Phosphorylation of Triton X-100 soluble and insoluble protein substrates in a demembranated/reactivated human sperm model

The semenogelin I-derived peptide SgI-52 in seminal plasma participates in sperm selection and clearance by macrophages

BACKGROUND

Macrophages can phagocytose sperm, especially damaged spermatozoa, in the female genital tract. The semenogelin I-derived peptide SgI-52 in seminal plasma exhibits seminal plasma motility inhibitor (SPMI) activity and can inhibit sperm motility. This raises the question of the role played by SPMIs in macrophage-mediated phagocytosis of sperm. We speculated that SgI-52 promotes sperm clearance by macrophages. Therefore, we investigated the phagocytosis of sperm in different states using this peptide.

METHODS

SgI-52 was fluorescently labeled, and its binding site for sperm was observed. The ability of macrophages to phagocytose sperm was observed using fluorescence confocal microscopy. Spermatozoa from different sources were co-cultured with SgI-52 in BWW medium for 4 and 22 h to compare the differences in their phagocytosis by macrophages. Sperm motility, induced acrosome reaction, mitochondrial membrane potential, and ATP content were examined after incubation with SgI-52.

RESULTS

SgI-52 could bind to spermatozoa in different states, mainly to the tail, and then spread to the acrosome. This effect was more pronounced in demembranated spermatozoa. SgI-52 promoted phagocytosis of spermatozoa by macrophages, decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential, and increased the average ATP content of spermatozoa (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

We found for the first time that SgI-52 can bind to spermatozoa in different states and promote their phagocytosis by macrophages. Therefore, we speculate that SgI-52 is involved in the screening of sperm in the female reproductive tract and has potential value in improving assisted reproductive technology.

Activation of sperm EGFR by light irradiation is mediated by reactive oxygen species

To acquire fertilization competence, spermatozoa must undergo several biochemical and motility changes in the female reproductive tract, collectively called capacitation. Actin polymerization and the development of hyperactivated motility (HAM) are part of the capacitation process. In a recent study, we showed that irradiation of human sperm with visible light stimulates HAM through a mechanism involving reactive-oxygen-species (ROS), Ca(2+) influx, protein kinases A (PKA), and sarcoma protein kinase (Src). Here, we showed that this effect of light on HAM is mediated by ROS-dependent activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Interestingly, ROS-mediated HAM even when the EGFR was activated by EGF, the physiological ligand of EGFR. Light irradiation stimulated ROS-dependent actin polymerization, and this effect was abrogated by PBP10, a peptide which activates the actin-severing protein, gelsolin, and causes actin-depolymerization in human sperm. Light-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of Src-dependent gelsolin, resulting in enhanced HAM. Thus, light irradiation stimulates HAM through a mechanism involving Src-mediated actin polymerization. Light-stimulated HAM and in vitro-fertilization (IVF) rate in mouse sperm, and these effects were mediated by ROS and EGFR. In conclusion, we show here that irradiation of sperm with visible light, enhances their fertilization capacity via a mechanism requiring ROS, EGFR and HAM.

Intracellular translocation and differential accumulation of cell-penetrating peptides in bovine spermatozoa: evaluation of efficient delivery vectors that do not compromise human sperm motility

STUDY QUESTION

Do cell penetrating peptides (CPPs) translocate into spermatozoa and, if so, could they be utilized to deliver a much larger protein cargo?

SUMMARY ANSWER

Chemically diverse polycationic CPPs rapidly and efficiently translocate into spermatozoa. They exhibit differential accumulation within intracellular compartments without detrimental influences upon cellular viability or motility but they are relatively ineffective in transporting larger proteins.

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN

Endocytosis, the prevalent route of protein internalization into eukaryotic cells, is severely compromised in mature spermatozoa. Thus, the translocation of many bioactive agents into sperm is relatively inefficient. However, the delivery of bioactive moieties into mature spermatozoa could be significantly improved by the identification and utility of an efficient and inert vectorial delivery technology.

STUDY DESIGN

CPP translocation efficacies, their subsequent differential intracellular distribution and the influence of peptides upon viability were determined in bovine spermatozoa. Temporal analyses of sperm motility in the presence of exogenously CPPs utilized normozoospermic human donor samples.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

CPPs were prepared by manual, automated and microwave-enhanced solid phase synthesis. Confocal fluorescence microscopy determined the intracellular distribution of rhodamine-conjugated CPPs in spermatozoa. Quantitative uptake and kinetic analyses compared the translocation efficacies of chemically diverse CPPs and conjugates of biotinylated CPPs and avidin. 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, inner salt (MTS) conversion assays were employed to analyse the influence of CPPs upon sperm cell viability and sperm class assays determined the impact of CPPs on motility in capacitated and non-capacitated human samples.

