Sample records for acrosin
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Mónica de los Reyes
2011-01-01
Full Text Available We evaluated the effect of time and temperature on acrosin release from the acrosomal cap and the activity of this enzyme during in vitro capacitation in fresh and frozen/thawed dog sperm. Sperm-rich fractions of six ejaculates from three dogs were processed as fresh and frozen samples. Each sperm sample was incubated in canine capacitation medium (CCM for 0, 1, 2 and 3 h at 20°C and at 37°C. After incubation, the samples were assessed by the indirect immunofluorescent staining technique. The probability of having unlabeled sperm (PUS, indicating acrosin loss, was modelled by a binomial distribution using logistic regression. There was a linear relationship between PUS and time at both temperatures (p<0.001; however, a major percentage of unlabeled sperm was observed in frozen/thawed samples soon after incubation, indicating that the release of acrosin was affected by capacitation time, mainly in frozen samples. Temperature influenced acrosin release only in cryopreserved sperm (p<0.05. Acrosin activity was measured by digestion halos on slides coated with gelatin-substrate film during each time period; a significant increase in the number of large halos was observed in fresh samples throughout the experiment, whereas frozen/thawed sperm showed a decreased rate of halo diameters during culture. Thus, there appears to differences between fresh and frozen dog sperm in terms of acrosin release and the level of acrosin activity in the course of in vitro capacitation.
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Effects of reduced glutathione on acrosin activity in frozen-thawed boar spermatozoa.
Estrada, Efrén; Rodríguez-Gil, Joan E; Rivera Del Álamo, Maria M; Peña, Alejandro; Yeste, Marc
2017-02-01
In pigs, acrosin activity in extended semen is correlated with reproductive performance and has recently been identified as a freezability marker. Reduced glutathione (GSH) is known to decrease sperm cryodamage and increase the reproductive performance of frozen-thawed boar spermatozoa. However, the effects of GSH on the acrosin activity of good and poor freezability ejaculates (GFE and PFE, respectively) is yet to be examined. The present study investigated how supplementing cryopreservation media with GSH affected acrosin activity in GFE and PFE, as well as the relationship between acrosin activity and reproductive performance in frozen-thawed boar spermatozoa. In addition, we examined whether the increase in fertility rates and litter sizes observed after the addition of 2mM GSH to cryopreservation extenders was related to acrosin activity. Supplementing freezing media with 2mM GSH partially counteracted the cryopreservation-related decrease in acrosin activity in GFE but not PFE. Acrosin activity was found to be significantly correlated with in vivo reproductive performance of frozen-thawed boar semen. In conclusion, the effects of adding GSH to freezing extenders on the acrosin activity of frozen-thawed boar spermatozoa rely on the intrinsic freezability of the ejaculate. Furthermore, the maintenance of proper acrosin activity could contribute to the increase in reproductive performance mediated by GSH.
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Słowińska, M; Liszewska, E; Dietrich, G J; Ciereszko, A
2012-09-15
This study was designed to identify the effect of liquid storage at 4 °C for 48 h and cryopreservation on the proacrosin/acrosin system of turkey spermatozoa. Anti-acrosin I antibodies were produced and used to demonstrate Western blot analysis profile of the proacrosin/acrosin system of sperm and seminal plasma and possible changes in the proacrosin/acrosin system of turkey sperm stored for 2.5, 24, and 48 h or cryopreserved. At the same time acrosin-like activity was examined by the measurement of amidase activity of sperm extracts, sperm suspension, and seminal plasma of turkey semen. A computer-assisted sperm analysis system was used to monitor the sperm motility characteristics of turkey sperm stored for 48 h or cryopreserved. Different profiles of the sperm proacrosin/acrosin system were observed regarding the presence or absence of inhibitors (p-nitrophenyl-p'-guanidine benzoate [NPGB] and Kazal family inhibitor) during the extraction process. When NPGB was present three main bands were observed with the molecular weight ranging from 66 to 35 kDa. Bands corresponding to acrosin I and II were not observed. In sperm extract without NPGB, three or four bands were observed with the molecular weight ranging from 41 to 30 kDa. The bands corresponding to acrosin I and II were observed. During liquid storage a decrease in sperm motility and an increase in sperm-extracted amidase activity were observed. After 24 and 48 h of storage, extracted amidase activity was higher than at 2.5 h by 24% and 31%, respectively. However, no changes in the Western blot analysis profiles of sperm extract and seminal plasma were visible during liquid storage. After cryopreservation a decrease in sperm motility and all sperm motility parameters were observed. In contrast to liquid storage, cryopreservation did not increase extracted amidase activity. However, changes in Western blot analysis profiles were visible in sperm extract and seminal plasma after cryopreservation. After
