and School of Biomedical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO USA
| | - Álvaro H. Crevenna
- grid.418924.20000 0004 0627 3632Neurobiology and Epigenetics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Monterotondo, Rome Italy
| | - Adán Guerrero
- grid.9486.30000 0001 2159 0001Laboratorio Nacional de Microscopía Avanzada, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico
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Schiavi-Ehrenhaus LJ, Romarowski A, Jabloñski M, Krapf D, Luque GM, Buffone MG. The early molecular events leading to COFILIN phosphorylation during mouse sperm capacitation are essential for acrosomal exocytosis. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101988. [PMID: 35487245 PMCID: PMC9142561 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The actin cytoskeleton reorganization during sperm capacitation is essential for the occurrence of acrosomal exocytosis (AR) in several mammalian species. Here, we demonstrate that in mouse sperm, within the first minutes of exposure upon capacitating conditions, the activity of RHOA/C and RAC1 is essential for LIMK1 and COFILIN phosphorylation. However, we observed that the signaling pathway involving RAC1 and PAK4 is the main player in controlling actin polymerization in the sperm head necessary for the occurrence of AR. Moreover, we show that the transient phosphorylation of COFILIN is also influenced by the Slingshot family of protein phosphatases (SSH1). The activity of SSH1 is regulated by the dual action of two pathways. On one hand, RHOA/C and RAC1 activity promotes SSH1 phosphorylation (inactivation). On the other hand, the activating dephosphorylation is driven by okadaic acid-sensitive phosphatases. This regulatory mechanism is independent of the commonly observed activating mechanisms involving PP2B and emerges as a new finely tuned modulation that is, so far, exclusively observed in mouse sperm. However, persistent phosphorylation of COFILIN by SSH1 inhibition or okadaic acid did not altered actin polymerization and the AR. Altogether, our results highlight the role of small GTPases in modulating actin dynamics required for AR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liza J Schiavi-Ehrenhaus
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ana Romarowski
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Martina Jabloñski
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Darío Krapf
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Guillermina M Luque
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Mariano G Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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8
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Silva AAS, Raimundo TRF, Mariani NAP, Kushima H, Avellar MCW, Buffone MG, Paula-Lopes FF, Moura MT, Silva EJR. Dissecting EPPIN protease inhibitor domains in sperm motility and fertilizing ability: repercussions for male contraceptive development. Mol Hum Reprod 2021; 27:gaab066. [PMID: 34792600 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaab066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
EPPIN (epididymal protease inhibitor) is a mammalian conserved sperm-binding protein displaying an N-terminal WFDC (whey-acidic protein four-disulfide core) and a C-terminal Kunitz protease inhibitor domains. EPPIN plays a key role in regulating sperm motility after ejaculation via interaction with the seminal plasma protein SEMG1 (semenogelin-1). EPPIN ligands targeting the SEMG1 binding site in the Kunitz domain are under development as male contraceptive drugs. Nevertheless, the relative contributions of EPPIN WFDC and Kunitz domains to sperm function remain obscure. Here, we evaluated the effects of antibodies targeting specific epitopes in EPPIN's WFDC (Q20E antibody, Gln20-Glu39 epitope) and Kunitz (S21C and F21C antibodies, Ser103-Cys123 and Phe90-C110 epitopes, respectively) domains on mouse sperm motility and fertilizing ability. Computer-assisted sperm analysis showed that sperm co-incubation with S21C antibody (but not F21C antibody) lowered progressive and hyperactivated motilities and impaired kinematic parameters describing progressive (straight-line velocity; VSL, average path velocity; VAP and straightness; STR) and vigorous sperm movements (curvilinear velocity; VCL, amplitude of lateral head movement; ALH, and linearity; LIN) compared with control. Conversely, Q20E antibody-induced milder inhibition of progressive motility and kinematic parameters (VAP, VCL and ALH). Sperm co-incubation with S21C or Q20E antibodies affected in vitro fertilization as revealed by reduced cleavage rates, albeit without changes in capacitation-induced tyrosine phosphorylation. In conclusion, we show that targeting specific epitopes in EPPIN Kunitz and WFDC domains inhibits sperm motility and capacitation-associated events, which decrease their fertilizing ability; nevertheless, similar observations in vivo remain to be demonstrated. Simultaneously targeting residues in S21C and Q20E epitopes is a promising approach for the rational design of EPPIN-based ligands with spermostatic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan A S Silva
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University, Botucatu-SP, Brazil
| | - Tamiris R F Raimundo
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University, Botucatu-SP, Brazil
| | - Noemia A P Mariani
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University, Botucatu-SP, Brazil
| | - Hélio Kushima
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University, Botucatu-SP, Brazil
| | - Maria Christina W Avellar
- Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo-SP, Brazil
| | - Mariano G Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Fabíola F Paula-Lopes
- Department of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Campus Diadema, Diadema-SP, Brazil
| | - Marcelo T Moura
- Department of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Campus Diadema, Diadema-SP, Brazil
| | - Erick J R Silva
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University, Botucatu-SP, Brazil
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9
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Marín-Briggiler CI, Luque GM, Gervasi MG, Oscoz-Susino N, Sierra JM, Mondillo C, Salicioni AM, Krapf D, Visconti PE, Buffone MG. Human Sperm Remain Motile After a Temporary Energy Restriction but do Not Undergo Capacitation-Related Events. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:777086. [PMID: 34869380 PMCID: PMC8633110 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.777086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
To acquire fertilization competence, mammalian sperm must undergo several biochemical and physiological modifications known as capacitation. Despite its relevance, the metabolic pathways that regulate the capacitation-related events, including the development of hyperactivated motility, are still poorly described. Previous studies from our group have shown that temporary energy restriction in mouse sperm enhanced hyperactivation, in vitro fertilization, early embryo development and pregnancy rates after embryo transfer, and it improved intracytoplasmic sperm injection results in the bovine model. However, the effects of starvation and energy recovery protocols on human sperm function have not yet been established. In the present work, human sperm were incubated for different periods of time in medium containing glucose, pyruvate and lactate (NUTR) or devoid of nutrients for the starving condition (STRV). Sperm maintained in STRV displayed reduced percentages of motility and kinematic parameters compared to cells incubated in NUTR medium. Moreover, they did not undergo hyperactivation and showed reduced levels of ATP, cAMP and protein tyrosine phosphorylation. Similar to our results with mouse sperm, starvation induced increased intracellular Ca2+ concentrations. Starved human sperm were capable to continue moving for more than 27 h, but the incubation with a mitochondrial uncoupler or inhibitors of oxidative phosphorylation led to a complete motility loss. When exogenous nutrients were added back (sperm energy recovery (SER) treatment), hyperactivated motility was rescued and there was a rise in sperm ATP and cAMP levels in 1 min, with a decrease in intracellular Ca2+ concentration and no changes in sperm protein tyrosine phosphorylation. The finding that human sperm can remain motile for several hours under starvation due to mitochondrial use of endogenous metabolites implies that other metabolic pathways may play a role in sperm energy production. In addition, full recovery of motility and other capacitation parameters of human sperm after SER suggests that this treatment might be used to modulate human sperm fertilizing ability in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Guillermina M. Luque
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María G. Gervasi
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Natalia Oscoz-Susino
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jessica M. Sierra
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carolina Mondillo
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ana M. Salicioni
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Darío Krapf
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (CONICET-UNR), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Pablo E. Visconti
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Mariano G. Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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10
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Mata-Martínez E, Sánchez-Cárdenas C, Chávez JC, Guerrero AD, Treviño CL, Corkidi G, Montoya F, Hernández-Herrera P, Buffone MG, Balestrini PA, Darszon A. Corrigendum to "Role of calcium oscillations in sperm physiology" [BioSystems 209 (2021) 104524]. Biosystems 2021; 210:104546. [PMID: 34561129 DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2021.104546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Esperanza Mata-Martínez
- Laboratorio de Fusión de Membranas y Exocitosis Acrosomal, Instituto de Histología y Embriología Dr. Mario H. Burgos (IHEM), Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, CONICET, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Claudia Sánchez-Cárdenas
- Departamento de Genética Del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología (IBT), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Julio C Chávez
- Departamento de Genética Del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología (IBT), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Adán D Guerrero
- Laboratorio Nacional de Microscopía Avanzada, IBT, UNAM, Mexico
| | - Claudia L Treviño
- Departamento de Genética Del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología (IBT), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Gabriel Corkidi
- Departamento de Ingeniería Celular y Biocatálisis, Laboratorio de Imágenes y Visión por Computadora, IBT, UNAM, Mexico
| | - Fernando Montoya
- Departamento de Ingeniería Celular y Biocatálisis, Laboratorio de Imágenes y Visión por Computadora, IBT, UNAM, Mexico
| | - Paul Hernández-Herrera
- Departamento de Ingeniería Celular y Biocatálisis, Laboratorio de Imágenes y Visión por Computadora, IBT, UNAM, Mexico
| | - Mariano G Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Paula A Balestrini
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alberto Darszon
- Departamento de Genética Del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología (IBT), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
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11
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Balough JL, Hahn C, Luque GM, Buffone MG, Flaws JA, Duncan FE. MATERNAL AND PATERNAL AGE CONTRIBUTIONS TO FERTILITY OUTCOMES IN THE MOUSE. Fertil Steril 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2021.07.1132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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12
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Mata-Martínez E, Sánchez-Cárdenas C, Chávez JC, Guerrero A, Treviño CL, Corkidi G, Montoya F, Hernandez-Herrera P, Buffone MG, Balestrini PA, Darszon A. Role of calcium oscillations in sperm physiology. Biosystems 2021; 209:104524. [PMID: 34453988 DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2021.104524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Intracellular Ca2+ is a key regulator of cell signaling and sperm are not the exception. Cells often use cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) oscillations as a means to decodify external and internal information. [Ca2+]i oscillations faster than those usually found in other cells and correlated with flagellar beat were the first to be described in sperm in 1993 by Susan Suarez, in the boar. More than 20 years passed before similar [Ca2+]i oscillations were documented in human sperm, simultaneously examining their flagellar beat in three dimensions by Corkidi et al. 2017. On the other hand, 10 years after the discovery of the fast boar [Ca2+]i oscillations, slower ones triggered by compounds from the egg external envelope were found to regulate cell motility and chemotaxis in sperm from marine organisms. Today it is known that sperm display fast and slow spontaneous and agonist triggered [Ca2+]i oscillations. In mammalian sperm these Ca2+ transients may act like a multifaceted tool that regulates fundamental functions such as motility and acrosome reaction. This review covers the main sperm species and experimental conditions where [Ca2+]i oscillations have been described and discusses what is known about the transporters involved, their regulation and the physiological purpose of these oscillations. There is a lot to be learned regarding the origin, regulation and physiological relevance of these Ca2+ oscillations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esperanza Mata-Martínez
- Laboratorio de Fusión de Membranas y Exocitosis Acrosomal, Instituto de Histología y Embriología Dr. Mario H. Burgos (IHEM) Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, CONICET, Mendoza, Argentina.