MAIN RESULTS

Chemically heterogeneous CPPs readily translocated into sperm to accumulate within discrete intracellular compartments. Mitoparan (INLKKLAKL(Aib)KKIL), for example, specifically accumulated within the mitochondria located in the sperm midpiece. The unique plasma membrane composition of sperm is a critical factor that directly influences the uptake efficacy of structurally diverse CPPs. No correlations in efficacies were observed when comparing CPP uptake into sperm with either uptake into fibroblasts or direct translocation across a phosphatidylcholine membrane. These comparative investigations identified C105Y (CSIPPEVKFNKPFVYLI) as a most efficient pharmacokinetic modifier for general applications in sperm biology. Significantly, CPP uptake induced no detrimental influence upon either bovine sperm viability or the motility of human sperm. As a consequence of the lack of endocytotic machinery, the CPP-mediated delivery of much larger protein complexes into sperm is relatively inefficient when compared with the similar process in fibroblasts.

LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION

It is possible that some CPPs could directly influence aspects of sperm biology and physiology that were not analysed in this study.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS

CPP technologies have significant potential to deliver selected bioactive moieties and so could modulate the biology and physiology of human sperm biology both prior- and post-fertilization.

Light-mediated activation reveals a key role for protein kinase A and sarcoma protein kinase in the development of sperm hyper-activated motility

BACKGROUND

Hyper-activated motility (HAM) is part of the sperm capacitation process, which is necessary for fertilization. In this study, we investigated the effect of visible light on sperm motility and hyperactivation and evaluated pathways mediating these effects.

METHODS

Human sperm (1 × 10⁷ cells/ml) in capacitation media were irradiated for 3 min with 40 mW/cm² visible light (400-800 nm with maximum energy at 600 nm). Sperm motility was assessed and analyzed by computer-assisted sperm analysis. The involvement of sperm capacitation factors was investigated as follows. The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was measured using 20,70-dichlorofluorescein diacetate. Protein kinase A (PKA) and sarcoma protein kinase (Src) activity were measured using western blot analysis and inhibited using 50 µM H89 and 10 µM PP2, respectively. Soluble adenlyl cyclase was inhibited using 20 µM 2-OH-Estradiol. The intracellular concentration of free Ca(2+) was assessed using the fluorescent calcium indicator, Fluo-4/AM. Sperm DNA fragmentation was determined using the sperm chromatin dispersion test.

RESULTS

Light irradiation of human sperm caused a significant increase in hyper-HAM but not total motility. The production of ROS and activation of soluble adenylyl cyclase and PKA mediated the effect of light on HAM. Light irradiation also activated Src, and inhibition of Src significantly reduced the effect of light on HAM. Light irradiation caused a rapid increase in intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration and the increase in HAM was significantly reduced when voltage-dependent-Ca²⁺-channel activity was blocked or when Ca²⁺-deficient medium was used.

CONCLUSIONS

Light irradiation of human sperm for a short time causes a significant increase in HAM in a mechanism mediated by ROS production, activation of PKA, Src and Ca²⁺ influx.

The effects of detergents on the polymerization properties of actin

Effects of some detergents-most frequently used in membrane raft studies-on the polymerization properties of actin were examined under in vitro and in vivo conditions, for protein and cellular investigations, respectively. Under in vitro conditions the polymerization rates were measured with pyrene-labeled actin. We found that polymerization rate depended on the detergent concentration by following either biphasic characteristics or only decreasing tendency. The strongest effects were observed at relatively low detergent concentrations. SDS-PAGE electrophoresis and dynamic light-scattering measurements provided further evidences for the size distribution of actin filaments formed under the influence of detergents. Comparing the polymerization rates measured in the presence of different detergents to those obtained with various magnesium and KCl concentrations showed that detergents may influence the actin polymerization at three levels by modifying: (i) the monomer-monomer interaction, (ii) the local ionic strength, and (iii) the affinity of actin for various cations. In vivo studies on NIH 3T3MDR1 cells using TRITC-phalloidin detected fast depolymerization of large extent around the critical micellar concentrations of the detergents. We concluded that microdomain insolubility observed in the presence of detergents is hardly to be the result of the stabilization of the submembrane actin cytoskeleton merely; rather inter-lipid and lipid-protein interactions are also involved within the detergent-resistant membranes.