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Acrosin inhibitor detecting along the boar epididymis
Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Maňásková-Postlerová, Pavla; Cozlová, Nina; Dorosh, Andriy; Šulc, Miroslav; Guyonet, B.; Jonáková, Věra
2016-01-01
Roč. 82, Jan 2016 (2016), s. 733-739 ISSN 0141-8130 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP503/12/1834; GA MŠk(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0109; GA ČR GA14-05547S Institutional support: RVO:86652036 ; RVO:61388971 Keywords : Acrosin inhibitor * Boar epididymis * Spermatozoa Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 3.671, year: 2016
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Study of acrosin inhibitor along the boar epididymis
Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Davidová, Nina; Dorosh, Andriy; Jonáková, Věra; Postlerová, Pavla
2010-01-01
Roč. 33, Supplement 1 (2010), s. 70-71 ISSN 0105-6263. [6th European Congress of And rology. 29.09.2010-01.10.2010, Athens] R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA303/09/1285; GA MŠk(CZ) 1M06011; GA ČR(CZ) GD523/08/H064 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50520701 Keywords : spermatozoa * acrosin inhibitor * proteolytic enzymes * glycosidic enzyme * glycoproteins * antibody Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry
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Expression and localization of acrosin inhibitor in boar reproductive tract
Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Davidová, Nina; Jonáková, Věra; Maňásková-Postlerová, Pavla
2009-01-01
Roč. 338, č. 2 (2009), s. 303-311 ISSN 0302-766X R&D Projects: GA ČR GA303/09/1285; GA MŠk 1M06011; GA ČR GD523/08/H064 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50520701 Keywords : Acrosin inhibitor * Reproductive tract * Spermatozoa * Boar Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 2.308, year: 2009
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Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Pšenička, M.; Vančová, M.; Koubek, Pavel; Těšitel, J.; Linhart, O.
2009-01-01
Roč. 111, č. 1 (2009), s. 3-16 ISSN 0378-4320 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA524/06/0817 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50520701 Keywords : Acipenser ruthenus * Acrosome * Acrosin * Morphometric analysis * SEM * TEM Subject RIV: EG - Zoology Impact factor: 1.563, year: 2009
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Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Pšenička, M.; Vancová, Marie; Koubek, Pavel; Těšitel, J.; Linhart, O.
2009-01-01
Roč. 111, č. 1 (2009), s. 3-16 ISSN 0378-4320 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA524/06/0817 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50520514; CEZ:AV0Z60220518 Keywords : Acipenser ruthenus * spermatozoon * acrosome * acrosin * morphometric analysis Subject RIV: ED - Physiology Impact factor: 1.563, year: 2009
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Hu, Jingmei; Zhao, Shidou; Xu, Chengyan; Zhang, Lin; Lu, Shaoming; Cui, Linlin; Ma, Jinlong; Chen, Zi-Jiang
2015-11-01
To compare the differences in the characteristics of post-thaw human sperm after storage in either liquid nitrogen (LN2; -196 °C) or LN2 vapor (-167 °C). Experimental study. University hospital. Thirty healthy volunteers who agreed to donate their normal semen samples for infertility or research were included in the study. Semen samples (n = 30) were divided into eight aliquots and frozen. Four aliquots of each human semen sample were stored in LN2 (-196 °C), and the other four aliquots were stored in LN2 vapor (-167 °C). After 1, 3, 6, or 12 months, samples were thawed and analyzed. The motility was evaluated by the manual counting method. The viability was estimated by eosin staining. The morphology was analyzed by Diff-Quik staining. The sperm DNA integrity was determined with acridine orange fluorescent staining, and acrosin activity was assayed by the modified Kennedy method. The characteristics of post-thaw human sperm, including motility, viability, morphology, DNA integrity, and acrosin activity, showed no significant difference between LN2 and LN2 vapor storage for the different time periods. LN2 vapor was comparable to LN2 in post-thaw sperm characteristics, suggesting that LN2 vapor may be substituted for LN2 for the long-term storage of human sperm. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Diisopropyl fluorophosphate labeling of sperm-associated proteinases
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Odem, R.R.; Willand, J.L.; Polakoski, K.L.