| | - Claudia Sánchez-Cárdenas
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología (IBT), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
| | - Julio C Chávez
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología (IBT), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
| | - Adán Guerrero
- Laboratorio Nacional de Microscopía Avanzada, IBT, UNAM, Mexico.
| | - Claudia L Treviño
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología (IBT), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
| | - Gabriel Corkidi
- Departamento de Ingeniería Celular y Biocatálisis, Laboratorio de Imágenes y Visión por Computadora, IBT, UNAM, Mexico.
| | - Fernando Montoya
- Departamento de Ingeniería Celular y Biocatálisis, Laboratorio de Imágenes y Visión por Computadora, IBT, UNAM, Mexico.
| | - Paul Hernandez-Herrera
- Departamento de Ingeniería Celular y Biocatálisis, Laboratorio de Imágenes y Visión por Computadora, IBT, UNAM, Mexico.
| | - Mariano G Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Paula A Balestrini
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Alberto Darszon
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología (IBT), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
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13
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Balestrini PA, Sanchez-Cardenas C, Luque GM, Baro Graf C, Sierra JM, Hernández-Cruz A, Visconti PE, Krapf D, Darszon A, Buffone MG. Membrane hyperpolarization abolishes calcium oscillations that prevent induced acrosomal exocytosis in human sperm. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21478. [PMID: 33991146 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202002333rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Sperm capacitation is essential to gain fertilizing capacity. During this process, a series of biochemical and physiological modifications occur that allow sperm to undergo acrosomal exocytosis (AE). At the molecular level, hyperpolarization of the sperm membrane potential (Em) takes place during capacitation. This study shows that human sperm incubated under conditions that do not support capacitation (NC) can become ready for an agonist stimulated AE by pharmacologically inducing Em hyperpolarization with Valinomycin or Amiloride. To investigate how Em hyperpolarization promotes human sperm's ability to undergo AE, live single-cell imaging experiments were performed to simultaneously monitor changes in [Ca2+ ]i and the occurrence of AE. Em hyperpolarization turned [Ca2+ ]i dynamics in NC sperm from spontaneously oscillating into a sustained slow [Ca2+ ]i increase. The addition of progesterone (P4) or K+ to Valinomycin-treated sperm promoted that a significant number of cells displayed a transitory rise in [Ca2+ ]i which then underwent AE. Altogether, our results demonstrate that Em hyperpolarization is necessary and sufficient to prepare human sperm for the AE. Furthermore, this Em change decreased Ca2+ oscillations that block the occurrence of AE, providing strong experimental evidence of the molecular mechanism that drives the acquisition of acrosomal responsiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula A Balestrini
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Claudia Sanchez-Cardenas
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, México
| | - Guillermina M Luque
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carolina Baro Graf
- Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Jessica M Sierra
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Arturo Hernández-Cruz
- Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Pablo E Visconti
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, Paige Labs, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Dario Krapf
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (CONICET-UNR), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Alberto Darszon
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, México
| | - Mariano G Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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14
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Luque GM, Xu X, Romarowski A, Gervasi MG, Orta G, De la Vega-Beltrán JL, Stival C, Gilio N, Dalotto-Moreno T, Krapf D, Visconti PE, Krapf D, Darszon A, Buffone MG. Cdc42 localized in the CatSper signaling complex regulates cAMP-dependent pathways in mouse sperm. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21723. [PMID: 34224609 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202002773rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Sperm acquire the ability to fertilize in a process called capacitation and undergo hyperactivation, a change in the motility pattern, which depends on Ca2+ transport by CatSper channels. CatSper is essential for fertilization and it is subjected to a complex regulation that is not fully understood. Here, we report that similar to CatSper, Cdc42 distribution in the principal piece is confined to four linear domains and this localization is disrupted in CatSper1-null sperm. Cdc42 inhibition impaired CatSper activity and other Ca2+ -dependent downstream events resulting in a severe compromise of the sperm fertilizing potential. We also demonstrate that Cdc42 is essential for CatSper function by modulating cAMP production by soluble adenylate cyclase (sAC), providing a new regulatory mechanism for the stimulation of CatSper by the cAMP-dependent pathway. These results reveal a broad mechanistic insight into the regulation of Ca2+ in mammalian sperm, a matter of critical importance in male infertility as well as in contraception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermina M Luque
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Xinran Xu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Ana Romarowski
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - María G Gervasi
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Gerardo Orta
- Instituto de Biotecnología, UNAM, Cuernavaca, México
| | | | - Cintia Stival
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (CONICET-UNR), Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Nicolás Gilio
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Tomás Dalotto-Moreno
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Dario Krapf
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (CONICET-UNR), Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Pablo E Visconti
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Diego Krapf
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | | | - Mariano G Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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15
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Moreno-Irusta A, Dominguez EM, Marín-Briggiler CI, Matamoros-Volante A, Lucchesi O, Tomes CN, Treviño CL, Buffone MG, Lascano R, Losinno L, Giojalas LC. Reactive oxygen species are involved in the signaling of equine sperm chemotaxis. Reproduction 2021; 159:423-436. [PMID: 31967971 DOI: 10.1530/rep-19-0480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Sperm chemotaxis may facilitate the finding of the oocyte. Only capacitated spermatozoa can orient their movement by chemotaxis, which as well as capacitation, is regulated in part by the cAMP-PKA pathway. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced during sperm capacitation which is closely related to chemotaxis. Then, the ROS participation in the chemotactic signaling can be expected. Here we studied the role of ROS in the chemotaxis signaling of equine spermatozoa which produce high quantities of ROS because of their energy metabolism. The level of capacitated and chemotactic spermatozoa was increased with 0.1 and 0.2 mM hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which was involved in the chemotactic signaling. By combining a concentration gradient of H2O2 with inhibitors/chelators of some of the signaling pathway elements, we showed that the activation of NOX (membrane NADPH oxidase) increases the intracellular ROS which activate the chemotaxis AMPc-PKA pathway. Our results provide evidence about the participation of ROS in the chemotactic signaling mediated by progesterone (P).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayelen Moreno-Irusta
- Centro de Biología Celular y Molecular (FCEFYN-UNC) and Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET-UNC), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Esteban M Dominguez
- Centro de Biología Celular y Molecular (FCEFYN-UNC) and Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET-UNC), Córdoba, Argentina
| | | | - Arturo Matamoros-Volante
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Ornella Lucchesi
- Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza (IHEM) Dr. Mario H. Burgos-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Claudia N Tomes
- Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza (IHEM) Dr. Mario H. Burgos-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Claudia L Treviño
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Mariano G Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), CONICET-UBA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ramiro Lascano
- Cátedra de Fisiología Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Luis Losinno
- Laboratorio de Producción Equina (FAV-UNRC) Rio Cuarto, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Laura C Giojalas
- Centro de Biología Celular y Molecular (FCEFYN-UNC) and Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET-UNC), Córdoba, Argentina
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16
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Baro Graf C, Ritagliati C, Stival C, Luque GM, Gentile I, Buffone MG, Krapf D. Everything you ever wanted to know about PKA regulation and its involvement in mammalian sperm capacitation. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2020; 518:110992. [PMID: 32853743 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2020.110992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The 3', 5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) dependent protein kinase (PKA) is a tetrameric holoenzyme comprising a set of two regulatory subunits (PKA-R) and two catalytic (PKA-C) subunits. The PKA-R subunits act as sensors of cAMP and allow PKA-C activity. One of the first signaling events observed during mammalian sperm capacitation is PKA activation. Thus, understanding how PKA activity is restricted in space and time is crucial to decipher the critical steps of sperm capacitation. It is widely accepted that PKA specificity depends on several levels of regulation. Anchoring proteins play a pivotal role in achieving proper localization signaling, subcellular targeting and cAMP microdomains. These multi-factorial regulation steps are necessary for a precise spatio-temporal activation of PKA. Here we discuss recent understanding of regulatory mechanisms of PKA in mammalian sperm, such as post-translational modifications, in the context of its role as the master orchestrator of molecular events conducive to capacitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Baro Graf
- Laboratory of Cell Signal Transduction Networks, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), CONICET-UNR, Rosario, Argentina; Laboratorio de Medicina Reproductiva (LMR), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Carla Ritagliati
- Laboratory of Cell Signal Transduction Networks, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), CONICET-UNR, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Cintia Stival
- Laboratory of Cell Signal Transduction Networks, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), CONICET-UNR, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Guillermina M Luque
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Reproductive Biology, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Iñaki Gentile
- Laboratory of Cell Signal Transduction Networks, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), CONICET-UNR, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Mariano G Buffone
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Reproductive Biology, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Dario Krapf
- Laboratory of Cell Signal Transduction Networks, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), CONICET-UNR, Rosario, Argentina; Laboratorio de Medicina Reproductiva (LMR), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina.