Distribution and localization of calmodulin-binding proteins in bull spermatozoa

Previous studies from our laboratory have shown that a decrease in the calmodulin binding properties of a few sperm proteins occurs during the capacitation process, an effect associated with a decrease in intracellular calmodulin concentrations. Using biotinylated-calmodulin nitrocellulose overlay assay on protein extracts of subcellular fractions of bull spermatozoa, one of these proteins (p32) is detected in the flagellar-enriched fractions, whereas p30 is found in the fraction enriched with sperm heads. This latter calmodulin binding protein, p30, appears to be associated with the perinuclear theca. None of these binding proteins was solubilized by nonionic detergents. Sodium dodecyl sulfate was effective solubilizing p32, whereas p30 was extracted only in conditions reported to isolate the perinuclear theca. Cellular localization of calmodulin binding proteins was also achieved by incubating spermatozoa fixed on slides with biotinylated calmodulin and revealed in a further step by fluorescein-conjugated streptavidin. Using this procedure, it was found that calmodulin binds to the sub- and postacrosomal areas of the sperm head along with the midpiece in the presence of Ca(2+). Only a sharp band of fluorescence at the subacrosomal area was observed when this procedure was performed in the absence of Ca(2+) in the presence of EGTA. The pattern of cellular calmodulin binding was highly decreased when spermatozoa were incubated under capacitating conditions, in the presence of heparin, in agreement with the published effect of capacitation on calmodulin binding proteins.

Maintenance of motility in mouse sperm permeabilized with streptolysin O

One approach to studying the mechanisms governing sperm motility is to permeabilize sperm and examine the regulation of motility by manipulating the intracellular milieu of the cell. The most common method of sperm permeabilization, detergent treatment, has the disadvantage that the membranes and many proteins are extracted from the cell. To avoid this problem, we have developed a method that uses streptolysin O to create stable pores within the plasma membrane while leaving internal membranes intact. Sperm were permeabilized, preincubated, and then treated with 0.6 U/ml of streptolysin O. Permeabilization was assessed by fluorescent dye technologies and endogenous protein phosphorylation using exogenously added [gamma-32P]ATP. Streptolysin O-induced permeabilization rendered the sperm immotile, and the effect was Ca2+-dependent. When the cells were treated simultaneously with a medium containing ATP, streptolysin O-treated sperm maintained flagellar movement. These results demonstrate that the streptolysin O permeabilization model system is a useful experimental method for studying the mechanisms that regulate sperm motility since it allows the flagellar apparatus to be exposed to various exogenously added molecules.

Identification of phosphoproteins coupled to initiation of motility in live epididymal mouse sperm

A method for collecting live immotile cauda epididymal mouse sperm that initiate motility by dilution into an activation buffer is described. Sperm in collection buffer showed low percent motility (MOT) and population progression (PRG) that increased 10-fold and 9-fold, respectively, during the first 2 min after dilution into activation buffer. Western phosphoserine (pS), phosphothreonine (pT), and phosphotyrosine (pY) analysis revealed a 120 kDa protein that markedly increased in pT content during initiation of motility and may be related to FP130, the motility-coupled axonemal protein of sea urchin sperm. A prominent 82 kDa protein that was pS and pT-phosphorylated in immotile and motile sperm is likely the fibrous sheath component AKAP82 that is phosphorylated during spermatogenesis. Analysis of live human sperm also identified a prominent 120 kDa pT protein. Thus it appears that phosphorylation of FP130 and related 120 kDa proteins in mouse, and perhaps human sperm, represent common targets during motility initiation in sperm.

Identification of flagellar proteins that initiate the activation of sperm motility in vivo

Protein phosphorylation appears to be a necessary step in the intracellular signaling pathway that initiates the activation of sperm motility. Activation of live immotile sea urchin sperm produced rapid, time-dependent increased phosphorylation on proteins of 32, 45, 130, and 500 kDa. Fractionation of immotile and motile sperm indicated that these motility-related phosphoproteins are associated with flagella. These proteins showed greater phosphorylation in the flagellar fraction from motile sperm, suggesting that subcellular boundaries are in place to keep protein kinases and their substrates spatially separated. Solubility properties suggest that these proteins are the heavy chain and smaller subunits of sea urchin sperm dynein which are phosphorylated in vivo to initiate activation of motility. This also suggests that phosphorylation of only these few proteins, out of the nearly 100 phosphorylations known to occur in the basic axoneme, appears to be associated with the early signaling pathways of motility activation in intact sperm.