1990-01-01
Proteinase inhibitors have been shown to be capable of preventing various aspects of fertilization. Diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP) is an irreversible inhibitor of trypsin-like enzymes that is commercially available in a radiolabeled form. The experiments described herein were designed to determine if DFP would prevent sperm function in live, motile sperm and to identify the sperm proteins bound with DFP. DFP at 5 mM concentrations had no observable effect on sperm motility, but inhibited the penetration of zona-free hamster ova by human sperm (5.5%) compared to controls (33.5%). Acid extracts of motile sperm that had been incubated with radiolabeled DFP and collected by the swim-up procedure demonstrated the presence of radiolabeled DFP, and the autoradiography of the sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) gels of these extracts localized the uptake of radiolabeled DFP to proteins in the molecular weight region of the proacrosin-acrosin system. Acid-extracted proteinases from semen samples incubated with DFP demonstrated a concentration-dependent inhibition of both esterolytic hydrolysis of benzoyl-arginine ethyl ester on spectrophotometric analysis and proteolytic activity on gelatin SDS-PAGE zymography. DFP-labeled proteins were precipitated by highly specific antibodies to proacrosin. These results demonstrated that DFP is capable of inhibiting sperm function, and that it associates with the proacrosin-acrosin system in live motile sperm
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Diisopropyl fluorophosphate labeling of sperm-associated proteinases
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Odem, R.R.; Willand, J.L.; Polakoski, K.L. (Washington Univ. School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO (USA))
1990-02-01
Proteinase inhibitors have been shown to be capable of preventing various aspects of fertilization. Diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP) is an irreversible inhibitor of trypsin-like enzymes that is commercially available in a radiolabeled form. The experiments described herein were designed to determine if DFP would prevent sperm function in live, motile sperm and to identify the sperm proteins bound with DFP. DFP at 5 mM concentrations had no observable effect on sperm motility, but inhibited the penetration of zona-free hamster ova by human sperm (5.5%) compared to controls (33.5%). Acid extracts of motile sperm that had been incubated with radiolabeled DFP and collected by the swim-up procedure demonstrated the presence of radiolabeled DFP, and the autoradiography of the sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) gels of these extracts localized the uptake of radiolabeled DFP to proteins in the molecular weight region of the proacrosin-acrosin system. Acid-extracted proteinases from semen samples incubated with DFP demonstrated a concentration-dependent inhibition of both esterolytic hydrolysis of benzoyl-arginine ethyl ester on spectrophotometric analysis and proteolytic activity on gelatin SDS-PAGE zymography. DFP-labeled proteins were precipitated by highly specific antibodies to proacrosin. These results demonstrated that DFP is capable of inhibiting sperm function, and that it associates with the proacrosin-acrosin system in live motile sperm.
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DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Dong, Guoyi; Shang, Zhouchun; Liu, Longqi
2017-01-01
Spermatogenic lineage has been directly generated in spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) conditions from human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). However, it remains unknown whether mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) can directly differentiate into advanced male germ cell lineage in the same conditions. Here......, we showed rather low efficiency of germ-like cell generation from mouse ESCs in SSC conditions. Interestingly, addition of retinoic acid (RA) into SSC conditions enabled efficient differentiation of mouse ESCs into germ-like cells, as shown by the activation of spermatogenesis-associated genes...... such as Mvh, Dazl, Prdm14, Stella, Scp1, Scp3, Stra8 and Rec8. In contrast, for cells cultured in control medium, the activation of the above genes barely occurred. In addition, RA with SSC conditions yielded colonies of Acrosin-expressing cells and the positive ratio reached a peak at day 6. Our work thus...