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17
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Balestrini PA, Jabloñski M, Schiavi-Ehrenhaus LJ, Marín-Briggiler CI, Sánchez-Cárdenas C, Darszon A, Krapf D, Buffone MG. Seeing is believing: Current methods to observe sperm acrosomal exocytosis in real time. Mol Reprod Dev 2020; 87:1188-1198. [PMID: 33118273 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Acrosomal exocytosis (AR) is a critical process that sperm need to undergo to fertilize an egg. The evaluation of the presence or absence of the acrosome is usually performed by using lectins or dyes in fixed cells. With this approach, it is neither possible to monitor the dynamic process of exocytosis and related molecular events while discriminating between live and dead cells, nor to evaluate the acrosomal status while sperm reside in the female reproductive tract. However, over the last two decades, several new methodologies have been used to assess the occurrence of AR in living cells allowing different groups to obtain information that was not possible in the past. These techniques have revolutionized the whole study of this process. This review summarizes current methods available to analyze AR in living cells as well as the important information that emerged from studies using these approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula A Balestrini
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Martina Jabloñski
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | | | - Claudia Sánchez-Cárdenas
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - Alberto Darszon
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - Darío Krapf
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, CONICET-UNR, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Mariano G Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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18
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Saez TMM, Fernandez Bessone I, Rodriguez MS, Alloatti M, Otero MG, Cromberg LE, Pozo Devoto VM, Oubiña G, Sosa L, Buffone MG, Gelman DM, Falzone TL. Kinesin-1-mediated axonal transport of CB1 receptors is required for cannabinoid-dependent axonal growth and guidance. Development 2020; 147:dev184069. [PMID: 32265198 PMCID: PMC7188441 DOI: 10.1242/dev.184069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Endocannabinoids (eCB) modulate growth cone dynamics and axonal pathfinding through the stimulation of cannabinoid type-1 receptors (CB1R), the function of which depends on their delivery and precise presentation at the growth cone surface. However, the mechanism involved in the axonal transport of CB1R and its transport role in eCB signaling remains elusive. As mutations in the kinesin-1 molecular motor have been identified in patients with abnormal cortical development and impaired white matter integrity, we studied the defects in axonal pathfinding and fasciculation in mice lacking the kinesin light chain 1 (Klc1-/-) subunit of kinesin-1. Reduced levels of CB1R were found in corticofugal projections and axonal growth cones in Klc1-/- mice. By live-cell imaging of CB1R-eGFP we characterized the axonal transport of CB1R vesicles and described the defects in transport that arise after KLC1 deletion. Cofilin activation, which is necessary for actin dynamics during growth cone remodeling, is impaired in the Klc1-/- cerebral cortex. In addition, Klc1-/- neurons showed expanded growth cones that were unresponsive to CB1R-induced axonal elongation. Together, our data reveal the relevance of kinesin-1 in CB1R axonal transport and in eCB signaling during brain wiring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trinidad M M Saez
- Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia, IBCN (UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CP 1121 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Iván Fernandez Bessone
- Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia, IBCN (UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CP 1121 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María S Rodriguez
- Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia, IBCN (UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CP 1121 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Matías Alloatti
- Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia, IBCN (UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CP 1121 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María G Otero
- Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia, IBCN (UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CP 1121 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lucas E Cromberg
- Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia, IBCN (UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CP 1121 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Victorio M Pozo Devoto
- Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia, IBCN (UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CP 1121 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gonzalo Oubiña
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, IBYME (CONICET), CP 1428 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lucas Sosa
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, CP 5000 Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Mariano G Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, IBYME (CONICET), CP 1428 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Diego M Gelman
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, IBYME (CONICET), CP 1428 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Tomás L Falzone
- Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia, IBCN (UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CP 1121 Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, IBYME (CONICET), CP 1428 Buenos Aires, Argentina
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19
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Baro Graf C, Ritagliati C, Torres-Monserrat V, Stival C, Carizza C, Buffone MG, Krapf D. Membrane Potential Assessment by Fluorimetry as a Predictor Tool of Human Sperm Fertilizing Capacity. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 7:383. [PMID: 32010695 PMCID: PMC6979052 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2019.00383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian sperm acquire the ability to fertilize eggs by undergoing a process known as capacitation. Capacitation is triggered as the sperm travels through the female reproductive tract. This process involves specific physiological changes such as rearrangement of the cell plasma membrane, post-translational modifications of certain proteins, and changes in the cellular permeability to ions - with the subsequent impact on the plasma membrane potential (Em). Capacitation-associated Em hyperpolarization has been well studied in mouse sperm, and shown to be both necessary and sufficient to promote the acrosome reaction (AR) and fertilize the egg. However, the relevance of the sperm Em upon capacitation on human fertility has not been thoroughly characterized. Here, we performed an extensive study of the Em change during capacitation in human sperm samples using a potentiometric dye in a fluorimetric assay. Normospermic donors showed significant Em hyperpolarization after capacitation. Em values from capacitated samples correlated significantly with the sperm ability to undergo induced AR, highlighting the role of hyperpolarization in acrosomal responsiveness, and with successful in vitro fertilization (IVF) rates. These results show that Em hyperpolarization could be an indicator of human sperm fertilizing capacity, setting the basis for the use of Em values as a robust predictor of the success rate of IVF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Baro Graf
- Laboratory of Cell Signal Transduction Networks, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), CONICET-UNR, Rosario, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Medicina Reproductiva, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Carla Ritagliati
- Laboratory of Cell Signal Transduction Networks, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), CONICET-UNR, Rosario, Argentina
| | | | - Cintia Stival
- Laboratory of Cell Signal Transduction Networks, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), CONICET-UNR, Rosario, Argentina
| | | | - Mariano G. Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Dario Krapf
- Laboratory of Cell Signal Transduction Networks, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), CONICET-UNR, Rosario, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Medicina Reproductiva, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
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20
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Navarrete FA, Aguila L, Martin-Hidalgo D, Tourzani DA, Luque GM, Ardestani G, Garcia-Vazquez FA, Levin LR, Buck J, Darszon A, Buffone MG, Mager J, Fissore RA, Salicioni AM, Gervasi MG, Visconti PE. Transient Sperm Starvation Improves the Outcome of Assisted Reproductive Technologies. Front Cell Dev Biol 2019; 7:262. [PMID: 31750304 PMCID: PMC6848031 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2019.00262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
To become fertile, mammalian sperm must undergo a series of biochemical and physiological changes known as capacitation. These changes involve crosstalk between metabolic and signaling pathways and can be recapitulated in vitro. In this work, sperm were incubated in the absence of exogenous nutrients (starved) until they were no longer able to move. Once immotile, energy substrates were added back to the media and sperm motility was rescued. Following rescue, a significantly higher percentage of starved sperm attained hyperactivated motility and displayed increased ability to fertilize in vitro when compared with sperm persistently incubated in standard capacitation media. Remarkably, the effects of this treatment continue beyond fertilization as starved and rescued sperm promoted higher rates of embryo development, and once transferred to pseudo-pregnant females, blastocysts derived from treated sperm produced significantly more pups. In addition, the starvation and rescue protocol increased fertilization and embryo development rates in sperm from a severely sub-fertile mouse model, and when combined with temporal increase in Ca2+ ion levels, this methodology significantly improved fertilization and embryo development rates in sperm of sterile CatSper1 KO mice model. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) does not work in the agriculturally relevant bovine system. Here, we show that transient nutrient starvation of bovine sperm significantly enhanced ICSI success in this species. These data reveal that the conditions under which sperm are treated impact post-fertilization development and suggest that this “starvation and rescue method” can be used to improve assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) in other mammalian species, including humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe A Navarrete
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Integrated Sciences Building, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Luis Aguila
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Integrated Sciences Building, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - David Martin-Hidalgo
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Integrated Sciences Building, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States.,Research Group of Intracellular Signaling and Technology of Reproduction, Institute of Biotechnology in Agriculture and Livestock (INBIO G + C), University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain
| | - Darya A Tourzani
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Integrated Sciences Building, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Guillermina M Luque
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Goli Ardestani
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Integrated Sciences Building, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Francisco A Garcia-Vazquez
- Department of Physiology, Veterinary School, International Excellence Campus for Higher Education and Research, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.,Institute for Biomedical Research of Murcia, IMIB-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain
| | - Lonny R Levin
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Jochen Buck
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Alberto Darszon
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Mariano G Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jesse Mager
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Integrated Sciences Building, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Rafael A Fissore
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Integrated Sciences Building, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Ana M Salicioni
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Integrated Sciences Building, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - María G Gervasi
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Integrated Sciences Building, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Pablo E Visconti
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Integrated Sciences Building, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
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21
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Oubiña G, Pascuali N, Scotti L, Di Pietro M, La Spina FA, Buffone MG, Higuera J, Abramovich D, Parborell F. Low level laser therapy (LLLT) modulates ovarian function in mature female mice. Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology 2019; 145:10-18. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2018.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2018] [Revised: 11/06/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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22
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Alonso CAI, Lottero-Leconte R, Luque GM, Vernaz ZJ, Di Siervi N, Gervasi MG, Buffone MG, Davio C, Perez-Martinez S. MRP4-mediated cAMP efflux is essential for mouse spermatozoa capacitation. J Cell Sci 2019; 132:jcs.230565. [PMID: 31253671 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.230565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian spermatozoa must undergo biochemical and structural changes to acquire the capacity for fertilization, in a process known as capacitation. Activation of PKA enzymes is essential for capacitation, and thus cAMP levels are tightly regulated during this process. Previously, we demonstrated that during capacitation, bovine spermatozoa extrude cAMP through multidrug resistance-associated protein 4 (MRP4, also known as ABCC4), which regulates intracellular levels of the nucleotide and provides cAMP to the extracellular space. Here, we report the presence of functional MRP4 in murine spermatozoa, since its pharmacological inhibition with MK571 decreased levels of extracellular cAMP. This also produced a sudden increase in PKA activity, with decreased tyrosine phosphorylation at the end of capacitation. Blockade of MRP4 inhibited induction of acrosome reaction, hyperactivation and in vitro fertilization. Moreover, MRP4 inhibition generated an increase in Ca2+ levels mediated by PKA, and depletion of Ca2+ salts from the medium prevented the loss of motility and phosphotyrosine inhibition produced by MK571. These results were supported using spermatozoa from CatSper Ca2+ channel knockout mice. Taken together, these results suggest that cAMP efflux via MRP4 plays an essential role in mouse sperm capacitation.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- C A I Alonso
- Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos (CEFYBO) (UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires C1121ABG, Argentina
| | - R Lottero-Leconte
- Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos (CEFYBO) (UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires C1121ABG, Argentina
| | - G M Luque
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires C1428ADN, Argentina
| | - Z J Vernaz
- Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos (CEFYBO) (UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires C1121ABG, Argentina
| | - N Di Siervi
- Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (ININFA) (UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires C1113AAD, Argentina
| | - M G Gervasi
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, United States
| | - M G Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires C1428ADN, Argentina
| | - C Davio
- Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (ININFA) (UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires C1113AAD, Argentina
| | - S Perez-Martinez
- Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos (CEFYBO) (UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires C1121ABG, Argentina
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23
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Baro Graf C, Ritagliati C, Stival C, Balestrini PA, Buffone MG, Krapf D. Determination of a Robust Assay for Human Sperm Membrane Potential Analysis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2019; 7:101. [PMID: 31245370 PMCID: PMC6579818 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2019.00101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian sperm must undergo a complex process called capacitation in order to fertilize the egg. During this process, hyperpolarization of the sperm plasma membrane has been mostly studied in mouse, and associated to its importance in the preparation to undergo the acrosome reaction (AR). However, despite the increasing evidence of membrane hyperpolarization in human sperm capacitation, no reliable techniques have been set up for its determination. In this report we describe human sperm membrane potential (Em) measurements by a fluorimetric population assay, establishing optimal conditions for Em determination. In addition, we have conducted parallel measurements of the same human sperm samples by flow cytometry and population fluorimetry, before and after capacitation, to conclusively address their reliability. This integrative analysis sets the basis for the study of Em in human sperm allowing future work aiming to understand its role in human sperm capacitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Baro Graf
- CONICET-UNR, Laboratoty of Cell Signal Transduction Networks, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina.,UNR, Laboratorio de Medicina Reproductiva, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Carla Ritagliati
- CONICET-UNR, Laboratoty of Cell Signal Transduction Networks, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Cintia Stival
- CONICET-UNR, Laboratoty of Cell Signal Transduction Networks, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Paula A Balestrini
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mariano G Buffone
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Darío Krapf
- CONICET-UNR, Laboratoty of Cell Signal Transduction Networks, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina.,UNR, Laboratorio de Medicina Reproductiva, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Rosario, Argentina
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24
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Romarowski A, Velasco Félix ÁG, Torres Rodríguez P, Gervasi MG, Xu X, Luque GM, Contreras-Jiménez G, Sánchez-Cárdenas C, Ramírez-Gómez HV, Krapf D, Visconti PE, Krapf D, Guerrero A, Darszon A, Buffone MG. Super-resolution imaging of live sperm reveals dynamic changes of the actin cytoskeleton during acrosomal exocytosis. J Cell Sci 2018; 131:jcs.218958. [PMID: 30301778 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.218958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Filamentous actin (F-actin) is a key factor in exocytosis in many cell types. In mammalian sperm, acrosomal exocytosis (denoted the acrosome reaction or AR), a special type of controlled secretion, is regulated by multiple signaling pathways and the actin cytoskeleton. However, the dynamic changes of the actin cytoskeleton in live sperm are largely not understood. Here, we used the powerful properties of SiR-actin to examine actin dynamics in live mouse sperm at the onset of the AR. By using a combination of super-resolution microscopy techniques to image sperm loaded with SiR-actin or sperm from transgenic mice containing Lifeact-EGFP, six regions containing F-actin within the sperm head were revealed. The proportion of sperm possessing these structures changed upon capacitation. By performing live-cell imaging experiments, we report that dynamic changes of F-actin during the AR occur in specific regions of the sperm head. While certain F-actin regions undergo depolymerization prior to the initiation of the AR, others remain unaltered or are lost after exocytosis occurs. Our work emphasizes the utility of live-cell nanoscopy, which will undoubtedly impact the search for mechanisms that underlie basic sperm functions.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Romarowski
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires C1428ADN, Argentina
| | - Ángel G Velasco Félix
- Laboratorio Nacional de Microscopía Avanzada, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, México
| | - Paulina Torres Rodríguez
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, México
| | - María G Gervasi
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, Paige Labs, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Xinran Xu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, School of Biomedical Engineering, 1301 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Guillermina M Luque
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires C1428ADN, Argentina
| | - Gastón Contreras-Jiménez
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, México
| | - Claudia Sánchez-Cárdenas
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, México
| | - Héctor V Ramírez-Gómez
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, México
| | - Diego Krapf
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, School of Biomedical Engineering, 1301 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Pablo E Visconti
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, Paige Labs, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Dario Krapf
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (CONICET-UNR), Rosario, Santa Fe S2000EZP, Argentina
| | - Adán Guerrero
- Laboratorio Nacional de Microscopía Avanzada, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, México
| | - Alberto Darszon
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, México
| | - Mariano G Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires C1428ADN, Argentina
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25
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Ritagliati C, Luque GM, Stival C, Baro Graf C, Buffone MG, Krapf D. Lysine acetylation modulates mouse sperm capacitation. Sci Rep 2018; 8:13334. [PMID: 30190490 PMCID: PMC6127136 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-31557-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian sperm are unable to fertilize the egg immediately after ejaculation. To gain fertilization competence, they need to undergo a series of modifications inside the female reproductive tract, known as capacitation. Capacitation involves several molecular events such as phosphorylation cascades, hyperpolarization of the plasma membrane and intracellular Ca2+ changes, which prepare the sperm to develop two essential features for fertilization competence: hyperactivation and acrosome reaction. Since sperm cells lack new protein biosynthesis, post-translational modification of existing proteins plays a crucial role to obtain full functionality. Here, we show the presence of acetylated proteins in murine sperm, which increase during capacitation. Pharmacological hyperacetylation of lysine residues in non-capacitated sperm induces activation of PKA, hyperpolarization of the sperm plasma membrane, CatSper opening and Ca2+ influx, all capacitation-associated molecular events. Furthermore, hyperacetylation of non-capacitated sperm promotes hyperactivation and prepares the sperm to undergo acrosome reaction. Together, these results indicate that acetylation could be involved in the acquisition of fertilization competence of mammalian sperm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Ritagliati
- Laboratory of Cell Signal Transduction Networks, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), CONICET-UNR, Rosario, 2000, Argentina
| | - Guillermina M Luque
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Reproductive Biology, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), CONICET, Buenos Aires, C1428ADN, Argentina
| | - Cintia Stival
- Laboratory of Cell Signal Transduction Networks, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), CONICET-UNR, Rosario, 2000, Argentina
| | - Carolina Baro Graf
- Laboratory of Cell Signal Transduction Networks, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), CONICET-UNR, Rosario, 2000, Argentina
| | - Mariano G Buffone
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Reproductive Biology, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), CONICET, Buenos Aires, C1428ADN, Argentina
| | - Dario Krapf
- Laboratory of Cell Signal Transduction Networks, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), CONICET-UNR, Rosario, 2000, Argentina.
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Saucedo L, Sobarzo C, Brukman NG, Guidobaldi HA, Lustig L, Giojalas LC, Buffone MG, Vazquez-Levin MH, Marín-Briggiler C. Involvement of fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) and its receptors in the regulation of mouse sperm physiology. Reproduction 2018; 156:163-172. [DOI: 10.1530/rep-18-0133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) and its receptors (FGFRs) have been described in several tissues, where they regulate cellular proliferation, differentiation, motility and apoptosis. Although FGF2/FGFRs expression in the male reproductive tract has been reported, there is scarce evidence on their presence in the female reproductive tract and their involvement in the modulation of sperm function. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the expression of FGF2 in the female reproductive tract and to assess the role of the FGF2/FGFRs system in the regulation of sperm physiology using the murine model. FGF2 was detected in uterus and oviduct protein extracts, and it was immunolocalized in epithelial cells of the uterus,isthmusandampulla, as well as in thecumulus oophorus-oocyte complex. The receptors FGFR1, FGFR2, FGFR3 and FGFR4 were immunodetected in the flagellum and acrosomal region of sperm recovered from thecaudaepididymis. Analysis of testis sections showed the expression of FGFRs in germ cells at different stages of the spermatogenesis, suggesting the testicular origin of the sperm FGFRs. Sperm incubation with recombinant FGF2 (rFGF2) led to increased sperm motility and velocity and to enhanced intracellular Ca2+levels and acrosomal loss compared to the control. In conclusion, this study shows that FGF2 is expressed in tissues of the female reproductive tract. Also, the fact that functional FGFRs are present in mouse sperm and that rFGF2 affects sperm motility and acrosomal exocytosis, suggests the involvement of this system in thein vivoregulation of sperm function.