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Direct Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells into Haploid Spermatogenic Cells
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Charles A. Easley, IV
2012-09-01
Full Text Available Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs and induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs have been shown to differentiate into primordial germ cells (PGCs but not into spermatogonia, haploid spermatocytes, or spermatids. Here, we show that hESCs and hiPSCs differentiate directly into advanced male germ cell lineages, including postmeiotic, spermatid-like cells, in vitro without genetic manipulation. Furthermore, our procedure mirrors spermatogenesis in vivo by differentiating PSCs into UTF1-, PLZF-, and CDH1-positive spermatogonia-like cells; HIWI- and HILI-positive spermatocyte-like cells; and haploid cells expressing acrosin, transition protein 1, and protamine 1 (proteins that are uniquely found in spermatids and/or sperm. These spermatids show uniparental genomic imprints similar to those of human sperm on two loci: H19 and IGF2. These results demonstrate that male PSCs have the ability to differentiate directly into advanced germ cell lineages and may represent a novel strategy for studying spermatogenesis in vitro.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Mahmoud Huleihel
2015-01-01
Full Text Available In vitro culture of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs has generally been performed using two-dimensional (2D culture systems; however, such cultures have not led to the development of complete spermatogenesis. It seems that 2D systems do not replicate optimal conditions of the seminiferous tubules (including those generated by the SSC niche and necessary for spermatogenesis. Recently, one of our laboratories has been able to induce proliferation and differentiation of mouse testicular germ cells to meiotic and postmeiotic stages including generation of sperm in a 3D soft agar culture system (SACS and a 3D methylcellulose culture system (MCS. It was suggested that SACS and MCS form a special 3D microenvironment that mimics germ cell niche formation in the seminiferous tubules, and thus permits mouse spermatogenesis in vitro. In this review, we (1 provide a brief overview of the differences in spermatogenesis in rodents and primates, (2 summarize data related to attempts to generate sperm in vitro, (3 report for the first time formation of colonies/clusters of cells and differentiation of meiotic (expression of CREM-1 and postmeiotic (expression of acrosin germ cells from undifferentiated spermatogonia isolated from the testis of prepubertal rhesus monkeys and cultured in SACS and MCS, and (4 indicate research needed to optimize 3D systems for in vitroprimate spermatogenesis and for possible future application to man.
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Aquila, Saveria; Santoro, Marta; De Amicis, Francesca; Guido, Carmela; Bonofiglio, Daniela; Lanzino, Marilena; Cesario, Maria Grazia; Perrotta, Ida; Sisci, Diego; Morelli, Catia
2013-02-01
Myricetin is a natural flavonoid, particularly enriched in red wines, whose occurrence is widespread among plants. Despite extensive research, the beneficial effects of Myricetin on human health are still controversial. Here, we tested the estrogen-like effect of the phytoestrogen Myricetin on human ejaculated sperm biology. To this aim, human normozoospermic samples were exposed to increasing concentrations (10 nM, 100 nM, and 1 µM) of Myricetin. Motility, viability, capacitation-associated biochemical changes (i.e., cholesterol efflux and tyrosine phosphorylation), acrosin activity, as well as glucose utilization and fatty-acid oxidation (i.e., glucose and lipid metabolism) were all significantly increased by low doses of Myricetin. Importantly, both estrogen receptors α and β (ERs) and phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling are activated in the presence of Myricetin since these were both abrogated by specific inhibitors of each pathway. Our results show how Myricetin, through ERs and PI3K/AKT signalings, potentiates sperm function. This effect is dose-dependent at low concentrations of Myricetin (up to 100 nM), whereas higher amounts do not seem to improve any further sperm motility, viability, or other tested features, and, in some cases, they reduced or even abrogated the efficacy exerted by lower doses. Further studies are needed to elucidate if high levels of Myricetin, which could be attained even with moderate wine consumption, could synergize with endogenous estrogens in the female reproductive tract, interfering with the physiological sperm fertilization process. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Meng Rao
2015-01-01