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27
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Puga Molina LC, Luque GM, Balestrini PA, Marín-Briggiler CI, Romarowski A, Buffone MG. Molecular Basis of Human Sperm Capacitation. Front Cell Dev Biol 2018; 6:72. [PMID: 30105226 PMCID: PMC6078053 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2018.00072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
In the early 1950s, Austin and Chang independently described the changes that are required for the sperm to fertilize oocytes in vivo. These changes were originally grouped under name of “capacitation” and were the first step in the development of in vitro fertilization (IVF) in humans. Following these initial and fundamental findings, a remarkable number of observations led to characterization of the molecular steps behind this process. The discovery of certain sperm-specific molecules and the possibility to record ion currents through patch-clamp approaches helped to integrate the initial biochemical observation with the activity of ion channels. This is of particular importance in the male gamete due to the fact that sperm are transcriptionally inactive. Therefore, sperm must control all these changes that occur during their transit through the male and female reproductive tracts by complex signaling cascades that include post-translational modifications. This review is focused on the principal molecular mechanisms that govern human sperm capacitation with particular emphasis on comparing all the reported pieces of evidence with the mouse model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lis C Puga Molina
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Guillermina M Luque
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Paula A Balestrini
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Clara I Marín-Briggiler
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ana Romarowski
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mariano G Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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28
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Luque GM, Dalotto-Moreno T, Martín-Hidalgo D, Ritagliati C, Puga Molina LC, Romarowski A, Balestrini PA, Schiavi-Ehrenhaus LJ, Gilio N, Krapf D, Visconti PE, Buffone MG. Only a subpopulation of mouse sperm displays a rapid increase in intracellular calcium during capacitation. J Cell Physiol 2018; 233:9685-9700. [PMID: 29953592 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.26883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2017] [Accepted: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian sperm must undergo a functionally defined process called capacitation to be able to fertilize oocytes. They become capacitated in vivo by interacting with the female reproductive tract or in vitro in a defined capacitation medium that contains bovine serum albumin, calcium (Ca2+ ), and bicarbonate (HCO3 - ). In this work, sperm were double stained with propidium iodide and the Ca2+ dye Fluo-4 AM and analyzed by flow cytometry to determine changes in intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+ ]i ) in individual live sperm. An increase in [Ca2+ ]i was observed in a subpopulation of capacitated live sperm when compared with noncapacitated ones. Sperm exposed to the capacitating medium displayed a rapid increase in [Ca2+ ]i within 1 min of incubation, which remained sustained for 90 min. These rise in [Ca2+ ]i after 90 min of incubation in the capacitating medium was evidenced by an increase in the normalized median fluorescence intensity. This increase was dependent on the presence of extracellular Ca2+ and, at least in part, reflected the contribution of a new subpopulation of sperm with higher [Ca2+ ]i . In addition, it was determined that the capacitation-associated [Ca2+ ]i increase was dependent of CatSper channels, as sperm derived from CatSper knockout (CatSper KO) or incubated in the presence of CatSper inhibitors failed to increase [Ca2+ ]i . Surprisingly, a minimum increase in [Ca2+ ]i was also observed in CatSper KO sperm suggesting the existence of other Ca2+ transport systems. Altogether, these results indicate that a subpopulation of sperm increases [Ca2+ ]i very rapidly during capacitation mainly due to a CatSper-mediated influx of extracellular Ca2+ .
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermina M Luque
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Tomas Dalotto-Moreno
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - David Martín-Hidalgo
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
| | - Carla Ritagliati
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Lis C Puga Molina
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ana Romarowski
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Paula A Balestrini
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Liza J Schiavi-Ehrenhaus
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Nicolas Gilio
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Dario Krapf
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Pablo E Visconti
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
| | - Mariano G Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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29
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Gervasi MG, Xu X, Carbajal-Gonzalez B, Buffone MG, Visconti PE, Krapf D. The actin cytoskeleton of the mouse sperm flagellum is organized in a helical structure. J Cell Sci 2018; 131:jcs.215897. [PMID: 29739876 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.215897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Conception in mammals is determined by the fusion of a sperm cell with an oocyte during fertilization. Motility is one of the features of sperm that allows them to succeed in fertilization, and their flagellum is essential for this function. Longitudinally, the flagellum can be divided into the midpiece, the principal piece and the end piece. A precise cytoskeletal architecture of the sperm tail is key for the acquisition of fertilization competence. It has been proposed that the actin cytoskeleton plays essential roles in the regulation of sperm motility; however, the actin organization in sperm remains elusive. In the present work, we show that there are different types of actin structures in the sperm tail by using three-dimensional stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM). In the principal piece, actin is radially distributed between the axoneme and the plasma membrane. The actin-associated proteins spectrin and adducin are also found in these structures. Strikingly, polymerized actin in the midpiece forms a double-helix that accompanies mitochondria. Our findings illustrate a novel specialized structure of actin filaments in a mammalian cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- María G Gervasi
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Xinran Xu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | | | - Mariano G Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), C1428ADN Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Pablo E Visconti
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Diego Krapf
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA .,School of Biomedical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
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30
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Puga Molina LC, Pinto NA, Torres NI, González-Cota AL, Luque GM, Balestrini PA, Romarowski A, Krapf D, Santi CM, Treviño CL, Darszon A, Buffone MG. CFTR/ENaC-dependent regulation of membrane potential during human sperm capacitation is initiated by bicarbonate uptake through NBC. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:9924-9936. [PMID: 29743243 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.003166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Revised: 04/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
To fertilize an egg, sperm must reside in the female reproductive tract to undergo several maturational changes that are collectively referred to as capacitation. From a molecular point of view, the HCO3--dependent activation of the atypical soluble adenylyl cyclase (ADCY10) is one of the first events that occurs during capacitation and leads to the subsequent cAMP-dependent activation of protein kinase A (PKA). Capacitation is also accompanied by hyperpolarization of the sperm plasma membrane. We previously reported that PKA activation is necessary for CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator channel) activity and for the modulation of membrane potential (Em). However, the main HCO3- transporters involved in the initial transport and the PKA-dependent Em changes are not well known nor characterized. Here, we analyzed how the activity of CFTR regulates Em during capacitation and examined its relationship with an electrogenic Na+/HCO3- cotransporter (NBC) and epithelial Na+ channels (ENaCs). We observed that inhibition of both CFTR and NBC decreased HCO3- influx, resulting in lower PKA activity, and that events downstream of the cAMP activation of PKA are essential for the regulation of Em. Addition of a permeable cAMP analog partially rescued the inhibitory effects caused by these inhibitors. HCO3- also produced a rapid membrane hyperpolarization mediated by ENaC channels, which contribute to the regulation of Em during capacitation. Altogether, we demonstrate for the first time, that NBC cotransporters and ENaC channels are essential in the CFTR-dependent activation of the cAMP/PKA signaling pathway and Em regulation during human sperm capacitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lis C Puga Molina
- From the Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), C1425FQB Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Nicolás A Pinto
- From the Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), C1425FQB Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Nicolás I Torres
- From the Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), C1425FQB Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ana L González-Cota
- the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110
| | - Guillermina M Luque
- From the Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), C1425FQB Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Paula A Balestrini
- From the Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), C1425FQB Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ana Romarowski
- From the Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), C1425FQB Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Dario Krapf
- the Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), CONICET-UNR, Rosario 2000, Argentina, and
| | - Celia M Santi
- the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110
| | - Claudia L Treviño
- the Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, 62210 Morelos, México
| | - Alberto Darszon
- the Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, 62210 Morelos, México
| | - Mariano G Buffone
- From the Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), C1425FQB Buenos Aires, Argentina,
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31
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Stival C, Ritagliati C, Xu X, Gervasi MG, Luque GM, Baró Graf C, De la Vega-Beltrán JL, Torres N, Darszon A, Krapf D, Buffone MG, Visconti PE, Krapf D. Disruption of protein kinase A localization induces acrosomal exocytosis in capacitated mouse sperm. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:9435-9447. [PMID: 29700114 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.002286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Revised: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein kinase A (PKA) is a broad-spectrum Ser/Thr kinase involved in the regulation of several cellular activities. Thus, its precise activation relies on being localized at specific subcellular places known as discrete PKA signalosomes. A-Kinase anchoring proteins (AKAPs) form scaffolding assemblies that play a pivotal role in PKA regulation by restricting its activity to specific microdomains. Because one of the first signaling events observed during mammalian sperm capacitation is PKA activation, understanding how PKA activity is restricted in space and time is crucial to decipher the critical steps of sperm capacitation. Here, we demonstrate that the anchoring of PKA to AKAP is not only necessary but also actively regulated during sperm capacitation. However, we find that once capacitated, the release of PKA from AKAP promotes a sudden Ca2+ influx through the sperm-specific Ca2+ channel CatSper, starting a tail-to-head Ca2+ propagation that triggers the acrosome reaction. Three-dimensional super-resolution imaging confirmed a redistribution of PKA within the flagellar structure throughout the capacitation process, which depends on anchoring to AKAP. These results represent a new signaling event that involves CatSper Ca2+ channels in the acrosome reaction, sensitive to PKA stimulation upon release from AKAP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cintia Stival
- From the Laboratoty of Cell Signal Transduction Networks, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), CONICET-UNR, Rosario 2000, Argentina
| | - Carla Ritagliati
- From the Laboratoty of Cell Signal Transduction Networks, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), CONICET-UNR, Rosario 2000, Argentina
| | - Xinran Xu
- the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523
| | - Maria G Gervasi
- the Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
| | - Guillermina M Luque
- the Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires C1428ADN, Argentina
| | - Carolina Baró Graf
- From the Laboratoty of Cell Signal Transduction Networks, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), CONICET-UNR, Rosario 2000, Argentina
| | - José Luis De la Vega-Beltrán
- the Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología (IBT), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, México, and
| | - Nicolas Torres
- the Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires C1428ADN, Argentina
| | - Alberto Darszon
- the Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología (IBT), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, México, and
| | - Diego Krapf
- the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523.,the School of Biomedical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523
| | - Mariano G Buffone
- the Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires C1428ADN, Argentina
| | - Pablo E Visconti
- the Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
| | - Dario Krapf
- From the Laboratoty of Cell Signal Transduction Networks, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), CONICET-UNR, Rosario 2000, Argentina,
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32
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Garbarino Azúa DJ, Saucedo L, Giordana S, Magri ML, Buffone MG, Neuspiller F, Vazquez-Levin MH, Marín-Briggiler CI. Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) is present in human spermatozoa and is related with sperm motility. The use of recombinant FGF2 to improve motile sperm recovery. Andrology 2017; 5:990-998. [PMID: 28732140 DOI: 10.1111/andr.12398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2017] [Revised: 05/12/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and their receptors (FGFRs) regulate several functions of somatic cells. In a previous work, we reported FGFR expression in human spermatozoa and their involvement in motility. This study aimed to evaluate the presence and localization of fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) in human spermatozoa, to determine the relationship of FGF2 levels with conventional semen parameters and to assess the effect of recombinant FGF2 (rFGF2) on sperm recovery in a selection procedure. Western immunoblotting analysis using an antibody against FGF2 revealed an 18-kDa band in sperm protein extracts. The protein was immunolocalized in the sperm flagellum and acrosomal region, as well as in all germ cells. Sperm FGF2 levels, assessed by flow cytometry, showed a positive (p < 0.05) correlation with sperm concentration, motility, total sperm number and total motile cells per ejaculate. Moreover, samples with abnormal motility depicted diminished (p < 0.01) FGF2 levels compared to those with normal motility. Spermatozoa exposed to rFGF2 bound the protein, exhibited higher (p < 0.05) total and motile sperm recoveries, and increased (p < 0.01) kinematic parameters after the swim-up. Findings herein presented lead to consider sperm FGF2 level as a potential marker of sperm quality, and rFGF2 as a supplement for improving sperm recovery in selection techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- D J Garbarino Azúa
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), National Research Council of Argentina (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - L Saucedo
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), National Research Council of Argentina (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - S Giordana
- Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad (IVI), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - M L Magri
- Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad (IVI), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - M G Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), National Research Council of Argentina (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - F Neuspiller
- Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad (IVI), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - M H Vazquez-Levin
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), National Research Council of Argentina (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - C I Marín-Briggiler
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), National Research Council of Argentina (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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33
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La Spina FA, Buffone MG. The path of the sperm to the egg. Mol Reprod Dev 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/mrd.22845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Florenza A. La Spina
- Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental; Vuelta de Obligado 2490; C1428ADN-Buenos Aires Argentina
| | - Mariano G Buffone
- Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental; Vuelta de Obligado 2490; C1428ADN-Buenos Aires Argentina
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34
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Guidobaldi HA, Hirohashi N, Cubilla M, Buffone MG, Giojalas LC. An intact acrosome is required for the chemotactic response to progesterone in mouse spermatozoa. Mol Reprod Dev 2017; 84:310-315. [PMID: 28176444 PMCID: PMC5395337 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.22782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2016] [Revised: 02/02/2017] [Accepted: 02/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian sperm become fertilization-competent in the oviduct, during a process known as capacitation that involves the acquisition of the ability to exocytose the acrosome but also the chemotactic responses-both of which contribute to successful fertilization. Chemotaxis is used by spermatozoa to orient and to locate the egg; the acrosome reaction facilitates sperm binding to and fusing with the egg membrane. Mammalian spermatozoa are able to sense picomolar concentrations of progesterone, which drives chemotactic behavior. The state of the acrosome during the chemotactic response, however, is unknown. Genetically modified mouse spermatozoa were employed in a chemotaxis assay under fluorescence microscopy to evaluate their acrosome status while swimming, allowing us to elucidate the acrosome integrity of sperm responding to progesterone-induced chemotaxis. We first showed that wild-type mouse spermatozoa chemotactically respond to a gradient of progesterone, and that the genetic modifications employed do not affect the chemotactic behavior of sperm to progesterone. Next, we found that acrosome-intact, but not acrosome-reacted, spermatozoa orient and respond to picomolar concentrations of progesterone and that chemotaxis normally occurs prior to the acrosome reaction. Our results suggest that premature commitment to acrosome exocytosis leads to navigation failure, so proper control and timing of the acrosome reaction is required for fertilization success and male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- HA Guidobaldi
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas, UNC, CONICET, FCEFyN, Córdoba, Argentina & Centro de Biología Celular y Molecular, UNC, FCEFyN, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - N Hirohashi
- Oki Marine Biological Station, Education and Research Center for Biological Resources, Shimane University, Oki 685-0024, Japan
| | - M Cubilla
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas, UNC, CONICET, FCEFyN, Córdoba, Argentina & Centro de Biología Celular y Molecular, UNC, FCEFyN, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - MG Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - LC Giojalas
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas, UNC, CONICET, FCEFyN, Córdoba, Argentina & Centro de Biología Celular y Molecular, UNC, FCEFyN, Córdoba, Argentina
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35
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Puga Molina LC, Pinto NA, Torres Rodríguez P, Romarowski A, Vicens Sanchez A, Visconti PE, Darszon A, Treviño CL, Buffone MG. Essential Role of CFTR in PKA-Dependent Phosphorylation, Alkalinization, and Hyperpolarization During Human Sperm Capacitation. J Cell Physiol 2016; 232:1404-1414. [PMID: 27714810 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.25634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2016] [Accepted: 10/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian sperm require to spend a limited period of time in the female reproductive tract to become competent to fertilize in a process called capacitation. It is well established that HCO3- is essential for capacitation because it activates the atypical soluble adenylate cyclase ADCY10 leading to cAMP production, and promotes alkalinization of cytoplasm, and membrane hyperpolarization. However, how HCO3- is transported into the sperm is not well understood. There is evidence that CFTR activity is involved in the human sperm capacitation but how this channel is integrated in the complex signaling cascades associated with this process remains largely unknown. In the present work, we have analyzed the extent to which CFTR regulates different events in human sperm capacitation. We observed that inhibition of CFTR affects HCO3- -entrance dependent events resulting in lower PKA activity. CFTR inhibition also affected cAMP/PKA-downstream events such as the increase in tyrosine phosphorylation, hyperactivated motility, and acrosome reaction. In addition, we demonstrated for the first time, that CFTR and PKA activity are essential for the regulation of intracellular pH, and membrane potential in human sperm. Addition of permeable cAMP partially recovered all the PKA-dependent events altered in the presence of inh-172 which is consistent with a role of CFTR upstream of PKA activation. J. Cell. Physiol. 232: 1404-1414, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lis C Puga Molina
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Nicolás A Pinto
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Paulina Torres Rodríguez
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - Ana Romarowski
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alberto Vicens Sanchez
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - Pablo E Visconti
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, Paige Labs, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts
| | - Alberto Darszon
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - Claudia L Treviño
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - Mariano G Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Romarowski A, Sánchez-Cárdenas C, Ramírez-Gómez HV, Puga Molina LDC, Treviño CL, Hernández-Cruz A, Darszon A, Buffone MG. A Specific Transitory Increase in Intracellular Calcium Induced by Progesterone Promotes Acrosomal Exocytosis in Mouse Sperm. Biol Reprod 2016; 94:63. [PMID: 26819478 PMCID: PMC4829090 DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.115.136085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2015] [Accepted: 01/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
During capacitation, sperm acquire the ability to undergo the acrosome reaction (AR), an essential step in fertilization. Progesterone produced by cumulus cells has been associated with various physiological processes in sperm, including stimulation of AR. An increase in intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) is necessary for AR to occur. In this study, we investigated the spatiotemporal correlation between the changes in [Ca2+]i and AR in single mouse spermatozoa in response to progesterone. We found that progesterone stimulates an [Ca2+]i increase in five different patterns: gradual increase, oscillatory, late transitory, immediate transitory, and sustained. We also observed that the [Ca2+]i increase promoted by progesterone starts at either the flagellum or the head. We validated the use of FM4-64 as an indicator for the occurrence of the AR by simultaneously detecting its fluorescence increase and the loss of EGFP in transgenic EGFPAcr sperm. For the first time, we have simultaneously visualized the rise in [Ca2+]i and the process of exocytosis in response to progesterone and found that only a specific transitory increase in [Ca2+]i originating in the sperm head promotes the initiation of AR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Romarowski
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), National Research Council of Argentina (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Claudia Sánchez-Cárdenas
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - Héctor V Ramírez-Gómez
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - Lis del C Puga Molina
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), National Research Council of Argentina (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Claudia L Treviño
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - Arturo Hernández-Cruz
- Departamento de Neurociencia Cognitiva, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, UNAM, Circuito exterior s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, México DF, México
| | - Alberto Darszon
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - Mariano G Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), National Research Council of Argentina (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Buffone MG. Since its discovery in 1952, acrosomal exocytosis (also called acrosome reaction) has been a fascinating process. Adv Anat Embryol Cell Biol 2016; 220:v-vi. [PMID: 27464364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