Full Text Available In this experimental prospective study, we aimed to analyze the effect of transient scrotal hyperthermia on the male reproductive organs, from the perspective of sperm parameters, semen plasma biochemical markers, and oxidative stress, to evaluate whether different frequencies of heat exposure cause different degrees of damage to spermatogenesis. Two groups of volunteers (10 per group received testicular warming in a 43°C water bath 10 times, for 30 min each time: group 1: 10 consecutive days; group 2: once every 3 days. Sperm parameters, epididymis and accessory sex gland function, semen plasma oxidative stress and serum sex hormones were tested before treatment and in the 16-week recovery period after treatment. At last, we found an obvious reversible decrease in sperm concentration (P = 0.005 for Group 1 and P= 0.008 for Group 2 when the minimums were compared with baseline levels, the same below, motility (P = 0.009 and 0.021, respectively, the hypoosmotic swelling test score (P = 0.007 and 0.008, respectively, total acrosin activity (P = 0.018 and 0.009, respectively, and an increase in the seminal plasma malondialdehyde concentration (P = 0.005 and 0.017, respectively. The decrease of sperm concentration was greater for Group 2 than for Group 1 (P = 0.031. We concluded that transient scrotal hyperthermia seriously, but reversibly, negatively affected the spermatogenesis, oxidative stress may be involved in this process. In addition, intermittent heat exposure more seriously suppresses the spermatogenesis compared to consecutive heat exposure. This may be indicative for clinical infertility etiology analysis and the design of contraceptive methods based on heat stress.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Willem G. Coetzer
2018-06-01
Full Text Available Vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus are one of the most widely distributed non-human primate species found in South Africa. They occur across all the South African provinces, inhabiting a large variety of habitats. These habitats vary sufficiently that it can be assumed that various factors such as pathogen diversity could influence populations in different ways. In turn, these factors could lead to varied levels of selection at specific fitness linked loci. The Toll-like receptor (TLR gene family, which play an integral role in vertebrate innate immunity, is a group of fitness linked loci which has been the focus of much research. In this study, we assessed the level of genetic variation at partial sequences of two TLR loci (TLR4 and 7 and a reproductively linked gene, acrosin (ACR, across the different habitat types within the vervet monkey distribution range. Gene variation and selection estimates were also made among 11–21 primate species. Low levels of genetic variation for all three gene regions were observed within vervet monkeys, with only two polymorphic sites identified for TLR4, three sites for TLR7 and one site for ACR. TLR7 variation was positively correlated with high mean annual rainfall, which was linked to increased pathogen abundance. The observed genetic variation at TLR4 might have been influenced by numerous factors including pathogens and climatic conditions. The ACR exonic regions showed no variation in vervet monkeys, which could point to the occurrence of a selective sweep. The TLR4 and TLR7 results for the among primate analyses was mostly in line with previous studies, indicating a higher rate of evolution for TLR4. Within primates, ACR coding regions also showed signs of positive selection, which was congruent with previous reports on mammals. Important additional information to the already existing vervet monkey knowledge base was gained from this study, which can guide future research projects on this highly
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In vitro differentiation of rat spermatogonia into round spermatids in tissue culture.
Reda, A; Hou, M; Winton, T R; Chapin, R E; Söder, O; Stukenborg, J-B
2016-09-01
Do the organ culture conditions, previously defined for in vitro murine male germ cell differentiation, also result in differentiation of rat spermatogonia into post-meiotic germ cells exhibiting specific markers for haploid germ cells? We demonstrated the differentiation of rat spermatogonia into post-meiotic cells in vitro, with emphasis on exhibiting, protein markers described for round spermatids. Full spermatogenesis in vitro from immature germ cells using an organ culture technique in mice was first reported 5 years ago. However, no studies reporting the differentiation of rat spermatogonia into post-meiotic germ cells exhibiting the characteristic protein expression profile or into functional sperm have been reported. Organ culture of testicular fragments of 5 days postpartum (dpp) neonatal rats was performed for up to 52 days. Evaluation of microscopic morphology, testosterone levels, mRNA and protein expression as measured by RT-qPCR and immunostaining were conducted to monitor germ cell differentiation in vitro. Potential effects of melatonin, Glutamax® medium, retinoic acid and the presence of epidydimal fat tissue on the spermatogenic process were evaluated. A minimum of three biological replicates were performed for all experiments presented in this study. One-way ANOVA, ANOVA on ranks and student's t-test were applied to perform the statistical analysis. Male germ cells, present in testicular tissue pieces grown from 5 dpp rats, exhibited positive protein expression for Acrosin and Crem (cAMP (cyclic adenosine mono phosphate) response element modulator) after 52 days of culture in vitro. Intra-testicular testosterone production could be observed after 3 days of culture, while when epididymal fat tissue was added, spontaneous contractility of cultured seminiferous tubules could be observed after 21 days. However, no supportive effect of the supplementation with any factor or the co-culturing with epididymal fat tissue on germ cell differentiation in