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Romarowski A, Battistone MA, La Spina FA, Puga Molina LDC, Luque GM, Vitale AM, Cuasnicu PS, Visconti PE, Krapf D, Buffone MG. PKA-dependent phosphorylation of LIMK1 and Cofilin is essential for mouse sperm acrosomal exocytosis. Dev Biol 2015; 405:237-49. [PMID: 26169470 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2015.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2015] [Revised: 07/01/2015] [Accepted: 07/09/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian sperm must acquire their fertilizing ability after a series of biochemical modifications in the female reproductive tract collectively called capacitation to undergo acrosomal exocytosis, a process that is essential for fertilization. Actin dynamics play a central role in controlling the process of exocytosis in somatic cells as well as in sperm from several mammalian species. In somatic cells, small GTPases of the Rho family are widely known as master regulators of actin dynamics. However, the role of these proteins in sperm has not been studied in detail. In the present work we characterized the participation of small GTPases of the Rho family in the signaling pathway that leads to actin polymerization during mouse sperm capacitation. We observed that most of the proteins of this signaling cascade and their effector proteins are expressed in mouse sperm. The activation of the signaling pathways of cAMP/PKA, RhoA/C and Rac1 is essential for LIMK1 activation by phosphorylation on Threonine 508. Serine 3 of Cofilin is phosphorylated by LIMK1 during capacitation in a transiently manner. Inhibition of LIMK1 by specific inhibitors (BMS-3) resulted in lower levels of actin polymerization during capacitation and a dramatic decrease in the percentage of sperm that undergo acrosomal exocytosis. Thus, we demonstrated for the first time that the master regulators of actin dynamics in somatic cells are present and active in mouse sperm. Combining the results of our present study with other results from the literature, we have proposed a working model regarding how LIMK1 and Cofilin control acrosomal exocytosis in mouse sperm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Romarowski
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María A Battistone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Florenza A La Spina
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lis del C Puga Molina
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Guillermina M Luque
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alejandra M Vitale
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Patricia S Cuasnicu
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Pablo E Visconti
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, Paige Labs, University of Massachusets, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Darío Krapf
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (CONICET-UNR), Rosario 2000 Argentina
| | - Mariano G Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Stival C, La Spina FA, Baró Graf C, Arcelay E, Arranz SE, Ferreira JJ, Le Grand S, Dzikunu VA, Santi CM, Visconti PE, Buffone MG, Krapf D. Src Kinase Is the Connecting Player between Protein Kinase A (PKA) Activation and Hyperpolarization through SLO3 Potassium Channel Regulation in Mouse Sperm. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:18855-64. [PMID: 26060254 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.640326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasma membrane hyperpolarization is crucial for mammalian sperm to acquire acrosomal responsiveness during capacitation. Among the signaling events leading to mammalian sperm capacitation, the immediate activation of protein kinase A plays a pivotal role, promoting the subsequent stimulation of protein tyrosine phosphorylation that associates with fertilizing capacity. We have shown previously that mice deficient in the tyrosine kinase cSrc are infertile and exhibit improper cauda epididymis development. It is therefore not clear whether lack of sperm functionality is due to problems in epididymal maturation or to the absence of cSrc in sperm. To further address this problem, we investigated the kinetics of cSrc activation using anti-Tyr(P)-416-cSrc antibodies that only recognize active cSrc. Our results provide evidence that cSrc is activated downstream of PKA and that inhibition of its activity blocks the capacitation-induced hyperpolarization of the sperm plasma membrane without blocking the increase in tyrosine phosphorylation that accompanies capacitation. In addition, we show that cSrc inhibition also blocks the agonist-induced acrosome reaction and that this inhibition is overcome by pharmacological hyperpolarization. Considering that capacitation-induced hyperpolarization is mediated by SLO3, we evaluated the action of cSrc inhibitors on the heterologously expressed SLO3 channel. Our results indicate that, similar to SLO1 K(+) channels, cSrc blockers significantly decreased SLO3-mediated currents. Together, these results are consistent with findings showing that hyperpolarization of the sperm plasma membrane is necessary and sufficient to prepare the sperm for the acrosome reaction and suggest that changes in sperm membrane potential are mediated by cSrc activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cintia Stival
- From the Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, CONICET-UNR, and Laboratorio de Especialidades Reproductivas, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, UNR, Rosario SF2000, Argentina
| | - Florenza A La Spina
- the Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, CONICET, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428ADN, Argentina
| | - Carolina Baró Graf
- From the Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, CONICET-UNR, and Laboratorio de Especialidades Reproductivas, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, UNR, Rosario SF2000, Argentina
| | - Enid Arcelay
- the Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, Paige Labs, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
| | - Silvia E Arranz
- From the Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, CONICET-UNR, and Laboratorio de Especialidades Reproductivas, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, UNR, Rosario SF2000, Argentina
| | - Juan J Ferreira
- the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis Missouri 63110, and
| | - Sibylle Le Grand
- the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis Missouri 63110, and
| | - Victor A Dzikunu
- the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis Missouri 63110, and
| | - Celia M Santi
- the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis Missouri 63110, and
| | - Pablo E Visconti
- the Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, Paige Labs, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
| | - Mariano G Buffone
- the Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, CONICET, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428ADN, Argentina
| | - Dario Krapf
- From the Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, CONICET-UNR, and Laboratorio de Especialidades Reproductivas, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, UNR, Rosario SF2000, Argentina,
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Hirohashi N, Spina FAL, Romarowski A, Buffone MG. Redistribution of the intra-acrosomal EGFP before acrosomal exocytosis in mouse spermatozoa. Reproduction 2015; 149:657-63. [PMID: 25832106 DOI: 10.1530/rep-15-0017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2015] [Accepted: 04/01/2015] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian spermatozoa must undergo complex physiological and morphological alterations within the female reproductive tract before they become fertilization competent. Two important alterations are capacitation and the acrosome reaction (AR), by which spermatozoa become capable of penetrating the zona pellucida (ZP) of the oocyte. Although various biochemical stimulants have been reported to induce the AR, the true physiological inducer in vivo remains to be identified. Previously, it has been reported that most fertilizing spermatozoa undergo the AR before contacting the ZP and that only a small fraction of in vitro-capacitated spermatozoa can penetrate the ZP. Therefore, it is important to identify which capacitating spermatozoa undergo the AR in response to potential AR inducers such as progesterone. Here we show that spermatozoa undergo a dynamic rearrangement of the acrosome during in vitro capacitation. This involves the rapid movement of an artificially introduced soluble component of the acrosome, enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), from the acrosomal cap region to the equatorial segment (EQ) of the sperm head. Spermatozoa exhibiting the EQ pattern were more sensitive to progesterone than were those without it. We suggest that spermatozoa that are ready to undergo acrosomal exocytosis can be detected by real-time EGFP imaging. This offers a promising new method for identifying where spermatozoa undergo the AR in the female reproductive tract in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noritaka Hirohashi
- Oki Marine Biological StationEducation and Research Center for Biological Resources, Shimane University, 194 Kamo, Okinoshima-cho, Oki, Shimane 685-0024, JapanDepartment of Biological SciencesOchanomizu University, 2-1-1 Otsuka, Tokyo 112-8610, JapanInstituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME)National Research Council of Argentina (CONICET), Vuelta de Obligado 2490 (1428), Buenos Aires, Argentina Oki Marine Biological StationEducation and Research Center for Biological Resources, Shimane University, 194 Kamo, Okinoshima-cho, Oki, Shimane 685-0024, JapanDepartment of Biological SciencesOchanomizu University, 2-1-1 Otsuka, Tokyo 112-8610, JapanInstituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME)National Research Council of Argentina (CONICET), Vuelta de Obligado 2490 (1428), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Florenza A La Spina
- Oki Marine Biological StationEducation and Research Center for Biological Resources, Shimane University, 194 Kamo, Okinoshima-cho, Oki, Shimane 685-0024, JapanDepartment of Biological SciencesOchanomizu University, 2-1-1 Otsuka, Tokyo 112-8610, JapanInstituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME)National Research Council of Argentina (CONICET), Vuelta de Obligado 2490 (1428), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ana Romarowski
- Oki Marine Biological StationEducation and Research Center for Biological Resources, Shimane University, 194 Kamo, Okinoshima-cho, Oki, Shimane 685-0024, JapanDepartment of Biological SciencesOchanomizu University, 2-1-1 Otsuka, Tokyo 112-8610, JapanInstituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME)National Research Council of Argentina (CONICET), Vuelta de Obligado 2490 (1428), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mariano G Buffone
- Oki Marine Biological StationEducation and Research Center for Biological Resources, Shimane University, 194 Kamo, Okinoshima-cho, Oki, Shimane 685-0024, JapanDepartment of Biological SciencesOchanomizu University, 2-1-1 Otsuka, Tokyo 112-8610, JapanInstituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME)National Research Council of Argentina (CONICET), Vuelta de Obligado 2490 (1428), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Buffone MG, Wertheimer EV, Visconti PE, Krapf D. Central role of soluble adenylyl cyclase and cAMP in sperm physiology. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2014; 1842:2610-20. [PMID: 25066614 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2014.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2014] [Revised: 07/16/2014] [Accepted: 07/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP), the first second messenger to be described, plays a central role in cell signaling in a wide variety of cell types. Over the last decades, a wide body of literature addressed the different roles of cAMP in cell physiology, mainly in response to neurotransmitters and hormones. cAMP is synthesized by a wide variety of adenylyl cyclases that can generally be grouped in two types: transmembrane adenylyl cyclase and soluble adenylyl cyclases. In particular, several aspects of sperm physiology are regulated by cAMP produced by a single atypical adenylyl cyclase (Adcy10, aka sAC, SACY). The signature that identifies sAC among other ACs, is their direct stimulation by bicarbonate. The essential nature of cAMP in sperm function has been demonstrated using gain of function as well as loss of function approaches. This review unifies state of the art knowledge of the role of cAMP and those enzymes involved in cAMP signaling pathways required for the acquisition of fertilizing capacity of mammalian sperm. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: The role of soluble adenylyl cyclase in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariano G Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, National Research Council of Argentina (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Eva V Wertheimer
- Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos (CEFYBO), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Pablo E Visconti
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, ISB, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA.
| | - Dario Krapf
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (CONICET), UNR, Rosario, Argentina; Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, UNR, Rosario, Argentina
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Abstract
In recent years, the study of mammalian acrosomal exocytosis has produced some major advances that challenge the long-held, general paradigms in the field. Principally, the idea that sperm must be acrosome-intact to bind to the zona pellucida of unfertilized eggs, based largely on in vitro fertilization studies of mouse oocytes denuded of the cumulus oophorus, has been overturned by experiments using state-of-the-art imaging of cumulus-intact oocytes and fertilization experiments where eggs were reinseminated by acrosome-reacted sperm recovered from the perivitelline space of zygotes. In light of these results, this minireview highlights a number of unresolved questions and emphasizes the fact that there is still much work to be done in this exciting field. Future experiments using recently advanced technologies should lead to a more complete and accurate understanding of the molecular mechanisms governing the fertilization process in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariano G Buffone
- Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental, National Research Council of Argentina (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Noritaka Hirohashi
- Oki Marine Biological Station, Education and Research Center for Biological Resources, Shimane University, Shimane, Japan
| | - George L Gerton
- Center for Research on Reproduction and Women's Health, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Caballero-Campo P, Buffone MG, Benencia F, Conejo-García JR, Rinaudo PF, Gerton GL. A role for the chemokine receptor CCR6 in mammalian sperm motility and chemotaxis. J Cell Physiol 2013; 229:68-78. [PMID: 23765988 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.24418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2013] [Accepted: 06/06/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Although recent evidence indicates that several chemokines and defensins, well-known as inflammatory mediators, are expressed in the male and female reproductive tracts, the location and functional significance of chemokine networks in sperm physiology and sperm reproductive tract interactions are poorly understood. To address this deficiency in our knowledge, we examined the expression and function in sperm of CCR6, a receptor common to several chemoattractant peptides, and screened several reproductive tract fluids for the presence of specific ligands. CCR6 protein is present in mouse and human sperm and mainly localized in the sperm tail with other minor patterns in sperm from mice (neck and acrosomal region) and men (neck and midpiece regions). As expected from the protein immunoblotting and immunofluorescence results, mouse Ccr6 mRNA is expressed in the testis. Furthermore, the Defb29 mRNA encoding the CCR6 ligand, β-defensin DEFB29, is expressed at high levels in the epididymis. As determined by protein chip analysis, several chemokines (including some that act through CCR6, such as CCL20/MIP-3α (formerly macrophage inflammatory protein 3α) and protein hormones were present in human follicular fluid, endometrial secretions, and seminal plasma. In functional chemotaxis assays, capacitated human sperm exhibited a directional movement towards CCL20, and displayed modifications in motility parameters. Our data indicate that chemokine ligand/receptor interactions in the male and female genital tracts promote sperm motility and chemotaxis under non-inflammatory conditions. Therefore, some of the physiological reactions mediated by CCR6 ligands in male reproduction extend beyond a pro-inflammatory response and might find application in clinical reproduction and/or contraception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Caballero-Campo
- Unidad de Reproducción Humana, Clínica Tambre, Madrid, Spain; Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, & Reproductive Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA
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La Spina FA, Romanato M, Brugo-Olmedo S, De Vincentiis S, Julianelli V, Rivera RM, Buffone MG. Heterogeneous distribution of histone methylation in mature human sperm. J Assist Reprod Genet 2013; 31:45-9. [PMID: 24221913 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-013-0137-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2013] [Accepted: 10/29/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To analyze the presence of various histone modifications in ejaculated human spermatozoa METHODS In this prospective study, seminal ejaculates from 39 normozoospermic individuals were evaluated for semen analysis and the presence of histone modifications in isolated nuclei. RESULTS We observed heterogeneous presence of histone methylation in normal mature human sperm. We observed that 12 to 30 % of the nuclei of normal sperm contain a heterogeneous distribution of the marks H3K4Me1, H3K9Me2, H3K4Me3, H3K79Me2, and H3K36Me3. Moreover, the presence of these marks is higher in the poor motile fraction of the ejaculate, which is associated with poor morphology and functional quality. In contrast, we did not observe histone acetylation (H3K4Ac and H4K5Ac) in normal or abnormal mature human sperm CONCLUSIONS Defects in the process of spermatogenesis may alter the correct epigenetic programming in mature sperm. Further studies are required to evaluate the impact of these findings in human infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florenza A La Spina
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, CONICET, Vuelta de Obligado 2490, 1428, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Brugo Olmedo S, De Vincentiis S, De Martino E, Bedecarrás P, Blanco AM, Freire A, Buffone MG, Rey RA. Prediction of reproductive outcomes according to different serum anti-Müllerian hormone levels in females undergoing intracystoplasmic sperm injection. PLoS One 2013; 8:e75685. [PMID: 24069435 PMCID: PMC3775779 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0075685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2013] [Accepted: 08/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and aim of the study Serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is a reliable marker of ovarian reserve, and it has been shown to be correlated with reproductive outcomes in grouped analyses. However, practical data is scarce for the physician and the patients to predict these outcomes in an individual couple according to serum AMH measured prior to assisted reproduction technology (ART) procedures. Study Design To address this question, we performed an analytic observational study including 145 females undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in a single center. Results were analyzed according to serum AMH; subgroup analyses were performed by grouping patients according to patient’s age and FSH levels. Results The risk of cycle cancelation decreased from 64% in patients with serum AMH ≤3 pmol/L (0.42 ng/mL) to 21% with AMH ≥15 pmol/L (2.10 ng/mL). Cycle cancelation occurred in approximately two-thirds of the patients with AMH ≤ 3 pmol/L irrespective of the FSH level. However, with higher AMH values the risk of cycle cancelation decreased more significantly in patients with normal FSH. The rate of good response increased from almost null in patients with AMH ≤3 pmol/L to 61% in those with AMH ≥15 pmol/L. The positive correlation between good response and AMH was also significant, but with lower absolute rates, when patients were grouped according to their age or FSH levels. Pregnancy rate increased moderately, but significantly, from 31% with AMH ≤3 pmol/L to 35% with AMH ≥15 pmol/L. Conclusions We provide estimates of reproductive outcomes according to individualized values of serum AMH, in general and in subgroups according to patient’s age or serum FSH, which are helpful for the clinician and the couple in their decision making about starting an assisted reproductive treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Patricia Bedecarrás
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE)CONICET – FEI – División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños R. Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ana María Blanco
- Centro de Estudios Bioquímicos, Andrológicos y Ginecológicos, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Analía Freire
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE)CONICET – FEI – División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños R. Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mariano G. Buffone
- Centro Médico, Seremas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Rodolfo A. Rey
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE)CONICET – FEI – División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños R. Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- * E-mail:
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De Vincentiis S, De Martino E, Buffone MG, Brugo-Olmedo S. Use of metaphase I oocytes matured in vitro is associated with embryo multinucleation. Fertil Steril 2013; 99:414-21. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2012.10.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2012] [Revised: 09/17/2012] [Accepted: 10/12/2012] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Calamera P, Buffone MG, Vincentiis SD, Rey RA, Olmedo SB. Serum AMH level can predict the risk of cycle cancellation and the chances of good ovarian response, independently of patient's age or FSH. JBRA Assist Reprod 2013. [DOI: 10.5935/1518-0557.20130015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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Muro Y, Buffone MG, Okabe M, Gerton GL. Function of the acrosomal matrix: zona pellucida 3 receptor (ZP3R/sp56) is not essential for mouse fertilization. Biol Reprod 2012; 86:1-6. [PMID: 21998167 DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.111.095877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In mammalian fertilization, sperm-zona pellucida binding is considered to be a critical aspect of gamete interaction. In this study, we examine the mouse sperm acrosomal matrix protein zona pellucida 3 receptor (ZP3R; formerly called sp56) because of our interest in defining the function of the acrosomal matrix, the particulate compartment within the sperm secretory acrosome. Using targeted deletion of the Zp3r gene by homologous recombination, we examined the fertility of nullizygous animals. Our experiments showed that males and females homozygous for the affected gene exhibited no differences in litter sizes compared to wild-type and heterozygous animals. Testis weights of nullizygous males were equivalent to those of wild-type and heterozygous males, and no differences in the number of sperm produced by mice of three genotypes were found. In vitro fertilization rates using cumulus-intact and cumulus-free oocytes were also equivalent. Examination of sperm-binding zonae of unfertilized eggs and the ability of the sperm to undergo acrosomal exocytosis in response to calcium ionophore A23187 displayed no differences between wild-type, heterozygous, and nullizygous mouse sperm. These results provide further evidence that either ZP3R is not involved in sperm-zona pellucida binding or this process might be functionally redundant, involving multiple proteins for gamete interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuko Muro
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
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Buffone MG, Ijiri TW, Cao W, Merdiushev T, Aghajanian HK, Gerton GL. Heads or tails? Structural events and molecular mechanisms that promote mammalian sperm acrosomal exocytosis and motility. Mol Reprod Dev 2011; 79:4-18. [PMID: 22031228 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.21393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2010] [Accepted: 08/23/2011] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Sperm structure has evolved to be very compact and compartmentalized to enable the motor (the flagellum) to transport the nuclear cargo (the head) to the egg. Furthermore, sperm do not exhibit progressive motility and are not capable of undergoing acrosomal exocytosis immediately following their release into the lumen of the seminiferous tubules, the site of spermatogenesis in the testis. These cells require maturation in the epididymis and female reproductive tract before they become competent for fertilization. Here we review aspects of the structural and molecular mechanisms that promote forward motility, hyperactivated motility, and acrosomal exocytosis. As a result, we favor a model articulated by others that the flagellum senses external signals and communicates with the head by second messengers to affect sperm functions such as acrosomal exocytosis. We hope this conceptual framework will serve to stimulate thinking and experimental investigations concerning the various steps of activating a sperm from a quiescent state to a gamete that is fully competent and committed to fertilization. The three themes of compartmentalization, competence, and commitment are key to an understanding of the molecular mechanisms of sperm activation. Comprehending these processes will have a considerable impact on the management of fertility problems, the development of contraceptive methods, and, potentially, elucidation of analogous processes in other cell systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariano G Buffone
- Center for Research on Reproduction and Women's Health, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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